Pingtan, the first stop of a media tour to Fujian province's beautiful villages, welcomed a group of journalists from 25 national media outlets on Dec 3.

Guocai village in Pingtan, Fujian province, features a beautiful coastline. [Photo/ptnet.cn]

The picturesque coastal landscapes of Guocai and Beigang villages were the guests' first stops.

There are three must-sees in Guocai village -- Dasong Island and its thousands of fruit trees and 3,000-square-meter beach; the picturesque stone folk dwellings; and Changjiang'ao scenic spot.

A stone folk dwelling renovated into a homestay for tourists in Beigang village, Pingtan, Fujian province. [Photo/cri.cn]

The reporters were impressed by the Changjiang'ao wind power farm, a clean energy project completed in 2011.

According to local officials, Guocai village has focused on improving its tourism infrastructure by building a cross-Straits youth hostel, and developing unique industries such as producing seawater-irrigated vegetables and processing aquatic products.

An owner of a homestay in Beigang village, Pingtan, Fujian province, shows a journalist how to use stones as instruments to play music. [Photo/cri.cn]

The next stop, Beigang village is populated with stone folk dwellings, traditional residences built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

To preserve the traditional architecture and give it a new lease of life, the buildings have been renovated on the inside into unique homestays for visitors. This move is part of the village's goal to become a hub for the cultural creative industry. The village has attracted many cultural creative startups.