The beach at Dolphin Bay on Guishan Island will be restored by July to provide high-quality coastal leisure space and boost local tourism. Guishan is the most populated and developed island in the Wanshan Archipelago.

Restoration of the 3.66-hectare (9-acre) beach has been approved by the Zhuhai Ecology & Environment Bureau. In all, 788 m (2,585 ft) of shoreline and 2.58 hectares (6 acres) of beach berm will be restored by June, 157,600 cubic meters of sand will be added, and two submerged breakwaters built.

Dolphin Bay [Photo by Zeng Yao / Guanhai App]

The beach was created on the southwest coast around 1998 and later covered with gravel to enhance the coastal environment. The beach berm, however, has shrunk and its middle and north sections are missing, its slope leveled, and granule coarsened due to lack of maintenance, detritus dumped from a nearby quarry, and the work of waves, currents, and winds.

The nearshore deep water and steep slopes may pose safety threats to visitors, while there is also sand accumulation on backshore roads and stairways.

The island is 15 nautical miles and 50 minutes by ferry from Xiangzhou Port and attracts hordes of tourists every year. Dolphin Bay itself is within the Pearl River Estuary Chinese White Dolphin National Nature Reserve and the rare species is randomly spotted there. For now, there are two piers on the south coast and submerged breakwaters on the east and north sides.