A high-speed ferry carrying 123 Macao tourists embarked on a voyage to Guishan Island in South China's Zhuhai city on July 15 - marking the opening of a sea route connecting it with Macao's Taipa Ferry Terminal.

Located 17 nautical miles away from Macao in the Lingding Sea, Guishan Island boasts stunning island scenery, "red tourism" sites, delicious seafood, and enhanced tourism facilities. 

In recent years, Guishan town has undergone a revamp, and in June the island was officially recognized as one of the "Harmonious and Beautiful Islands in China."

That month, Macao proposed opening up a route between the SAR and Guishan Island based on the existing direct ferry routes between Zhuhai's Wanzai Port and the Macao Inner Harbor Ferry Terminal.

The filing process with the Department of Transport of Guangdong Province was completed on June 30.

The new sea route between Guishan Island and Macao's Taipa Ferry Terminal opens. [Photo by Zhong Fan / WeChat account: zhuhaifabu]

The opening of the route signifies the resumption of a ferry service with Guishan Port after a seven-year hiatus. 

Under the current operating plan, there are four high-speed passenger ships available, with two inbound and two outbound on weekends. The first departure is scheduled for 10:10 am from Taipa, while the final voyage returns at 4 pm from Guishan Island.

The journey from Taipa Ferry Terminal to Guishan Island takes about 40 minutes. The economy class fare from Macao to Guishan Island is MOP 158 (140 yuan, or $20) and the fare for the same class from Guishan Island to Macao is set at 140 yuan. 

Hu Huifang, president of the Macau Tourist Guide Association, said that this presented an opportune moment for tourism in the region.