On Tongpan Island’s southwest coast, there’s a wave-cut platform, or wave bench. As the name suggests, waves constantly erode sea cliffs, causing them to slowly collapse, forming flat rock platforms almost level with the ocean surface. On this platform there’s a “lotus throne,” a rock formation named for its resemblance to the lotus-shaped pedestal the Buddha is often shown on in Asian art. In fact, it’s an underwater volcanic crater––waves wore away the surrounding rock, leaving a small mound in the center. When viewed from a distance, it looks like a lotus flower, hence the name. Locals also call it a "lotus terrace."
The lotus throne’s outer circle is composed of basalt; the depression in the center is filled with seawater deposited by the high tide and mottled traces of marine-eroded basalt. If you come at low tide and wait for the water to recede, the entire formation emerges, evoking the image of a lotus rising from the water. And when sunset colors fill the sky at dusk, you’ll feel as though you’ve been transported to a wonderland.