Looking beyond the view

All aboard

At the No 22 International Yacht Marina, opened in June 2024, 49 berths are in operation, including 17 reserved for future cross-Strait yacht travel.

The marina has received about 53,000 visitor trips since opening, says Chen Ziliang, general manager of Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone Tourism Passenger Transportation Co. More than 20,000 people have experienced its water-based offerings so far this year.

"We want to make yacht tourism accessible to ordinary people," Chen says.

Visitors can take yacht cruises in the Taiwan Strait, view the 68-nautical-mile scenic area from the sea, or join sunset cruises. A standard experience lasts an hour, while customized trips can run two to three hours or even a full day.

"It doesn't necessarily follow a fixed route," Chen says. "It depends on the customer's preferences."

Nearly 40 vessels are currently docked at the marina, Chen says, including about 10 luxury yachts, as well as sailboats and motorboats.

The ambition extends beyond the marina. Pingtan is planning a network of yacht bases, marinas and berthing points, with more than 1,270 berths envisioned countywide, Chen says.

For the industry, the aim is to make boating less of an occasional spectacle and more of a way to spend time on the sea.

"Yacht tourism fits very well with Pingtan's position as an international tourism island," Chen says.