CRAB ISLAND

Crab Island sets an incredibly high bar for other floating villages to follow because it's WAY off the tourist circuit which gives it an incredible local vibe and working feel - nobody is putting on a show for you, nobody is trying to sell you knick-knacks.  I saw three other Westerners on the larger than expected island.  

Once I disembarked the ferry I rented a bicycle and went all over the island.  There is not just a Chinese "presence" here - for all intent and purposes this is China.  Signs were in Chinese, all local residents were Chinese, and from what I could tell all the schools were Chinese.  It’s not a very picturesque island and it’s difficult to figure out why the Chinese selected this location to setup a community.  ​

No trip to the island would be complete without a crab lunch.  After the meal I biked back to the pier, caught the ferry, and fortunately a train was waiting at the station.  I probably spent more time in transit than actually on the island but it was still a great visit.

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For additional Crab Island photos see FLICKR ALBUM.