Attractions · Beihai

Beihai Silver Beach is one of China's largest natural bathing beaches, named for its very high content of silver-white quartz sand. The beach runs 24 kilometres with a gentle slope and clear, transparent water. The sand is as fine as flour and glints silver in the sun, making this an ideal place for sunbathing and a seaside holiday. The scenic area also has Silver Beach Park, a musical fountain and other facilities. Highlights include the sunrise at Silver Beach. A 24-kilometre stretch of white quartz sand with a gentle slope and clear water, praised as 'the finest beach under heaven' for its long flat shore, fine white sand and clean warm water. Tip: Go in the late afternoon to enjoy a beautiful sunset over the sea. Practical info: located at Yintan Avenue, Yinhai District, Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; admission free; open all day. Best season: spring (Mar–May) is pleasant; summer (Jun–Sep) is best for a seaside holiday, with sunshine and sand. Combine with Weizhou Island, Jinhai Bay Mangrove Forest and Beihai Old Street (Zhuhai Road) for a half-day or full-day itinerary.

• Address: Yintan Avenue, Yinhai District, Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
• Ticket: Free
• Opening: All day

Weizhou Island is China's largest volcanic island, formed by eruptions and covering about 24.74 square kilometres. The island preserves a complete volcanic landscape, and Crocodile Hill Volcano Park is the best place to see the volcanic rock. Dishui Danping takes its name from spring water dripping down a red volcanic cliff, and Wucai Beach is an excellent spot for sunrise. Rich coral reefs surround the island, making it a paradise for divers. China's largest and youngest volcanic island, with Crocodile Hill Volcano Park, Dishui Danping and Wucai Beach, ringed by coral reefs — a favourite for diving, sea views and sunset photography. Highlights include Shiluokou Beach. Tip: The boat from Beihai takes about an hour; book boat tickets and accommodation in advance. Practical info: located at Weizhou Town, Haicheng District, Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; admission ¥115 (includes island admission; boat ticket separate); open all day (boat access required). Best season: spring (Mar–May) is pleasant; summer (Jun–Sep) is best for a seaside holiday, with sunshine and sand.

• Address: Weizhou Town, Haicheng District, Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
• Ticket: ¥115 (includes island admission; boat ticket separate)
• Opening: All day (boat access required)

Jinhai Bay Mangrove Forest lies east of Beihai Silver Beach and holds more than 3,000 mu of mangroves, a typical intertidal ecosystem of the Beibu Gulf. Boardwalks link the mangroves, tidal flats and birdwatching points; at low tide visitors can forage on the flats and watch fiddler crabs, mudskippers and egrets. Mangroves break wind and waves, purify seawater and shelter juvenile marine life, making this a good open-air lesson in coastal ecology. A mangrove reserve beside Beihai's urban area, where more than 3,000 mu of sea forest expose their aerial roots with the tide. Boardwalks, tidal-flat foraging and birdwatching are the main draws; at low tide you can walk far out onto the flats, a good complement to the pure beach experience at Silver Beach. Highlights include the mangrove boardwalk, tidal-flat foraging, egrets and fiddler crabs, and the intertidal ecology. Tip: Check the tide table before setting out; the 1–2 hours around low tide are best for foraging. Use sun protection and mosquito repellent, and wear shoes that can get wet. Practical info: located at Yintan Avenue, Yinhai District, Beihai; admission about ¥80 (includes shuttle bus; subject to official notice); open 08:30–17:30 (the tide affects foraging times).

• Address: Yintan Avenue, Yinhai District, Beihai
• Ticket: About ¥80 (includes shuttle bus; subject to official notice)
• Opening: 08:30–17:30 (the tide affects foraging times)

Zhuhai Road, where Beihai Old Street runs, grew up with the port's opening in 1876; most of the surviving arcade buildings date from the 1920s and 1930s. About 1.5 kilometres long, it is one of China's better-preserved arcade streets. The architecture blends Chinese and Western styles, and the arched colonnades are distinctive. The street still keeps many century-old shops and historical traces, and has become a cultural and creative district with cafés, bookshops and craft shops — a good place to feel the meeting of old and new Beihai. A 1.5-kilometre arcade street from the modern era whose Chinese-Western arched colonnades reflect the treaty-port years; today cafés and design shops line it, and it retains plenty of character. Highlights include the arcade buildings, century-old shops and the street at night. Tip: The street is free and best visited towards evening, when you can take in both the daytime historic atmosphere and the artistic mood after dark. Practical info: located at Zhuhai Road, Haicheng District, Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; admission free; open all day.

Tip: The street is free; go towards evening to enjoy both the daytime historic atmosphere and the artistic mood aft…

• Address: Zhuhai Road, Haicheng District, Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
• Ticket: Free
• Opening: All day