Nanji Archipelago
Situated 56 kilometers east of the Aojiang Port in Pingyang (平阳) County, Zhejiang(浙江) Province, the Nanji Archipelago (南麂岛) has a land area of 11.3 square kilometers. Its largest island, Nanji Island, covers 7.64 square kilometers and is named for being shaped like a muntjac deer.
Fifteen years ago, the Nanji Archipelago was cited by the State Council of China as a state-class marine nature reserve, making it one of the first five marine nature reserves in China. Later, it was listed as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, as a marine nature reserve.
As China's first nature reserve for islands and marine ecosystems, the archipelago is located at the confluence of temperate and tropical zones, and at the junction of the Zhejiang coastal current and the Taiwan（台湾） warm current. Valuable in the research of oceanic ecosystems, it is also a living library of marine organisms, where species from the north and south meet.
The entire nature reserve, with an area of 201.6 square kilometers, is inhabited by 1,851 species of marine life. At present, it has been proven that there are 403 species of shellfish and 174 species of algae, accounting for more than 20 percent of China's total shellfish and algae species. Carrying a high value in scientific and academic research and aquaculture, it is therefore reputed as the "Kingdom of Shellfish and Algae."
The archipelago consists of 23 islands featuring bedrock hills and 69 reefs, 14 of them submerged. Its highest hill is 229 meters above sea level.
An ideal habitat for marine species, the Nanji Archipelago Nature Reserve is not only a base for oceanographic research and education but also a summer resort for ecological tourism, holiday recreation, and health recuperation.
Traffic Services on the Nanji Archipelago
Travel to or from the different scenic spots on the archipelago can be arranged in the hotel minibus or by renting a taxi, through the hotel desk. The hotels do not charge you for this service.
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