Visitors walk on a beach at Lianhua Bay. [Photo/Zhoushan Daily]

A newly opened beach at Lianhua Bay in Putuo district, Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, has quickly become a popular leisure spot for residents and visitors.

The beach, stretching about 1,498 meters with a maximum width of around 50 meters, officially opened on June 1.

The site was once a degraded coastal area with abandoned structures and a rocky shoreline. Since 2024, local authorities have invested over 300 million yuan (about $44 million) to support a large-scale improvement project reshaping the eastern coastline of Zhoushan Island into an integrated recreational and ecological zone.

The area has been redesigned to complement the popular coastal road, with artificial sand beaches and additional safety and service facilities being introduced. Further supporting infrastructure, including public restrooms and lifeguard services, is being gradually added.

Beyond Lianhua Bay, the broader project includes multiple artificial sand beaches and pebble shorelines, ecological island development, and plans for marine environment monitoring systems and public science education facilities.