From a distance, Chuanfanshih looks like a sailing ship and at a closer view it resembles the profile of former U.S. President Richard Nixon, thus it is also known as "Nixon's Head".
It is composed of 18 meter-high coral reefs. These reefs are firmer than the nearby tableland reefs that are in the primary stage of formation. Therefore, they can withstand the sea for a longer period of time.