Nan'ao Island, Shantou: Beaches, Wind Turbines and the Bridge Crossing

Nan'ao is the island that gives Shantou its sea air: Guangdong's only island county, the one island on the Chinese mainland that the Tropic of Cancer crosses, and since 2015 the whole island has been rated a single national 4A scenic area. It sits roughly thirty-odd kilometres from the city, reached over an 11-kilometre cross-sea bridge, and its 68-kilometre round-island road strings together beaches, lighthouses, fishing towns and wind-turbine ridges. One day compresses it; two days with a night on the island do it properly, and that is how it fits into the wider Shantou plan.

Crossing the bridge

The Nan'ao Bridge opened at the start of 2015 and is the island's only land link, running from the Laiwu side of Chenghai across to the island's south-western shore. It is about 11 kilometres end to end, and the crossing swaps the old fifty-minute ferry ride for a drive.

The toll is the first thing to know. Cars of nine seats or fewer pay a double-journey charge collected once, on the island-bound side — 96 yuan for the round trip in a small passenger car, taken at the toll station on the island end so the return leg is barrier-free. Under the management notice that took effect on August 16, 2025, the bridge runs around the clock except in bad weather or emergencies. Motorcycles, pedestrians and non-motorised vehicles are barred from the span. On holiday weekends the queue onto the bridge is the single biggest delay in the whole trip; cross early or late.

The bridgehead itself is a set piece: the red-topped lighthouse at Changshanwei, the first of the island's photogenic navigation towers, stands where the ramp lands, with the Qihang Square park beside it.

Qing'ao Bay and the Tropic of Cancer line

Qing'ao Bay, on the island's east coast, is the best beach in the franchise — a long crescent of fine sand with the cleanest water in the area and space for swimmers, kite photos and sunset crowds at once. On the promenade stands the "Gate of Nature," the striped tower marking the Tropic of Cancer as it crosses the bay — the reason the island bills itself as the only one on the mainland the line passes through, and the island's favourite photograph.

The bay keeps tourist infrastructure: changing rooms and showers in season, snack stalls, holiday-weekend crowds. Off-season it reverts to fishermen and dog-walkers, which is its own charm.

History stops: Song Well and the General's Mansion

The island's recorded past runs deep for its size. At Song Well, on the coast near Yun'ao in the south, an ancient stone well is tied to the last scramble of the Southern Song court — legend has it the child emperor's fleet watered here late in the thirteenth century, and the well oddly keeps fresh water a stride from the tide. Take the story as legend; the well, the terrace and the sea view are real.

The General's Mansion in the old garrison town of Shen'ao in the north goes back to the Ming dynasty, when Nan'ao was the naval headquarters for the north-east Guangdong coast. In the courtyard grows the tree under which, by local tradition, Zheng Chenggong — Koxinga — recruited his seamen in the seventeenth century. Both stops are small; the fees, where charged, are minor and posted at the gate.

The round-island road

The 68-kilometre loop is the island's real attraction, and it works only at driving pace. Counter-clockwise from the bridge: the lighthouse park at the bridgehead; the fishing town of Yun'ao and Song Well; the east-coast beaches through Qing'ao; the Gold and Silver Island rock park on the northeast shore; the garrison town of Shen'ao; and the wind-turbine ridge on the western hills, where the blades turn above the sea and the island earns its old nickname of "wind county." A full loop without stops runs about an hour and a half; with stops it is a day.

Eating and staying

The island's table is its own. The "Three Treasures of Nan'ao" — zhai squid, seaweed, and the golden sweet potato — anchor any menu, and the fishing ports mean seafood generally lands on the plate the same day it leaves the water. The county town on the north-west coast holds most of the guesthouses and small hotels.

Staying one night is the single best upgrade to the trip: sunset from the west-coast turbines, sunrise over Qing'ao Bay, and the road empty at both ends of the day.

How to arrange the days

With two days: cross the bridge in the morning, work the southern coast — Song Well, Yun'ao, lunch on seafood — reach Qing'ao Bay by late afternoon, and sleep near the bay or in the county town. Day two runs the northern loop: the General's Mansion in Shen'ao, the wind-turbine ridge, and off the island by early afternoon before the queues thicken. On the way back into the city, the hills of Queshi or an evening in the Small Park arcades close the circuit well.

A one-day visit works if it must: on the island by nine, the loop with three stops, off by five — but the bridge toll is the same either way, which is reason enough to stay the night.

Things to confirm before you go

• The bridge toll for small passenger cars is currently 96 yuan double-journey, collected on entry under the 2025 management notice; rates and rules can change, so check the current notice.
• The bridge closes in typhoon and heavy weather; late-summer plans need a forecast eye.
• Song Well and the General's Mansion keep small entry fees, posted locally.
• Holiday weekends choke the bridge and the bay parking; cross early or late.
• Swimming conditions and lifeguard cover at Qing'ao Bay follow the seasonal beach notices.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Nan'ao Island?

By the Nan'ao Bridge — the island's only land link since 2015, about 11 kilometres across. Drive or take a bus or tour transfer across; motorcycles and pedestrians are not permitted on the span.

How much is the Nan'ao Bridge toll?

Small passenger cars pay a double-journey toll of 96 yuan, collected once on the island-bound side, under the management notice effective August 16, 2025. Check current notices for other vehicle classes.

Is Nan'ao Island a day trip or an overnight?

Both work; overnight is better. A day trip covers the loop with three stops, but the toll is charged the same either way, and the island's best hours — sunrise over Qing'ao Bay, the empty evening road — belong to guests who stay.

When should I avoid Nan'ao Island?

Typhoon days and the worst of the summer holiday crush. The bridge closes in bad weather, and the bay beaches post their own swimming notices; late summer is the season to watch forecasts.

What is Nan'ao Island known for?

Being Guangdong's only island county, the only mainland island the Tropic of Cancer crosses, the whole-island 4A rating, Qing'ao Bay's sand, the wind-turbine ridges, and the "Three Treasures" of zhai squid, seaweed and golden sweet potato.