Five islands in Dongtou are connected by bridges.  [Photo provided to China Daily]

Nearly 6 billion yuan ($0.9 billion) has been invested in the tourism industry. In 2013, it won the title of "Zhejiang's 10 best vacation destinations". In 2014, it received nearly 4 million tourists, up from 3.6 million in 2013, and the consolidated income of the tourism industry grew to 1.8 billion yuan, from 1.6 billion in 2013.

The second most popular site in Dongtou is called Xiandieyan, or "rocks piled by gods". It is a large range of rocks piled up like toy blocks on the east coast of Dongtou's biggest island. Artists had painted a Buddha on the steep slope of rocks and the site has become a place where people practice Buddhism.

In addition to the five largest islands, many of the smaller of Dongtou's 168 islands are worth visiting by boat. One of the islets is called Zhuyu, or Bamboo Island. To my surprise, the leafy islet has no bamboo at all, but is famous for its thousands of square meters of grass, making it perfect for golf courses and camping grounds.

Unlike many tropical coastal areas, Dongtou is not an ideal place for water sports. Its waves are mushy, chest high and annoying infrequent. Its beach is also a disappointment. The only beach park has only a few hundred meters of rough yellow sand and is packed with visitors.