National Parks of ChinaOverview
| Designation | National Park of China (eighth batch) |
| Province | Fujian |
| Name | 湄洲岛风景名胜区 |
| Location | Meizhou Island, Xiuyu District, Putian, Fujian |
| Nearby cities | Fuzhou |
| Nearby sites | Gulangyu and Mount Wanshi, Mount Qingyuan, Mount Qingyun, Quanzhou, Haitan Island, Shibachong Creek |
| Latitude, longitude | 25.07, 119.11 Google Maps |
About
Meizhou Island (湄洲岛风景名胜区) is a national park of China (eighth batch, designated by the State Council in 2012), located in Meizhou Island, Xiuyu District, Putian, Fujian.
The scenic area is Meizhou Island at the mouth of Meizhou Bay in Xiuyu District, Putian. The island covers about 14 sq km, forms Meizhou Town, and has a national tourist resort administration.
Meizhou is the birthplace of the sea goddess Mazu (Lin Mo). The Mazu Ancestral Temple on the island dates from the Song period and is the mother temple of Mazu temples worldwide; Mazu belief and customs were inscribed by UNESCO on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009. The coast is indented, with a golden sand beach and eroded rocks around Ewei headland.
Travel tips
About an hour from Putian city to the ferry terminal in Xiuyu, then a crossing of about 20 minutes. Allow one to two days. Pilgrims crowd the island around Mazu's birthday on the 23rd of the third lunar month and in the ninth lunar month. Typhoons occur in summer, so check weather and sailings.