Part of the coastal areas of Fujian's Zhangzhou city, where volcanic geological remains dominate the landscape, was designated in 2001 as one of the first 11 national geological parks.

The Zhangzhou Binhai volcano national geological park includes part of Zhangpu county and part of Longhai, a county-level city in Zhangzhou.

As the only one of its kind in China, the park is home to one of the few ancient submarine volcanoes in the world with an elliptical crater, and many other attractions.

The huge amount of basalt rocks with columnar joints on the Nanding Island are a marvel of nature.

Xiangshan Peninsula is the most visited section of the park. Nutrition-rich volcanic ash makes it a fertile land of flowers and trees. In early summer, the Acacia confusa trees’ fluffy bright yellow blossoms exude a delicate fragrance across the peninsula.

Linjin Islet was made by multiple volcanic eruptions; the rarely seen eruptive vent cluster on the northeast shore testifies to this history. It is now covered by a primitive forest, rampant with wild flowers. The unspoiled natural environment is preserved together with sweet spring waters, and medicinal herbs including glossy ganoderma.

The volcanic geological remains at the Zhangzhou Binhai volcano national geological park in Zhangzhou city, Fujian province. [Photo by Wei Peiquan/Xinhua]