Beihai is stunning, but I honestly don’t recommend going in July because...........
Beihai: The Southern Pearl by the Beibu Gulf, a Romantic Poem of the Ancient Maritime Silk Road Port
Located on the southern coast of Guangxi, Beihai is like a gentle pearl set amidst the blue waves of the Beibu Gulf. Here you’ll find the “World’s Number One Beach” with its silver sands and gentle waves, alongside the historic marks of the ancient Maritime Silk Road port; volcanic island landscapes and the warm, lively fishing villages of the Danjia people. Beihai is a slow city where sea breeze and sunshine intertwine, a borderland secret where history and modernity dance together.
1. Azure Sea and Silver Beach: The Romantic Backdrop of the Beibu Gulf
Beihai’s soul is the sea, its charm the sand—every inch of coastline flows with the languid poetry of the south.
Silver Beach: “World’s Number One Beach”: A 24-kilometer stretch of silvery white sand, fine as powder, shimmering under the sun. Walk barefoot at dawn, watching shells and coral left behind by the retreating tide; ride a beach ATV at dusk chasing the sunset, experiencing the magnificent “tide retreat and rosy clouds” scene.
Water Fun: Sailboats set out to sea, jet skis surf the waves, parasailing lifts you into the sky, or dive underwater to dance with tropical fish, experiencing the vitality of the “Eastern Hawaii.”
Weizhou Island: Volcanic Island Wonder: China’s youngest volcanic island, with the Crocodile Mountain crater and the dripping red cliffs of Dishui Danping telling the epic story of crustal movements millions of years ago. Rent an electric scooter to circle the island, weaving through banana groves and coral stone houses, catching the sunrise at Five Color Beach and the sunset glow at Shiluokou.
Nanwan Seafood Feast: In the evening, pick mantis shrimp, grouper, and flower crabs at Nanwan Seafood Market, find a street stall to cook them, enjoy the sea breeze with chilled beer, and savor the “taste of the sea.”
Jinhai Bay Mangroves: A Secret Forest at Sea: 3,000 acres of lush mangroves, fiddler crabs scuttling on the mudflats, egrets skimming the water. Take a bamboo raft through the forest, watch the ecological scene of “setting sun and lone wild goose flying together,” and enjoy beachcombing—digging for sand worms, collecting shells, catching razor clams—harvesting the sea’s gifts.
2. Maritime Silk Road Legacy: Echoes of a Thousand-Year-Old Ancient Port
Beihai was an important starting port of the ancient “Maritime Silk Road,” with merchant ships coming and going and camel bells ringing, leaving a cultural imprint blending East and West.
Beihai Old Street: Arcade Style: Zhuhai Road’s century-old arcade street, with Baroque-style carvings, Roman columns, and Chinese window lattices intertwined, feels like stepping back to 19th-century Nanyang. Visit old pharmacies and souvenir shops, try Aunt Li’s shrimp cakes and Mingying rice rolls, and listen to elders tell the legend of “Pearls Returning to Hepu.”
Artistic Stroll: Hidden deep in the old street are cafes, bookstores, and craft workshops. Send a postcard from the “Time Box” or take fresh photos in the Japanese-style courtyard of “Liuxiacun.”
Hepu Han Dynasty Cultural Museum: Maritime Silk Road Treasure: Housing over 2,000 Han dynasty artifacts, including Persian pottery, Roman glass bowls, and lake-blue glass beads, witnessing Beihai’s glory as the “Eastern Great Port.” Touch the tangible evidence of the “Maritime Silk Road” and feel the grandeur of “ships crossing the sea, countless in number.”
Waisha Island: Danjia Fishing Village: See the Danjia people living on boats and fishing for a living, visit the Danjia Wedding Museum, try weaving fishing nets and singing salty water songs. In the evening, go to Waisha Seafood Island, pick a seaside restaurant, order sand worm sashimi and boiled shrimp, watch fishing boats return to port as the lights gradually come on.
3. Taste of Beihai: A Fusion of Seafood and Nanyang Flavors
Beihai cuisine is characterized by “freshness, sweetness, and wildness,” from live seafood to Nanyang snacks, every bite is a gift from the sea and a sediment of history.
Must-Try Three Delicacies: Sand Worm: Beihai’s “seafood specialty,” garlic-steamed sand worm is crisp, tender, and sweet; sand worm porridge is smooth and warming, recommended by the documentary “A Bite of China.”
Flower Crab: A Beibu Gulf specialty, steamed flower crab meat is plump, crab roe rich and creamy, eaten with ginger vinegar sauce to enjoy the original flavor.
Vietnamese Rice Rolls: The signature of Qiaogang Style Street, rice batter steamed into sheets wrapped with pork, wood ear mushrooms, and shrimp, drizzled with sweet and sour sauce, a soul-stirring bite.
Hidden Menu: Shuimiyi: A traditional Danjia snack, steamed rice batter layered cake topped with garlic oil and soy sauce, soft, glutinous, and savory.
Sophora Flower Jelly: A summer cooling dessert made from sophora flower juice and rice batter strips, served with brown sugar water and ice cubes, sweet and refreshing.
Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp: Crispy outside, tender inside, sweet shrimp meat, paired with beer is a staple of Beihai’s late-night snacks.
4. Four Seasons Activities: Unlocking Beihai’s Many Possibilities
Spring · Wave Walking and Flower Viewing (March-May): Purple bauhinia blooms at Guantouling, sea-eroded cliffs and flower seas complement each other; rhododendrons bloom at Weizhou Island’s volcanic crater, hike the volcanic geological park.
Summer · Cool Escape and Festivities (June-August): Surf at Silver Beach Water Park, bonfire parties at Qiaogang Beach, snorkeling and exploring coral reefs at Weizhou Island.
Autumn · Fishing Season Feast (September-November): Beihai Fishing Season Festival, thousands of sails set off, seafood piled high at fish markets; whale watching season at Weizhou Island (December-April), encounter Bryde’s whales.
Winter · Warm Sunshine and Wellness (December-February): Sunbathe and soak in hot springs at Silver Beach, cycle on Weizhou Island to watch volcanic sunsets, experience “winter at 21°N latitude.”
5. Travel Tips: Practical Guide to Enjoying Beihai
Transportation: Flights: Beihai Fucheng Airport offers direct flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other cities, or fly to Nanning Wuxu Airport and transfer by high-speed train (1.5 hours).
Ferry: Take a boat from Beihai International Passenger Port to Weizhou Island (70 minutes). It’s recommended to buy tickets in advance and choose large ships like Beiyou 25/26 to avoid seasickness.
Accommodation: High-end options: Fangdao Hotel on Weizhou Island (cliff sea view), Crowne Plaza Beihai Silver Beach (prime sea view).
Special Experiences: Old Street guesthouses (experience arcade charm), Nanwan sea view wooden houses on Weizhou Island (sea view from your window).
Avoid Pitfalls: Seafood price traps: Choose your seafood at Nanwan Seafood Market, watch the weighing carefully, negotiate processing fees in advance, recommended reputable restaurants like “Shilu” and “See You Tomorrow.”
Weizhou Island Travel: Renting an electric scooter (60 RMB/day) is most convenient, remember sun protection; Crocodile Mountain Scenic Area requires two ticket checks, keep your tickets safe.
Tide Tips: Check tide tables before beachcombing, go to mangroves and Five Color Beach at low tide, stay safe.
Cultural Extras: Every Saturday night at Qiaogang Style Street, enjoy Danjia song and dance performances, listen to salty water songs, watch Danjia wedding reenactments.
Weizhou Island Catholic Church (built in 1880) offers Sunday mass, experiencing the collision of Gothic architecture and island charm.
Hepu Mooncake Town offers DIY sea duck egg mooncakes, and you can watch giant mooncake making around Mid-Autumn Festival.
6. In-Depth Experience: An Immersive Journey from Coast to Culture
Volcanic Geology Exploration: Hike Crocodile Mountain crater, observe volcanic bombs and sea erosion caves, attend geological science lectures.
Nanyang Style Tour: Drink Vietnamese coffee and eat French baguette sandwiches in Qiaogang Town, learn to make spring rolls and drip coffee, feel the exotic vibe of “Little Vietnam.”
Danjia Cultural Heritage: Visit Waisha Island fishing village to learn net weaving and Danjia boat rowing, participate in a Danjia wedding, listen to elders sing salty water songs.
The beauty of Beihai is the silver beach waves gently kissing your ankles, the volcanic island embracing the sea, the old street arcades recalling old Nanyang dreams, and the Danjia fishing lights glowing like thousands of homes. Here, there is the poetry of “facing the sea, with spring blossoms,” and the weight of a thousand years of Maritime Silk Road history; the lively atmosphere of seafood markets and the wild beauty of volcanic islands. Take this guide, step into Beihai, and let your soul find your own sea in the tide sounds of the Beibu Gulf.