Yin Yu Island is located in the northern part of the Yongle Archipelago in the South China Sea’s Xisha Islands, about 1 nautical mile northeast of Yagong Island and 4.5 nautical miles southwest of Quanfu Island. It is a small sandbar with an area of 0.01 square kilometers and an elevation of over 2 meters.
On the reef flat, there is a deep pit with blue-black water and lower water temperature, which is known as the ‘Dragon Pit’. In 1935, it was named ‘Observation Shoal’, in 1947 it was named ‘Senping Shoal’, and in 1983 ‘Yin Yu’ was announced as the standard name. Chinese fishermen commonly refer to it as ‘Yin Zhi’.
Due to its clear water quality, it is also an excellent place for diving and exploring the sea.
