Niaoyu has fine rows of basalt columns that form high sea cliffs along its eastern shore, and in the sea-eroded holes below the cliffs the basalt columns form sprays like blossoming flowers. The weathered basalt along the northern shore, on the other hand, has developed into well-developed onion shapes. When the tide recedes, Nanmiangua Island off the north coast is connected to Niaoyu by a land bridge. The residents of Niaoyu make their living from the sea, and stone cairns designed to dispel evil influences give the dock a unique character.