OVERRATED ATTRACTIONS (this page is simply a guide to stop you wasting your time, when there are so many other good things to see & do)
1. Tongliao Banyan Tree
Don't bother to check out the Tongliao Banyan Tree - its just a tree - (yeah its a big one, which has grown sideways - very sideways) but if you know that banyan's are similar to vines, i.e. they keep growing, then there's nothing really spectacular to see, apart from droves of mainland Chinese tourists being shepherded around by someone with a loud hailer. But if you're on the way to Xiyu, then maybe its worth a quick stop for some refreshment - there are a few stalls selling fresh, ice cold cactus juice - delicious, sweet & nutritious - a real Vitamin C hit. Otherwise, most of the stalls are selling cheap tacky rip-off merchandise - the Jade and the red coral are mainly all fake.
2. Any geological formation which 'looks like an animal' - i.e. has acquired an animal name epithet - due to the terminally stunted imagination of the PTBs which bestowed the name on the feature in the first place, you can be sure it will be a disappointment. Just look out for such clues on those brown tourist signs. Brown generally being the main clue regarding the level of crapness.
3. The lighthouse on Xiyu - its just a lighthouse. The sea views are quite good though, since the elevation is high, you can see most of the main island - sometimes you can also spot dolphins by virtue of the fact you can scan a lot of area of the sea from that vantage point.
4. Ji Bei island. Looks great from the air. Beautiful long white sand bar. And that's the best place to see it. From the air. Or by your own independent travel, on a sailing boat or windsurfer. Otherwise you will be tied into a 'program' for half a day (if not longer), involving nothing very much (an unspectacular boat trip), a ride on a banana boat whereupon you will be tipped off into the water - how hilarious - NOT - and generally treated as if you were on a kindergarten school outing. And if you want to lie on a snow white piece of sand with the waves lapping the shore nearby, there are hundreds of other beaches to choose from - with far less or even no other people if you so wish. And you won't get hustled to move on after only 5 minutes of relaxing.
1. Tongliao Banyan Tree
Don't bother to check out the Tongliao Banyan Tree - its just a tree - (yeah its a big one, which has grown sideways - very sideways) but if you know that banyan's are similar to vines, i.e. they keep growing, then there's nothing really spectacular to see, apart from droves of mainland Chinese tourists being shepherded around by someone with a loud hailer. But if you're on the way to Xiyu, then maybe its worth a quick stop for some refreshment - there are a few stalls selling fresh, ice cold cactus juice - delicious, sweet & nutritious - a real Vitamin C hit. Otherwise, most of the stalls are selling cheap tacky rip-off merchandise - the Jade and the red coral are mainly all fake.
2. Any geological formation which 'looks like an animal' - i.e. has acquired an animal name epithet - due to the terminally stunted imagination of the PTBs which bestowed the name on the feature in the first place, you can be sure it will be a disappointment. Just look out for such clues on those brown tourist signs. Brown generally being the main clue regarding the level of crapness.
3. The lighthouse on Xiyu - its just a lighthouse. The sea views are quite good though, since the elevation is high, you can see most of the main island - sometimes you can also spot dolphins by virtue of the fact you can scan a lot of area of the sea from that vantage point.
4. Ji Bei island. Looks great from the air. Beautiful long white sand bar. And that's the best place to see it. From the air. Or by your own independent travel, on a sailing boat or windsurfer. Otherwise you will be tied into a 'program' for half a day (if not longer), involving nothing very much (an unspectacular boat trip), a ride on a banana boat whereupon you will be tipped off into the water - how hilarious - NOT - and generally treated as if you were on a kindergarten school outing. And if you want to lie on a snow white piece of sand with the waves lapping the shore nearby, there are hundreds of other beaches to choose from - with far less or even no other people if you so wish. And you won't get hustled to move on after only 5 minutes of relaxing.