THE tourism ferry service between the Golden Coast Port in Yantian District and the Shuangyong Pier in Nan’ao, Dapeng New Area, will resume Aug. 1, local Chinese-language media reported yesterday.

For the first three days, the service will be free of charge. Tourists can book a seat by calling 8205-0189 for a ferry from the Shuangyong Pier, and 2520-6738 for the Golden Coast Port.

As the city’s first tourism sea route in the eastern part of Shenzhen, the ferry service is expected to relieve congestion in the area over the weekends and also promote sea tourism.

The ferries will make eight trips, four from each port, between 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. each day.

From Nan’ao, the ferry leaves at 9:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The ferry leaves Yantian at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

A single trip takes 70 to 90 minutes and the fare is 50 yuan (US$7.35).

Travelers to the Golden Coast Port can take buses No. 387, B961, 68, 85, 205, 358, M290, M348, B843, B626, B961 and M465. Travelers to Shuangyong Pier can take buses No. E11, M231 ,M232, M274 and 833.

During holidays and weekends between May and October, tourism buses will be operating between Xinda Tourism Center in Nan’ao and Shuangyong Pier.

Along the ferry trip, tourists can see historic relics, such as the Shell Mound in Dameisha, which was discovered in the 1980s, the Xiantouling Neolithic Site, a typical prehistoric site in the Pan Pearl River Delta area, and the revolution-period site where Dongjiang Column guerrillas withdrew to the north.

Dapeng New Area’s coastline features beaches, islands, reefs, sea cliffs, caves, bridges, columns and other maritime landforms. It has been proclaimed the most beautiful coastal scenery in Guangdong and is known as the Pearl of Shenzhen. The Nan’ao coastal area is popular with tourists as well as local fishermen while the two islands of Sanmen and Laishi consist of aboriginal scenery. Local scenic attraction Xichong is also located in the area being noted for its undeveloped beach.

(Han Ximin)