Liandao Island offers the most developed beach experience in Jiangsu — though that is relative praise, since the Yellow Sea coast at this latitude is cold by southern standards, and swimming is typically seasonal from late June through August. Sumawan Beach on the island's eastern shore is the most popular, with beach facilities, boardwalks, and the usual seaside resort infrastructure. The sand is reasonable and the setting — with the port visible to one side and the open sea to the other — has an industrial-coastal quality that is specific to this corner of China.
The island also has viewpoints over the port and toward the open sea that give a better sense of Lianyungang's identity as a port city than anything in the city centre. The area is most animated on summer weekends when families from across northern Jiangsu arrive. Off-season visits, when the facilities are shut but the coast is empty and the wind comes in off the sea, have their own character.