This aerial photo taken on Dec. 15, 2023 shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in south China.(Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
GUANGZHOU, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- A tourist bus departed from China's Zhuhai port on Friday morning bound for Blue Dolphin Island, marking the start of group tours on a trial basis via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), the longest bridge-and-tunnel sea crossing in the world.
During the 140-minute bus tour, tourists were treated to stunning views as they crossed three huge bridges before reaching their final destination, Blue Dolphin Island.
This is the first time the island has been opened to the public, with many yearning to make the trip and enjoy the location's splendid panoramic sea views.
"The whole trip was full of surprises," said a tourist from Beijing surnamed Zhang.
During the trial period, eligibility for the tours is restricted to tourists from the Chinese mainland holding valid identity cards and residents of Hong Kong and Macao who entered the Chinese mainland with valid travel permits.
The 55-km HZMB links China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), the city of Zhuhai in the southern Guangdong Province and Macao SAR. It has brought tremendous opportunities and benefits to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. ■