Beihai Notes: Healing Time in the Boundless Sea Breeze

🌅 Sunrise and Sunset at Silver Beach At 5:30 a.m., Silver Beach is still immersed in indigo. I walk on the slightly cool fine sand toward the sea, and a few little crabs scurry away as the waves lap over my ankles. When the first golden-red ray pierces through the clouds, the entire sea surface suddenly turns into flowing molten gold—this is the first gift Beihai gives me. Known as the "Number One Beach Under Heaven," Silver Beach’s sand quality lives up to its reputation; barefoot, it feels like stepping into crushed moonlight, and at noon, the sunlight is so intense it even reflects a silvery sheen. Practical Tips: Opening Hours: Open all day (recommended 5:30-7:00 a.m. for sunrise, 5:00-7:00 p.m. for sunset) Admission: Free (keep your belongings safe; lockers in the scenic area cost 20 RMB/hour) Hidden Activity: Walk 1 km east along Silver Beach to find the "Lovers’ Island" reef cluster, where you can collect hermit crabs and small shells at low tide 🏝️ Slow Time on Weizhou Island A 70-minute ferry ride from Beihai International Passenger Port brings you to this youngest volcanic island in China. After disembarking, head straight to Crocodile Mountain Scenic Area, where volcanic rock layers look like shattered glass, and the waves crashing into sea caves create rainbow mist. The biggest surprise is Dripping Red Screen; among the cacti on the coral sand beach, there are several natural stone chairs where you can sit and hear the echo of waves traveling through the rock layers. Must-Do List: Catholic Church: A 19th-century French-style building, where at 3 p.m. sunlight streams through stained glass, casting kaleidoscopic patterns on the blue brick floor Nanwan Seafood Market: Freshly picked mantis shrimp at 35 RMB per jin; find the processing shop next to the market (recommended "Yuexiang Kitchen"), stir-fried with scallions and ginger + salt and pepper combo processing fee only 15 RMB Ferry Tip: Buy tickets 3 days in advance on the "Weizhou Island Ferry Ticket Official Website"; the second-floor front cabin of Beiyou No. 25 ferry offers the best view 🦐 Beihai Old Street on the Taste Buds The arcade corridor of Beihai Old Street hides half of Nanyang’s history, and my appetite was captured by the sizzling sound from Aunt Li’s shrimp cake shop. At 6 RMB each, Aunt Li scoops three big spoons of fresh sand shrimp, frying them golden and crispy; when bitten, the shrimp juice bursts in your mouth. Next door, "Fresh Sweet Home" crab vermicelli is even more amazing, with orange-red crab roe floating on rice noodles, paired with sour bamboo shoots and perilla leaves, creating a tangy, spicy, and fresh dance on the tongue. Food Map: Breakfast: Qiaogang "Zhou’s Crab Vermicelli" (open 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., extra 5 RMB for crab) Afternoon Tea: Old Street "Laodao Coffee" Vietnamese drip coffee with a piece of coconut jelly cake Late Night Snack: Qiaogang Electric Construction Pier’s "Yuexiang Kitchen," stir-fried sea snails + mango sour dish is a local staple 🏨 Sleep to the Sound of Waves The sea view room at Shangri-La Hotel gave me the biggest surprise—opening the floor-to-ceiling window, the curve of Silver Beach looks like a silver ribbon stretching to the horizon. In the evening, while drinking champagne at the hotel’s 27th-floor executive lounge, I watched fishing boats’ silhouettes moving in the dusk. If your budget is limited, the "24 Building Homestay" near Old Street is also great, with a courtyard in the Republic of China style planted with bougainvillea, and the landlady offers homemade coconut candy. Accommodation Recommendations: High-end option: Shangri-La Hotel (off-season sea view room about 800 RMB/night, including breakfast for two and pool access) Cost-effective option: Silver Beach "Beihai Silver Beach Holiday Hotel" (3-minute walk to the beach, family room 300 RMB/night) 📅 Three-Day Itinerary Plan Day 1: Silver Beach sunrise → Qiaogang lunch → Beihai Old Street night tour Day 2: Weizhou Island day trip (Crocodile Mountain + Catholic Church + Nanwan Seafood) Day 3: Guantouling National Forest Park → Liuxia Village Cultural and Creative Street → Return trip Transportation Tips: Renting an electric scooter is the best way (Old Street shops 30 RMB/day, remember to wear a helmet!), Weizhou Island scooter rental 60 RMB/day, island loop is 30 km 💌 Life Insights in the Sea Breeze Standing on the volcanic crater cliff of Weizhou Island, watching waves smash repeatedly against the black rock layers, I suddenly recalled Haizi’s "Facing the sea, with spring blossoms" and Wang Zengqi’s "Life is fleeting, don’t waste tea, soup, and good weather." During three days in Beihai, I learned to nap with eyes half-closed under a Silver Beach umbrella like the local elders, and listen to the sea breeze in a conch shell at Qiaogang night market—turns out healing doesn’t need to be dramatic; it’s just letting the waves steal your worries and the sunlight warm your heart.