The Southernmost Lighthouse in Mainland China

The Lighthouse in Jiaowei township in Xuwen county is located on the southernmost tip of the Chinese mainland. Located at 109°55′east longitude and 20°13′north latitude, it was previously known as "Ji Nan" and "Jin Nan", which means the southernmost place.

The lighthouse is the dividing line between the Beibu Gulf and the Qiongzhou Strait. When the rising tide comes in, the water of the Qiongzhou Strait and the Beibu Gulf meet here, thus forming the impressive cross-shaped waves. The lighthouse was the first one in Leizhou Peninsula and was built by the French in 1894. In 1950 the PLA officers and soldiers set sail here to liberate Hainan.

In the shallow sea along the coast near the lighthouse, there are coral reefs covering an area of 143.78 square kilometers with 85 kinds of coral. It is now a national nature reserve of coral reef and the largest one in the epi-continental sea in China.

The coral reefs are the best preserved reefs in China. In a 2006 poll sponsored by Chinese National Geographic and Southern Metropolis Daily, people were asked to vote for "the Most Beautiful Place in Guangdong". The Lighthouse Coral Reef was chosen as the "Most Beautiful Coast in Guangdong."

If you are lucky enough to come here in good weather, you can see the beautiful "garden" under the sea. The colorful corals in different shapes stick close to the surface and you can touch them with your fingers. You can also visit the Exhibition Hall of Coral Samples and the Coral Cottages on the seaside at Fangpo village.

Address: Jiaowei township, Xuwen county

Tel: 0759-4879770