# Beihai travel guide (北海) Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region · South China, China · 10 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/guangxi-zhuang/beihai ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Silver Beach (Yintan) → Ocean Window → Underwater World → Golden Bay Mangrove Forest - **Day 2:** Weizhou Island → Crocodile Mountain Volcano Park ## The feel of the place - **Free Oxygen Bar:** Beihai's air is fresh, with negative ion levels 50 to 100 times higher than in other inland cities in China. It is a natural oxygen bar. - **Easy International Travel:** In Beihai, for just over ¥100 you can get a tourist pass, join a group and board a cruise ship to leave the country. Alternatively, travel to the neighbouring city of Dongxing, step onto the Friendship Bridge across the Beilun River, and walk across to Mong Cai in Vietnam. From there you can continue to Vietnam's Lang Son, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Haiphong and Ho Chi Minh City. Experiencing foreign culture from Beihai is that easy. ## The feel of the place ### Preparation and Enquiries ### Language Guangxi's main local speech is Baihua (a Cantonese-type dialect), but most people can communicate in Mandarin. ### Climate and Travel Season Average annual temperature is 22℃, and summers are hot. December to March is the off-season for tourism, while April to November is the best time to visit Beihai. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There and Away Beihai is bordered by the sea on its north, south and west sides, so the main way to get in and out is by air, while within the province buses are the main mode of transport. ### Air Beihai Airport is 24 km from the city centre and has direct flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha and other cities. A taxi to the airport generally costs around ¥60. ### Rail Beihai Railway Station is located at the junction of Beijing Road and Zhanqian Road in the city centre. At present, high-speed trains and EMUs run directly to Beihai from Guangzhou, Dali and Kunming. Visitors from other cities need to travel first to Nanning or Guilin, then change to a train for Beihai. ### Road Beihai Nanzhu Coach Station is Beihai's largest long-distance bus station, located on East Beibu Gulf Road. Daily direct luxury express buses run to and from Nanning. Other buses go to Guilin, Wuzhou, Guangzhou, Zhanjiang, Shenzhen, Liuzhou, Yulin, Qinzhou, Dongxing, Hepu and more. ### Waterway Waterways are also one of the main ways to enter and leave Beihai, with connections to Haikou, Guangzhou, Weizhou Island, Tokyo and Singapore. Beihai's sea routes: the Beihai–Ha Long Bay–Haiphong–Hanoi route is China's first sea-based international tourism route, and it pioneered the practice of travelling abroad without a passport. Setting sail from Beihai, you can reach Vietnam's Ha Long Bay in 10 hours. ### Tickets Tickets for destinations across China can be booked at Beihai up to 12 days in advance. ### Luggage Storage The small-item luggage storage counter at the Passenger Transport Center only accepts bags until 17:30 each day. ### Bus No. 3 Beihai Bus No. 3 passes many attractions, including Beibu Gulf Square, the International Passenger Port, Beach Park and Yinwan (Silver Beach). It is a popular choice among sightseers. ### Boat Tips 1. Be mindful of the weather and avoid sailing in rough conditions. 2. Book boat tickets in advance during public holidays. 3. Bring motion sickness medication. ### Fishing Folk The Danjia (boat-dwelling) fishing folk once lived mostly on small boats, making the vessel their home. Their boats were so small they were likened to eggs, hence the name “Dan” people. Along the Beihai coast there are broadly three types of Dan people: the Oyster Dan, who make their living harvesting oysters and fishing; the Pearl Dan, who mainly harvest pearls and also fish in shallow waters; and the Fishing Dan, who live by catching fish. ### Getting Around the City City buses are all unmanned, so fares are paid on board. An important stop is the one on Sichuan South Road beside Baoyi Building, on the west side of Beibu Gulf Square, which provides direct links to Qiaogang Town and Yinwan. - **International Passenger Port** — Ferries to Haikou and Weizhou Island (18 Yinwan Tourist Area, 0779-3880711) - **Beihai Airport** — ## Eat & drink The Beibu Gulf is one of China's four major fishing grounds. Beihai's cuisine centres on seafood. Beibu Gulf seafood includes crab, sea cucumber, scallops, abalone, shark fin, sandworm, grouper, stingray, squid, cuttlefish, prawns and a wide variety of shellfish. Not trying the seafood means you have not really been to Beihai. Beihai's flavours are mainly Cantonese, though there are also quite a few restaurants that specialise in Sichuan cuisine. ### Recommended Food Streets and Eateries ### Seafood Street Stalls Waishayu Island, once famous for its seafood street stalls, has been developed into the Waishayu Seafood Island, but prices there are high. It is better to head to the street stalls or restaurants across from Yinwan, where the seafood is both fresh and cheap. - **Jiushu Chicken Rice** — Beihai has a local speciality called “chicken rice”, made with local free-range chicken. The chicken has yellow skin, white flesh and red bones, and it tastes fantastic. Try it at Jiushu Chicken Rice on Wenming Road, whose mustard green soup cooked with chicken blood is also first-rate. ## Shopping Pearls and seafood products are likely to be the souvenirs that tempt almost everyone who visits Beihai. The variety on offer and the huge range of prices are unmatched anywhere in China. Unfortunately, the chance of being ripped off is high, yet even when people know this, many find it hard to resist their appeal. - tip: It's best not to shop inside scenic areas, and compare several vendors before buying pearls. ## Where to stay When staying in Beihai, be sure to stay by the sea. For independent travellers, it isn't hard to find a good guesthouse near the sea that is also affordable. Around Yinwan there are many resorts and hotels with full facilities. ## Things to see - **Silver Beach (Yintan)** (★★★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/silver-beach-yintan - **Beihai Ocean Window** (★★★): Admission ¥168; Opening hours 9:00–17:30 (May–October) 9:30–17:30 (November–April); Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/beihai-ocean-window - **Beihai Undersea World** (★★★): Admission Adult ticket ¥168; child ticket ¥108; Opening hours 9：00—18：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/beihai-undersea-world - **Jinhaiwan Mangrove Eco-Tourism Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥65; sightseeing shuttle ¥25; Opening hours 7：30—19：00; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jinhaiwan-mangrove-eco-tourism-area - **Beihai Century-Old Street (Zhongshan Road)** (★★★★): Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/beihai-century-old-street-zhongshan-road ## Day trips & beyond - **Star Island Lake Scenic Area (Xingdao Lake)** (★★★★): Admission ¥138 (including boat ride); Opening hours 8：30—16：30 — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/star-island-lake-scenic-area-xingdao-lake - **Weizhou Island** (★★★★): Admission ¥108; Time needed 1–2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/weizhou-island - **Crocodile Mountain Volcano Park** (★★★★): Admission Included in the Weizhou Island pass; sightseeing shuttle ¥20 per person; Opening hours 8:00–18:00 (May–October); 8:00–17:30 (November–April); Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/crocodile-mountain-volcano-park - **Yingluo Mangrove Forest** (★★★★): Admission ¥15; Opening hours 9：00—17：00; Time needed 3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yingluo-mangrove-forest - **Fangchenggang** (★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/fangchenggang --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 2474–2485. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.