Xisha Laolongtou

Xisha Laolongtou is a stele on the stone island next to Yongxing Island of the Xisha Islands. The stone island is located in the Xisha Xuande Archipelago of China, in the northeastern part of the Yongxing Island reef plate, covering an area of 0.08 square kilometers, with an altitude of 15.9 meters, which is the highest point of the Xisha Islands. In 2012, there was an approximately 800-meter-long man-made stone dike or small road connecting it to Yongxing Island, and by 2014, the island had merged with Yongxing Island. The stone island is flat like a platform, with steep sides all around, actually being a 10-meter-high plateau terrain, formed by the coral reefs that make up the stone island. Some of these reefs are cemented by coral sand deposits. The secondary coral reefs, originally in a nearly horizontal state, remained horizontal after uplift, thus forming the flat plateau terrain. These deposited gravel layers are not yet firmly cemented and are easily eroded by waves, hence the formation of vertical cliffs. On the island, there is a Chinese sovereignty monument and the 'Xisha Laolongtou' stele, as well as a veterans' forest, planted by the soldiers guarding the stone island when they left. Additionally, the entrance to the stone island is guarded, but a simple greeting allows entry. There are no obstructions on the island, and the vegetation consists of weeds and one or two artificially planted plants' withered stalks. ⏳Visiting Time: Free admission, visiting time is 30 minutes to 1 hour.