Across the ocean

Investment in tourism has started to draw more visitors to the islands that dot Dongtou, where history and natural beauty converge

For a person who has just escaped smog-choked Beijing, the weather in Dongtou is a blessing - bright sunshine, crystal clear air and a moist breeze. But Zhao Xiangwu, a 56-year-old local fisherman, tells me it is just a typical day in the island county, 30 kilometers offshore from Zhejiang's Wenzhou city.

"You should come again in July. The sky will be even more blue in summer," Zhao says on his way to collect oysters on the beach. A bamboo basket hangs from his waist.