City guide · Guangxi

Beihai travel guide: Silver Beach, Weizhou Island and the old street, and how to plan around the ferry

24 km of fine white sand on one side, a volcanic island of coral and lava on the other — plus a 19th-century arcade old street in between.

  • Known forSilver Beach, Weizhou Island, pearls
  • Typical spend¥1,000–1,500 / person
  • Ideal length3 days
  • PaceRelaxed — beach and island time
Plan this trip Beihai tours

Reviewed by our Beijing team Updated 2026-10-10

The short version

Beihai is the Gulf of Tonkin coast of Guangxi, and 3 days is the right length: one for Silver Beach and the old street, and two for Weizhou Island, sleeping on the island so you catch the sunrise and the empty beaches. The window is April to November — in winter the ferries to Weizhou are often cancelled. It is about 3 hours from Nanning by high-speed rail.

  • Weizhou Island is the reason to come — give it two days, not a day trip.
  • The ferry to Weizhou takes 1–1.5 hours and the island landing fee is separate; both depend on weather.
  • Silver Beach runs about 24 km — 'long, flat, fine, soft, no sharks'.
  • There is no ATM on Weizhou Island: take cash before you board.
  • Eat seafood away from the seafront — the further from the water, the cheaper it gets.

City guide

First impressions

Photographs from the coast, and what other travellers wrote afterwards.

Silver Beach at low tide
Silver Beach at low tide
Weizhou Island's lava coast
Weizhou Island's lava coast
The Qilou arcade old street
The Qilou arcade old street
A fishing boat off the Gulf of Tonkin
A fishing boat off the Gulf of Tonkin

I'd heard people describe Beihai, but you really have to go and see it yourself. Beihai is Beihai and Hainan is Hainan — they are worlds apart in how developed they are. I just hope every trip gets good company, good weather and good sun.

A traveller's note, 'Nanning, Beihai, Weizhou Island'

For me Beihai was a beautiful childhood dream — warm sun, soft sea breeze, silver sand and blue water that only appeared in my dreams.

A traveller's note, on finally reaching Beihai

Beihai sits on the north-east shore of the Gulf of Tonkin, close to Vietnam, and it has one claim that has carried it for years: the beach. Silver Beach runs some 24 km of unusually fine, white, quartz sand, flat and shallow and gentle, which locals sell with a five-character slogan — long, flat, fine, soft, no sharks. It is the best city beach in Guangxi and one of the best in southern China.

The real draw, though, is 36 nautical miles offshore: Weizhou Island, the youngest and largest volcanic island in China. It is a place of black lava rock, coral shallows, blown sea cliffs and a 19th-century French church built from coral and stone. Visibility in the water reaches 8 m and often more, and the diving and snorkelling are the best on this coast. Come for two days and stay the night, or you will spend it all on the ferry.

Back on the mainland, the old street — Zhuhai and Zhongshan Roads, built in 1883 — is a 1.44 km run of Qilou arcade buildings mixing Chinese and European detail, and the surrounding coast holds pearls, mangroves and the tombs of the ancient Hepu commandery. This was one of the starting points of the maritime Silk Road two thousand years ago.

Beihai is easy, cheap and unhurried, and it works either as a beach break between Nanning and the sea, or as a base for the crossing to Hainan. Just leave the logistics of Weizhou to the weather — the boats stop when it blows.

Beihai

Don't leave without

Seven things that are worth rearranging a day for.

  1. Catch the sunrise from the rocks on Weizhou Island
  2. Snorkel the coral shallows off Weizhou's west coast
  3. Walk the 1.44 km Qilou old street in the evening cool
  4. Eat white-blanched sandworm, the coast's strangest delicacy
  5. Browse the pearl stalls of the Hepu countryside
  6. Watch the sun set over the fishing lights from Guantouling

Highlights

What not to miss

Silver Beach

About 24 km of fine quartz sand on the city's south-east shore, with the giant steel sculpture 'Chao' (Tide) and its musical fountain at its centre. Free, and at its best in the late afternoon.

Weizhou Island

China's youngest volcanic island, 36 nautical miles offshore, with a crater park, coral beaches, a coral-built French church and the best diving on the Guangxi coast.

The Qilou old street

Zhuhai and Zhongshan Roads, laid out in 1883 and running 1.44 km, lined with arcade buildings blending Cantonese shophouse form with European baroque detail. Still a working street.

Weizhou's diver's coast

The island's west coast has the clearest water and the coral: Shiluokou's beaches and the offshore reef bands are where the snorkelling and diving happen.

Guantouling

The forested headland at the city's western tip, with a 120 m peak, sea-eroded platforms and the best spot for sunrise, sunset and the twinkle of fishing lights at night.

Xingdao Lake

A 600 km² lake in Hepu with more than a thousand islands, once a filming location for a TV adaptation of 'Water Margin' — a slow, green counterpoint to the coast.

Suggested routes

Two ways to spend your days

The two-day sea-and-island run

2 days days

One day offshore, one day for the city beach and old street.

  1. Day 1

    Weizhou Island

    Take the morning ferry, settle in, then walk the island's beaches and the crater park. Stay the night, so you get the sunset and the quiet that the day-trippers miss.

    Stops: Weizhou IslandCrater park

  2. Day 2

    Back to Silver Beach

    Catch the sunrise on the island's east side, then the afternoon ferry back. Spend the late afternoon on Silver Beach and the evening on the old street over seafood.

    Stops: Weizhou IslandSilver BeachOld street

The three-day gentle loop

3 days days

Add Hepu's history and the city's headland to the sea and the island.

  1. Day 1

    City beach and old street

    Silver Beach in the afternoon, the Qilou old street in the evening, and a seafood dinner away from the seafront where the prices are kinder.

    Stops: Silver BeachOld street

  2. Day 2

    Weizhou Island

    The full day belongs to Weizhou — ferry, crater park, coral beaches and an overnight on the island.

    Stops: Weizhou Island

  3. Day 3

    Hepu and the headland

    Back to the mainland, then out to Hepu for the pagoda, the Dongpo pavilion and the Han tombs, finishing at Guantouling for the sunset.

    Stops: HepuXingdao LakeGuantouling

Sights

Where the time actually goes

Beach

Silver Beach

A 24 km run of fine, white quartz sand on the city's south-east shore, flat and shallow and free of sharks — 'the best beach under heaven' by local reckoning. The centrepiece is the giant steel sculpture 'Chao' with its musical fountain, plus the little islands and pavilions dotted along the sand.

Getting there
Bus 3 from the centre; taxi about ¥20
Ticket
Free
Best time
Late afternoon, for the light and the fountain

Tip The beach is long — pick your stretch by what is near it, and walk rather than trying to cover all 24 km.

Volcanic island

Weizhou Island

China's youngest and largest volcanic island, 36 nautical miles offshore — black lava rock, coral shallows, sea-eroded cliffs and a coral-built French church from the late 19th century. The diving and snorkelling are the best on this coast, and the sunrise rock is a pilgrimage for photographers.

Ferry
About 1–1.5 hours; roughly 8:30, 11:30 and 15:45 out
Landing fee
About ¥90, separate from the ferry ticket
Getting around
Rent an e-bike or bicycle, ¥20–60 / day

Tip There is no ATM on the island — take cash. And keep a spare day in your plans, because the boats stop when the wind gets up.

Historic street

The old street

Zhuhai and Zhongshan Roads, laid out in 1883 and running 1.44 km, lined with two- and three-storey Qilou arcade buildings that blend Cantonese shophouse form with European colonnades, carved window heads and baroque plasterwork. It is still a working street, not a museum piece.

Where
Haicheng district, Zhuhai Road
Getting there
Bus 2 or 8 to Waisha Bridge, then walk 150 m
Best time
Evening, when it cools and the lights come on

Tip Shop the side streets as well as the main arcade — the old street's best texture is off the main drag.

Headland

Guantouling

The forested headland at the city's western tip, named for its crown-shaped ridge and rising to a 120 m peak. From the top you get sunrise, sunset and a sweep of the gulf, and at night the fishing lights come out below.

Getting there
Bus 6 from Northern Gulf Plaza runs to the park
Ticket
Free; small charges for some facilities
Best time
Sunrise or sunset

Tip The sea-eroded platforms on the seaward side are the most interesting walking — mind your footing on the wet rock.

Lake & islands

Xingdao Lake

A broad lake in Hepu where more than a thousand small islands scatter across 600 km² of water. It was a filming location for a TV adaptation of 'Water Margin', and the sets survive along the shore — a slow, green half-day away from the coast.

Ticket
About ¥30
Getting there
Bus from the coach station to Hepu, then a local bus or chartered boat
Best for
Boats, islands and a change of scenery

Tip The lake is best reached by private car or a small tour — public transport to the far shore is patchy.

Aquarium

Ocean Window

The city's big marine-science aquarium, with a giant cylindrical tank that is among the largest in the country. The headline is the daily diver-and-shark feeding shows — a solid rainy-day or family option.

Ticket
About ¥118
Getting there
Bus 3 or 5 to Guizhou Development Zone
Best for
Families and wet weather

Tip Check the show times when you arrive and build the visit around them — the tanks alone are an hour, the shows define the trip.

Food

What to eat

Mantis shrimp

A Gulf of Tonkin staple, sweet and meaty, usually steamed or salt-and-pepper fried — the local name translates, rudely, as 'bed-wetting shrimp'.

White-blanched sandworm

The coast's strangest delicacy: a sand-dwelling worm cleaned, quickly stir-fried and served white and crisp, faintly sweet.

Prawn pancake (xia bing)

A golden fried pancake studded with whole small prawns — cheap, crisp and a Beihai street classic.

Prawns

Beihai prawns are famous across Guangxi, sweet and firm; eat them steamed or simply boiled.

Pig-trotter noodles

A Guangxi classic — rice noodles in a rich broth with slow-braised trotter, eaten any time of day.

Sweet soups (tangshui)

The Qiaogang district's speciality: fruit smoothies, mung-bean-and-seaweed soup and honeyed turtle jelly, all cheap and cooling.

Where to eat

Seafood, done the local way

Seafood restaurant

Waisha Danjia Peng

One of the city's best-regarded seafood restaurants, on the Waisha seafood island — fresh, honest portions and a reputation for good service. The mantis shrimp is the dish to order.

Where
Waisha seafood island, west side
Average spend
About ¥100 / person
Best for
A proper sit-down seafood dinner

Street snack

Auntie Li's prawn pancakes

A small stall on the old street that has earned its long queues — cheap, generous and crisp, made with live small prawns and served straight from the pan.

Where
The old street
Average spend
About ¥4 / person
Best for
A snack while walking the arcade

Seafood, cheaper

Le Mantang fishing village

A popular seafood restaurant serving good food at prices below the seafront, and always full — a reliable, no-frills option.

Where
Ground floor, Jiajia Hotel, Beihai Avenue
Average spend
About ¥50 / person
Best for
Value seafood away from the tourist strip

Desserts

Qiqijia sweet soup shop

A famous little dessert shop on Weizhou Island, run by the same family as a local photography studio — fruit smoothies, seaweed-and-mung-bean soup and honeyed turtle jelly, all for a few yuan.

Where
147 Nanwan Street, Weizhou Island
Average spend
About ¥8 / person
Best for
A cold sweet soup after a day in the sun

Border flavours

Vietnamese rolled-noodle shop

A small, well-known shop in the Qiaogang district whose steamed rolled noodles resemble Cantonese rice rolls but are springier, with a distinctive dipping sauce. Qiaogang has a strong Vietnamese heritage.

Where
Facing Huaqiao Shouliao da pai dang, Qiaogang
Average spend
About ¥5 / person
Best for
Breakfast with a border-town twist

Where to stay

Beach villas and island guesthouses

Beach resort

Silver Beach villa hotels

The villa hotels inside the Silver Beach resort area are the classic Beihai stay — private gardens, a few minutes' walk to the sand, and reasonable prices for the location.

Where
Silver Beach resort area, Yinhai district
Price
From about ¥110 / night
Best for
Being steps from the beach

Mid-range

Zelin Hotel

A newly renovated hotel in the city, within a few minutes of the aquarium, Nanzhu Palace and the coastal road, and convenient for the coach station.

Where
45 Shenzhen Road
Price
Double rooms from about ¥90 / night
Best for
A cheap, central base

Hostel

Beihai Haiyi International Youth Hostel

A hostel 50 m from the sea in the Qiaogang district, with a rooftop terrace facing the water. Qiaogang is a former refugee-resettlement town with a strong Vietnamese character and streets of seafood stalls.

Where
184 Gangkou Road, Qiaogang
Price
Standard double from about ¥65 / night
Best for
Backpackers, and closeness to the ferry pier

Hostel on the island

Weizhou Piglet Youth Hostel

A friendly hostel on Weizhou Island beside the Sampo temple, running daily activities such as sea fishing and island cycling — the social way to stay on the island.

Where
Beside Sampo temple, Nanwan, Weizhou Island
Price
Dorm beds from about ¥28 / night
Best for
Solo travellers and a sociable island night

Sea-view rooms

Weizhou Gangdao Hotel

A hotel on Weizhou's south coast with a commanding position over the harbour, its sea-view rooms looking out over the bay toward the cliffs — the island splurge.

Where
Haiti Road, Nanmai Street, Weizhou
Price
Sea-view rooms from about ¥360 / night
Best for
The best view on the island

Getting around

How to reach Beihai and Weizhou

By air

Beihai Fucheng (BHY) has a small, thin schedule; most travellers come via Nanning or Guilin instead.

Airport
Beihai Fucheng (BHY), with limited routes
Airport bus
About ¥10, 30 minutes; taxis about ¥60
Practical route
Fly to Nanning (NNG) or Guilin, then high-speed rail

By rail

Beihai connects to Nanning on the fast line; the station is central, on Beijing Road.

From Nanning
About 3 hours on the fast train
Station
Beihai Station, Beijing Road, city centre
Local link
Bus 2 to Northern Gulf Plaza and the coach station

By bus

Frequent coaches from Nanning and beyond; the main station is the coach terminal on the Northern Gulf road.

From Nanning
About 3 hours, roughly every 20 minutes, from about ¥60
From Zhanjiang
About 1.5 hours by expressway
Main station
Beihai coach terminal, Northern Gulf East Road

By ferry

The international passenger pier is the only ferry terminal, and the launch point for Weizhou Island and the overnight service to Haikou on Hainan.

To Weizhou
About 1–1.5 hours; roughly 8:30, 11:30 and 15:45 out
To Haikou
One sailing a day, about 12 hours
Getting there
Bus 3, or taxi about ¥15 from Northern Gulf Plaza

By city bus

Cheap, uncrowded and easy; route 3 is the workhorse, linking the beach park, the coach station, the ferry pier and Silver Beach.

Fare
¥2, exact change
Key route
Bus 3 — beach park, Northern Gulf Plaza, Silver Beach
Hours
Mostly 06:00–22:00

By taxi and trishaw

Taxis start at ¥5 and rarely top ¥10 in the city; pedal trishaws and motorcycle taxis cover short hops for a few yuan.

City fare
Usually under ¥10
To Silver Beach or the pier
About ¥15–20
Trishaw
¥2–5 within the centre

Shopping

What to take home

Seafood market

The city's dried-seafood market, a hundred-plus stalls strong — dried fish, shrimp, scallops and squid. Bargain hard, and inspect and smell before you buy.

Northern Gulf Road

The city's commercial centre, with four big shopping centres clustered around the plaza — good for clothing, general goods and souvenirs.

South Sea pearls

Beihai is the home of South Sea pearls — 'southern pearls beat eastern pearls' runs the local boast. Buy from a reputable shop, not a beach-front hawker.

Hepu longan and lychee

Hepu's longan has been grown for a thousand years, and its chicken-beak lychee is famous — dried longan flesh is the easiest to carry home.

Practical

The things that trip people up

Beihai runs at its own pace. The two things worth real attention are the ferry to Weizhou (weather-dependent, cash-only on the island) and the seafood touts — handle those and the rest is easy.

Best monthsApril–November; December–March is windy and cold, with ferry cancellations
Ferry weatherCrossings to Weizhou are cancelled in strong wind; check the forecast and keep a spare day
CashThere is no ATM on Weizhou Island — only a rural credit union. Take cash before boarding
BargainingExpected at markets and stalls; dried seafood often discounts to nearly half the asking price
Restaurant toutsAvoid restaurants where a driver or beach tout leads you — that is where overcharging happens
Beach feesSome remote beaches have locals informally charging ¥10 to enter; it is worth politely declining
PaymentsMobile payment works in the city; on the island expect cash and patchy signal

Tips

Small things that make a big difference

Sleep on Weizhou

A day trip gives you barely three hours on the island after the crossing. One night changes the whole experience.

Take cash to the island

There is no ATM on Weizhou — bring enough for both days, or you will be stuck.

Eat away from the sea

Beihai seafood gets cheaper the further you go from the beach; the seafront pays for its view.

Book the ferry early

In peak season the boats to Weizhou fill up; get your ticket the day before, and keep the weather in mind.

Sun protection, always

The Gulf of Tonkin sun is strong, and the sea breeze hides how hard it is burning.

Give Hepu half a day

The pagoda, the Dongpo pavilion and the Han tombs are an easy, quiet counterpoint to the beach.

Background

Why Beihai is the way it is

A start-line of the maritime Silk Road

Two thousand years ago, fleets left this coast for the Indian Ocean. In the Han dynasty, ships under official command set out from what is now Hepu county, in Beihai's territory, sailing down the Indochina coast and on through Southeast Asia — the earliest formal sea route between China and the wider world.

That history left its mark in the ground: around Hepu's old county town at Lianzhou there are some ten thousand Han-dynasty tombs, whose grave goods — bronze lamps, models of houses, pearls, agate and amber — trace a trade network reaching West Asia. Beihai is a recognised port of that Silk Road heritage.

Gulf of Tonkin climate and coast

Beihai sits on the north-east shore of the Gulf of Tonkin, close to Vietnam, and has a subtropical marine monsoon climate: warm and wet, with an average of about 23°C, a hottest extreme near 37°C and a coldest near 2°C. It is green all year, which is why it markets itself on air quality and liveability as much as on its beach.

The sea here is one of the best in China for quality, and the coast is a mix of the broad Silver Beach, the eroded cliffs of Guantouling, the mangroves of Yingluo, and offshore the volcanic shape of Weizhou — a coast that explains why so much of the region's life turns toward the water.

Travel with them

Beihai on screen and in song

Music

'Fruits of Midsummer' music video

Karen Mok

The music video for this song was shot in black-and-white on Beihai's old street and along its coast — a retro, romantic frame that has drawn visitors ever since.

Book

The Pearl City of the South (南国珠城)

Wu Xiaoling

An essayistic portrait of Beihai and the old Hepu commandery — its geography, its treasures, its tombs and its people, from ancient commandery town to modern port.

Music

Beihai salt-water songs (咸水歌)

Local fishing tradition

A 300-year-old folk-song form sung by the fishermen of the coast and Hepu, and once part of wedding customs — the sound of the gulf's boat people.

The questions visitors ask us most about Beihai, answered plainly.

Frequently asked questions

Prices and practical details are reviewed every month by our Beijing team and updated the day a rule changes.

How do I get to Weizhou Island from Beihai?

Take the ferry from Beihai's international passenger pier. The crossing is about 1–1.5 hours and boats generally leave around 8:30, 11:30 and 15:45, with extra services in peak season. The ferry ticket and the island landing fee are separate, and both are weather-dependent — if the wind is up, sailings are cancelled, so build in a spare day.

Is Weizhou Island worth an overnight?

Yes, and it is almost worth two nights. A day trip leaves you about three hours on the island after the crossing. Staying the night gives you the sunrise over the sea, the quiet beaches once the day boats have gone, and time for the crater park, the coral beaches and the church without rushing.

What is the best time to visit Beihai?

April to November, when the sea is warm and the ferries run reliably; April, May and October are the sweet spot — mild, sunny and quieter. December to March is the low season, with cold wind, cool water and frequent ferry cancellations to Weizhou. Winter is only worth it if you simply want to escape the northern cold.

How do I get to Beihai?

Most travellers fly into Nanning (NNG) or Guilin and continue by high-speed rail — Nanning to Beihai is about three hours. Beihai also has a small airport (BHY) with a limited schedule. By road it is about 1.5 hours from Zhanjiang and three hours from Nanning.

What should I eat in Beihai?

Seafood, and the local specialities: mantis shrimp, white-blanched sandworm (a Gulf of Tonkin delicacy), prawns, and the street snack xia bing, a fried prawn pancake. Congee and pig-trotter noodles are the everyday staples, and the sweet soups of the Waisha and Qiaogang districts are an institution.

Can I get to Vietnam from Beihai?

Yes — Beihai is one of China's closest ports to Vietnam, and there are regular tours to Halong Bay and Hanoi. The Halong Bay route is the one stretch of Vietnam that Chinese citizens can enter without a visa, but only with an organised tour. Otherwise you cross by land at Dongxing, which needs a passport and a visa.

Plan this trip

Prefer it arranged for you?

The same places, with a driver, an English-speaking guide and the tickets already bought.

Beihai Beihai Guangxi · 0 tours Beihai is Guangxi's Gulf of Tonkin coast, 200 km (124 mi) south of Nanning, and it pairs one of China's best beaches with a volcanic island worth a ni
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Sanqing Mountain Sanqing Mountain City guide · 12 tours A vertical forest of granite pillars in Jiangxi — the Python Out of the Mountain, the Goddess of the East Sea, two cable cars and a cliff-hugging walkway at 1,660 metres. Tianjin Tianjin City guide · 12 tours Beijing's port city next door — a river of 24 bridges, 2,000 colonial villas, and the best street breakfast in northern China. Datong Datong City guide · 12 tours A frontier capital of carved Buddhas — the Yungang Grottoes, a temple pinned to a cliff, and the oldest wooden tower in China. Taiyuan Taiyuan City guide · 12 tours Shanxi's provincial capital and noodle heartland — the spring of Jinci, two Ming pagodas, and a museum that explains the whole province. Pingyao Pingyao City guide · 12 tours China's best-preserved ancient walled town — a Ming wall, the first Chinese bank, and two temples of painted clay just outside the gates. Wutai Mountain Wutai Mountain City guide · 12 tours China's foremost Buddhist mountain — fifty-plus temples in one valley, crowned by five flat-topped peaks up to 3,058 m. Hulunbuir Hulunbuir City guide · 12 tours China's finest grassland — a 263,000 km² sweep of steppe, birch forest and border river, best driven with the windows down. The Forbidden City The Forbidden City City guide · 12 tours Beijing's 600-year imperial palace — 8,700 rooms behind a 72-hectare wall, and the largest surviving wooden palace complex on earth. Sanya Sanya City guide · 12 tours China's only true winter-sun coast — four very different bays, a coral island and a 108 m sea Buddha, all at 18° north. Haikou Haikou City guide · 12 tours Hainan's capital is the island's living city — 600-year-old arcade streets, a volcanic village, and a morning-tea-to-midnight food culture. Nanning Nanning City guide · 12 tours Guangxi's green capital is a gateway to Detian Falls, Beihai and Vietnam — and a genuinely excellent food city if you let it slow you down. Guangxi Guangxi City guide · 12 tours One autonomous region, a dozen landscapes — limestone peaks and rice terraces in the north, a Vietnam border and a warm gulf coast in the south. Huizhou Huizhou City guide · 12 tours A free West Lake, a Taoist mountain and 200 km of white-sand coast — the Pearl River Delta's most underrated weekend. Beidaihe Beidaihe City guide · 12 tours Northern China's classic beach escape — one sunrise headland, 10 km of calm swimming water, and a bird flyway overhead twice a year. Shanhaiguan Shanhaiguan City guide · 12 tours The town where the Great Wall stops being a rumour of mountains and walks into the Bohai Sea. Baiyangdian Baiyangdian City guide · 12 tours The biggest freshwater lake on the North China Plain — and almost none of it can be reached except by boat. Qinhuangdao Qinhuangdao City guide · 12 tours 126 km of Bohai coast in one municipality — a working port, two famous resorts, and the only desert dunes that meet this sea. Yesanpo Yesanpo City guide · 12 tours Gorge country where the Taihang and Yan ranges collide — 52.5 km of canyon walls, a cave that spits fish, and a river to fall off. Zhuhai Zhuhai City guide · 12 tours The delta's slow city: a 28 km promenade, 146 islands, oysters fattened where the river meets the sea. Wuyi Mountain Wuyi Mountain City guide · 12 tours Nine bends of clear water, red sandstone cliffs, and the tea that made a mountain's name. Jiuzhaigou Jiuzhaigou City guide · 12 tours 108 mineral-blue lakes in one 55 km valley — the place that ruins water everywhere else for you. Mount Siguniang Mount Siguniang City guide · 12 tours Four snow peaks, three valleys, and the friendliest 5,000 m mountain in China to stand on top of. Hailuogou Hailuogou City guide · 12 tours A glacier that comes down to 2,850 m, hot springs in the forest, and Gongga Shan filling the sky above both. Daocheng Yading Daocheng Yading City guide · 12 tours Three 6,000 m sacred peaks, glacial lakes at 4,600 m and twenty hours of road — the hardest, highest payoff in Sichuan. Shunan Bamboo Sea Shunan Bamboo Sea City guide · 12 tours Seventy thousand mu of bamboo over twenty-eight hills, a red sandstone corridor under a closed green roof, and a banquet made entirely of bamboo. Dujiangyan Dujiangyan City guide · 12 tours Not a monument but a machine: three pieces of engineering with no dam, still doing their job after 2,270 years. Qingcheng Mountain Qingcheng Mountain City guide · 12 tours The mountain where Daoism was organised, and the one Chengdu escapes to when the basin turns into an oven. Qingdao Qingdao City guide · 12 tours Red-tiled roofs, cold beer and a granite mountain that walks straight into the sea — the easiest good time on the Yellow Sea. Mount Tai Mount Tai City guide · 12 tours 1,545 metres, 6,290 stone steps and three thousand years of emperors — the one mountain in China that is also a document. Jinan Jinan City guide · 12 tours A provincial capital with 700 springs under the pavement — people still queue at the spouts to fill their kettles. Weihai Weihai City guide · 12 tours 1,000 km of clean coast, a free bathing beach, the island where the Beiyang Fleet died — and thousands of wild swans every winter. Qufu Qufu City guide · 12 tours One family, two thousand years of steles, and a ¥150 pass that covers the lot — the easiest serious day trip in Shandong. Penglai Penglai City guide · 12 tours China's immortals' coast — a Song-dynasty naval harbour you can walk for free, a mythology nobody ever found, and the ferry to 32 islands. Changdao Changdao City guide · 12 tours 32 islands, one causeway, a ¥150 land pass, tens of thousands of gulls and nowhere you can drive — the place where everything happens by boat. Nanjing Nanjing City guide · 12 tours Capital of six dynasties, capital of the Republic, and the city that eats more duck than anywhere else on earth. Suzhou Suzhou City guide · 12 tours Two thousand five hundred years of canals, sixty surviving gardens, and a city that shuts its gates at half past five. Zhouzhuang Zhouzhuang City guide · 12 tours Nine hundred years, fourteen bridges, one ticket — and a town that only makes sense before eight in the morning. Tongli Tongli City guide · 12 tours Fifteen canals, seven islets, forty-nine bridges — and a town that still gets up at dawn because it lives here. Wuxi Wuxi City guide · 12 tours Taihu on one side, a Grand Buddha on the next hill, and ribs sweet enough to argue about — the most underrated city on the Yangtze delta. Yangzhou Yangzhou City guide · 12 tours A city built by salt merchants who had more money than restraint — gardens, a narrow lake, and the best breakfast in China. Zhenjiang Zhenjiang City guide · 12 tours Three hills, one ferry landing, and an unreasonable share of Chinese literature — the Yangtze city people drive past. Changzhou Changzhou City guide · 12 tours A 2,500-year-old canal city that built a dinosaur park and refuses to apologise for it. Wuzhen Wuzhen City guide · 12 tours A town that is two towns: the older, quieter East Zone and the lit-up West Zone you sleep inside. Xitang Xitang City guide · 12 tours Nine canals, 122 lanes, one long roofed corridor — and a town that still works for a living. Hangzhou Hangzhou City guide · 12 tours A lake in the middle of a city, a tea village in the hills, and two thousand years of getting the mood right. Xixi Wetland Xixi Wetland City guide · 12 tours Ten square kilometres of marsh inside Hangzhou, and the only way into half of it is a boat. Ningbo Ningbo City guide · 12 tours A 7,000-year-old port with Asia's oldest private library, a free waterfront 20 years older than Shanghai's, and the best seafood before the islands. Mount Putuo Mount Putuo City guide · 12 tours A Buddhist island with no cars, three great temples and a ¥10 lunch that is the point of the place. Qiandao Lake Qiandao Lake City guide · 12 tours A thousand islands that did not exist sixty years ago, and the cleanest big-lake water in China. Shaoxing Shaoxing City guide · 12 tours Two and a half thousand years of water-town China, and Lu Xun's house is free. Zhoushan Zhoushan City guide · 12 tours 1,390 islands, one road bridge in, and a harbour that lands more fish than almost anywhere on earth. Hengdian Hengdian City guide · 12 tours A backlot the size of a town, where the palaces are copies and the film crews are real. Yandang Mountain Yandang Mountain City guide · 12 tours A volcano that weathering turned into scenery — 500-odd sights of peak, cave and waterfall across eight scenic areas. Zhejiang Zhejiang City guide · 12 tours One small, mountainous, absurdly rich province that holds a lake, two canal towns, a Buddhist island and a dead volcano. Hong Kong Outlying Islands Hong Kong Outlying Islands City guide · 12 tours Two hundred-odd islands, half an hour of ferry from the financial district, and not a car on three of them. Hong Kong Shopping Hong Kong Shopping City guide · 12 tours A duty-free port where the tag starts lower, two citywide sale seasons knock a third off, and every mall sits on an MTR exit. Macao Macao City guide · 12 tours Four hundred years of Portuguese streets, a fake Venice under a painted sky, and the best egg tart in Asia. Urumqi Urumqi City guide · 12 tours The city furthest from the sea, with a snow range on its doorstep and dinner starting at nine. Hong Kong SAR, China Hong Kong SAR, China City guide · 11 tours A harbour skyline you already know by heart, dim sum trolleys at dawn, and 260 islands an hour from the neon. Taiwan, China Taiwan, China City guide · 11 tours Night-market alleys, high-mountain railways, and a coastline that changes character every hundred kilometres. Qinghai Lake Qinghai Lake City guide · 12 tours A 4,400 sq km inland sea at 3,200 m, ringed by rapeseed gold, prayer flags and the best cycling road in China. Mount Emei Mount Emei City guide · 11 tours A 3,099-metre Buddhist summit you can reach by cable car before lunch — and a mountain full of monkeys that will absolutely rob you. Beijing Beijing City guide · 11 tours Six centuries of imperial red walls, a Great Wall you can climb before lunch, and the best roast duck on earth. Taipei Taipei City guide · 11 tours A 24-hour bookstore, a night market that never stops sizzling, and a city that apologises when you bump into it. North Xinjiang North Xinjiang City guide · 11 tours Alpine lakes the colour of poured enamel, a village of log cabins under birch trees, and the last tear the Atlantic ever sheds. Lanzhou Lanzhou City guide · 11 tours A city split in half by the Yellow River, where beef noodles are a breakfast ritual and the Silk Road still runs through the streets. Mount Hua Mount Hua City guide · 11 tours Five granite peaks, one plank road bolted to a cliff face, and a sunrise that justifies the 2am start. Dunhuang Dunhuang City guide · 11 tours A desert oasis where Buddhist cave art survived a thousand years and a crescent lake refused to dry up. Gannan Gannan City guide · 11 tours 433 kilometres of the Yellow River's first bend, a 3.5 km prayer-wheel circuit, and Tibetan grasslands almost nobody has commercialised yet. Sichuan–Tibet Highway Sichuan–Tibet Highway City guide · 11 tours 2,142 kilometres of cliff-edge switchbacks, four of China's most beautiful mountains, and a road the Tibetans walk on their knees. Kangding Kangding City guide · 11 tours The town that gave Asia its most famous love song, a 7,556m sacred peak on its doorstep, and the last real Tibetan town before the road climbs to Lhasa. Lhasa Lhasa City guide · 12 tours A city of prayer wheels and butter lamps at 3,700 metres, where the sun shines 3,000 hours a year and the world's highest palace watches over it all. Nyingchi Nyingchi City guide · 11 tours Tibet's greenest corner — peach blossom valleys, a 7,782 m peak that hides from almost everyone, and the world's deepest canyon. Namtso Namtso City guide · 11 tours A 1,920-square-kilometre sheet of impossible blue at 4,718 metres, ringed by snow peaks and prayer flags. Chongqing Chongqing City guide · 12 tours A vertical city of fog, cable cars and cliff-side stilt houses, where the火锅 never stops boiling and the night skyline outshines Hong Kong. Qiandongnan Qiandongnan City guide · 11 tours A thousand Miao households stacked up a mountainside, drum towers and wind-rain bridges in Dong villages, and a 600-year-old Ming garrison town on the road to Guiyang. Libo Libo City guide · 11 tours Emerald rivers threading through karst peaks, a 600-metre forest growing out of a riverbed, and China's largest wild plum grove. Guiyang Guiyang City guide · 11 tours China's summer capital at 1,100 metres, where the nights run on sour fish soup, street-side barbecue and mahjong that never quite stops. Zhenyuan Zhenyuan City guide · 11 tours A 2,000-year-old river town where the Wuyang River carves an S through the mountains and every lane hides a story. Huangguoshu Huangguoshu City guide · 11 tours Asia's biggest waterfall, and the only one on earth you can walk behind, above and around — plus 600-year-old Ming dynasty villages a short drive away. Harbin Harbin City guide · 11 tours Minus 30 degrees, a frozen river you can walk across, and a cathedral built by Russians who never went home. Yunnan Yunnan City guide · 11 tours Snow mountains, tropical rainforest, twenty-five minorities and a plate of rice noodles — all in one province. Shanghai Shanghai City guide · 11 tours A 1920s waterfront of colonial banks facing a science-fiction skyline, soup dumplings you eat with a straw, and 20 million people moving like clockwork. Zhangjiajie Zhangjiajie City guide · 11 tours Three thousand sandstone pillars straight out of Avatar, a glass skywalk bolted to a cliff, and a cable car that leaves from downtown. Guangzhou Guangzhou City guide · 11 tours A 2,200-year-old trading port where dim sum is a religion, colonial islands sit beside 600-metre towers, and the food never stops. Guilin Guilin City guide · 11 tours Karst peaks rising straight out of a green river, rice terraces carved into mountainsides, and the best bowl of noodles you'll eat in China. Shenzhen Shenzhen City guide · 11 tours A fishing village that became a megacity in forty years — and it still has 500-year-old banyans, empty beaches and dim sum worth the border crossing. Chengdu Chengdu City guide · 11 tours A 3,000-year-old city where the schedule is tea, mahjong and hotpot — and the pandas are just the opening act. Xinjiang Xinjiang City guide · 11 tours Snow peaks, grassland, desert and oasis — one-sixth of China, and the longest road you will ever ride. Xi'an Xi'an City guide · 14 tours Thirteen dynasties of emperors, a terracotta army buried for 2,200 years, and a walled city you can cycle in 100 minutes. Qinghai Qinghai City guide · 11 tours China's high-altitude blue heart: a salt lake you can walk on, a 3,200-metre sea, and yak butter tea at the roof of the world. Tibet Tibet City guide · 11 tours A plateau the size of Western Europe where the sky starts at your feet, prayer flags carry the wind, and the roads run past 8,000-metre peaks.

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  • Weizhou Island is the reason to come — give it two days, not a day trip.
  • The ferry to Weizhou takes 1–1.5 hours and the island landing fee is separate; both depend on weather.
  • Silver Beach runs about 24 km — 'long, flat, fine, soft, no sharks'.

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