Calm coast.

Green crops.

Seeking shellfish.

Fishing boats at rest.

At ease.

Against a backdrop of rolling green hills and laced by picturesque ocean reefs, the golden beach stretches for 11 kilometers. A few hundred meters offshore, the seawater changes hue; gemlike, glistening aquamarine. This pristine seaside environment – the only turtle breeding habitat in China – is Oceania Point.

Located in Xunliao on the Renping Peninsula in Guangdong Province, Oceania Point faces Daya Bay in the west, while Hong Kong and Shenzhen is to the southwest. Within 200 kilometers are the major cities of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Huizhou. Upon completion of the cross-sea highway linking Oceania Point to Hong Kong, the drive to and from that city or Macao will take about two hours or less. Thanks to the several expressways under expansion, Oceania Point will soon be embraced by the two-hour-drive economic circle encompassing the Pearl River Delta and vicinity.

The area features a subtropical marine climate and an annual average temperature of 21.7 degrees Celsius. It enjoys a comparatively long summer and visitors can enjoy spas and massages in the many hot springs scattered round Xunliao, even in winter.

Oceania Point also boasts fantastic reefs, clear seas and white sand beaches. Part of a coastline extending more than 20 kilometers, the white sand beach stretches like a soft, comfortable carpet, and numerous interestingly-shaped rocks are scattered along the shoreline of the small bays. Thriving mangrove forests appear like clusters of jade jewels along the shore, and 99 large and small islands dot the bays.

Walking barefoot along the white sands and listening to the soft sound of each step, one may enter a rejuvenating state of meditation.

The beach is at a slight gradient and the velvety sand is 99 percent silicon, thus it is easy for turtles to slide from the sea and dig holes to lay their eggs. And the water and air quality meets first-class standards throughout the year. From June to November, many female turtles come here to lay eggs. They expel 40-120 at a time, and some lay three times each year. At night, the hulking mothers-to-be will dig a hole on the beach, lay their eggs, cover them with a soft blanket of sand, then slip silently away back to the welcoming waves of the sea. Nine weeks later, the newly-hatched young will rise from the sand and make a dash for the waterline. Today, Oceania Point is one of the world’s 16 turtle nature reserves.

A place where Southern Fujian Culture, Hakka Culture and Guangfu Culture (culture of the Pearl River Delta area) fruitfully coexist, the Renping Peninsula abounds in cultural heritages and tourist resources. Here along the coastline are preserved more than 30 cliffs etched with stone carvings. Viewed from above, the gulf seems in the shape of a phoenix, hence the local name “Phoenix Pond.” Not far from the shore is a small islet, Phoenix Pond Island. In 1852, the second year during Emperor Xianfeng’s reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the famous calligrapher Fu Wei visited the island. Greatly moved by the wondrous sea view, he inscribed to the cliff four characters, translated as “Phoenix Pond Bathing in the Sun.”

The local government of Huidong County has conceived a comprehensive development plan, according to which the county will be home to and offer a tourist resort integrating coastal holiday services, eco-tourism and agricultural sightseeing within the next five to 10 years.

“Oceania Point aims to develop into a world-class seashore resort,” said Lai Youqing, general manager of the Financial Street (Huizhou) Real Estate Co., Ltd. “Based upon the natural and geographic conditions along the coastline, we plan to build an integrated coastal town comprised of the south, north and central zones to be linked by a north-south seashore avenue. It is estimated that the town will receive millions of vacationers a year.”

The central zone is home to 70,000 permanent residents and integrates a harbor, bar streets, coastal pedestrian streets, fishing villages and sea-view apartments. The harbor will open sea routes to Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

The south zone will be developed into a luxurious private community. Five 5-star international hotels will offer top-flight accommodations and services to domestic and international tourists, while members of private yacht clubs can berth near their seashore villas. The zone is expected to become a place of relaxation and refuge for successful businesspeople and entertainment celebrities.

The north zone holds a mangrove nature reserve and remains a paradise for birds.

At present, the 24-square-kilometer town plan is set and in motion. In June 2008, the town’s first 5-star hotel, Sheraton Huizhou Beach Resort, went into operation. The hotel is ranked sixth of its kind around China. The first real estate project, Oceania Point & Phoenix Pond Island, is complete and on the market. And the core of the central zone, Deep Blue Town, is under construction.

Oceania Point offers more than just picturesque scenery. Here is also fashion and modernity. On September 22, 2008, the 3rd Huizhou International Coastal Travel Festival kicked off at Oceania Point. Also hosted here was the final for the China Professional Model Tournament. And the F1 Canoeing Base, the Hairun TV and Movie Star Base, the Oriental Bentley Model (Star) Base and the China Professional Model Qualification Tournament Base have settled in Oceania Point, now Huizhou’s signature nature resort and leisure destination.