Meizhou Island (湄洲岛) sits 1.82 nautical miles off Putian's coast in Xiuyu District — small, shaped like an eyebrow (hence mei zhou, "eyebrow islet"), and the single most important site in the Mazu faith worldwide. It's a full national 5A scenic area with three main draws:
- Mazu Ancestral Temple (妈祖祖庙) — the world's first and spiritual source of every Mazu temple. Originally built 987 CE.
- Ewei Divine Stone Park (鹅尾神石园) — sea-eroded granite formations at the island's southern tip: Flying Halberd Cave, Sea Turtle Pilgrimage Rock, and others. 90 minutes of clifftop walks.
- Huangjin Beach (黄金沙滩) and Jiugou Beach (九沟沙滩) — long, clean, uncrowded. Best in June–October.
Getting there: all access is by ferry from Wenjia Wharf (文甲码头) on the mainland. Book round-trip tickets (125 CNY) one day ahead via the "Meizhou Ferry" (湄洲轮渡) WeChat mini-program. Crossing takes 16 minutes. Tourists are required to use this ferry — the local resident ferry is restricted.
On the island: public shuttle buses loop the main sites; cheap island-wide e-scooter rental available near the wharf. Stay overnight if you can — the island empties after the last ferry and the temple at dawn is a different experience.