Red Beach, Panjin

Background

Red Beach lies in Dawa District, Panjin, where the Liao River meets the Bohai Bay coast. The red colour comes from seepweed (Suaeda salsa, Chenopodiaceae), not from red sand or red water. The Shuangtaizi Estuary Nature Reserve, where it lies, was raised to national level in 1988; according to available sources, more than 260 bird species and 399 wild animal species live here, and red-crowned cranes and Saunders's gulls breed here. Red Beach is an important part of the Liao River estuary wetland; promotional claims about its size vary. Historically the wetland was a place of fishing, hunting and salt-boiling, with traces of human activity since the Neolithic, and in the Ming and Qing periods it lay within the coastal defences of Liaodong Bay. Wetland conservation gained attention from the 1980s, and the Red Beach Scenic Corridor formally opened to the public in 2013; the corridor runs about 18 km and was rated a national 5A tourist attraction in 2020. The scenic area presents Liao River estuary traditions of work and daily life such as "rice-farming culture" and "fishing-and-goose culture". "Red carpet" and "red sea" are popular nicknames for the landscape.

Local customs

• Walk the boardwalk suspended above the red grass and see it interwoven with reeds, paddy fields and waterways
• watch birds in autumn, including red-crowned cranes and Saunders's gulls
• take photos at the corridor's viewpoints and waterside platforms
• try local produce such as Panjin river crab and reed shoots (depending on what is available on site).

Travel tips

• The scenic area is explored mainly along the boardwalk, so bring an extra layer when it is windy. Autumn is peak season
• when it is crowded, try to visit at quieter times. You can drive or take a vehicle from downtown Panjin to Dawa District
• inside the scenic area there are boardwalks and shuttle arrangements. Check the latest local information for routes and schedules.
• The seepweed usually sprouts in April, is tender red in spring, turns green in summer and is reddest in autumn (generally September to October), before turning purplish-brown and withering
• in winter the flats look bleak. The colour depends on each year's weather, rainfall and tides and varies from year to year, so check recent photos before you go.