Experiencing isolated island life on China's far eastern fringes I

Few people have heard of Dongji, the collection of 28 islands which comprise China’s easternmost edge, let alone set foot there. Most traffic is headed in the opposite direction, with the ageing population and urban decay of the small archipelago obvious to anyone who pays even the most fleeting of visits. Despite efforts from the government to increase China tourism and boost the islands’ economy, seemingly the only people under the age of 60 in the islands’ population of around 6,000 are the soldiers based at the military outpost here, while numerous houses, schools and other buildings abandoned by their owners have long succumbed to creepers and erosion.
The islands, only four of which are inhabited, are near-deserted in off-peak season (which it’s tempting to suggest is year-round). But even during the relative ‘high’ season of July and August, tourist numbers are miniscule compared to the crowds that swarm over nearby Putuoshan.

Of course, this is precisely why most visitors come here for China tour deals: for those looking to ‘get away from it all’, Dongji (whose name literally translates as ‘east pole’) is an area that revels in its remoteness.
Getting here feels suitably adventurous: if you don’t hold a Chinese passport, you’ll need to apply for a special permit to travel to any part of Dongji, and before we leave the Zhejiang port of Shenjiamen, the woman at the Public Security Bureau warns us that ‘the islands aren’t properly open to outsiders’ and ‘may not be entirely safe’. While her safety concerns prove unfounded to us at least, there is certainly evidence to support her other claim.
Only one boat a day makes the journey from the mainland, but it can be delayed or even cancelled depending on the weather reports that are boomed around the islands on megaphones suspended above the narrow streets. Checking the weather before you leave is therefore crucial – on days when the mist rolls in across the islands’ hills and the waves splash over the walls of their harbours, a trip to Dongji (part of China best tours) can start to feel like a huge mistake.
When the sun shines however, it’s idyllic. Brightly painted fishing boats bob in blue waters in the harbour of Miaozihu – the main island – while the waterfront streets are dotted with elders threading fishing lines with their backs to the spray. At Qingbang, the next inhabited island in the chain, the dwellings stagger up the hill in a manner that has seen enterprising tourist officials dub them the ‘sea-top Potala Palace’. From Dongfushan, the easternmost island, you can watch the first sunrise of the day in China.
The ferry from Shenjiamen deposits you on Miaozihu, where the lack of a proper jetty necessitates a leap across a gap between the boat edge and land, aided by a soldier. Locals crowd round the ferry when it arrives – some offering accommodation in their homes, but most to grab supplies ranging from instant noodles to pieces of furniture – amplifying the feeling of distance from the mainland.
The small harbour makes for the focal point of Miaozihu and the area where you’ll spend nearly all your time on a trip here for your popular China travel package. In the summertime, the waterfront road hosts a night market with stalls serving that day’s catch. The rest of the year, it’s dotted with locals preparing nets for the fishermen who arrive in the evenings, causing a relative commotion. In the daytime, aside from the chugging of an occasional boat motor or the odd military vehicle, the only sound comes from the waves lapping against the harbour walls.