Once a stopover on the ancient Marine Silk Route, the port of Beihai has become a great place to take it easy and hit the beach, and it's an excellent jumping-off point for further tropical adventures on Hainan Island and in Vietnam, both of which are accessible via boat. As for Beihai itself, its combination of white sand beaches, great seafood, tree-lined streets and European colonial-style architecture make for a low-key getaway to rival Hainain's Sanya, but with fewer crowds and less hype.
Situated at the base of a peninula jutting into the Gulf of Tonkin (Beibu Wan in Mandarin), Beihai's harbor—once the haunt of South China Sea pirates—comes alive early, as a fleet of fishing boats brings the day's catch to market. If you've partaken in Beihai's relaxed but vibrant nightlife, you might prefer to wait to see what the boats brought in on your plate at one of the city's excellent seafood restaurants.
When it comes to beaches, the white sands of Silver Beach and the nearby volcanic islands of Weizhou and Xieyang offer some of the best swimming, snorkeling, body surfing and diving opportunities. Explore a mangrove lagoon, catch a boat to a nearby island, lounge on the beach and then check out Wenchang Pagoda or tour Beihai Submarine World.
Beihai is, like much of China, booming, with new construction taking place at an impressive rate, but at its heart it remains a laid-back seaside town perfect for rest and relaxation.
History
Beihai's recorded history goes back some 2,000 years to the time of the Marine Silk Route. Rival to the legendary inland Silk Road. China sought trade connections across the ocean for centuries, with the high point coming under the Yongle Emperor with the voyages of 15th Century Ming Dynasty admiral Zheng He, whose "treasure fleet" ventured as far as India, the Arabian Peninsula, Madagascar, Australia and, perhaps, the Americas.
Beihai played its role in China's burgeoning overseas trade, while also proving a popular port of call for less reputable adventurers--Behai harbor and its surrounding waters were long the haunts of South China Sea pirates.
However, China's offical seafaring days were cut short by the Yongle Emperor's successors, who saw outside influence as a threat to their power and banned overseas trade all together, leaving it to smugglers, pirates and, increasingly, European explorers intent on cracking open the rich markets of an inward-turned China.
Though the Qing Dynasty continued to follow the isolationist ways of the late Ming, they quickly lost their ability to keep China's doors shut as Europe's colonial powers used their superior weaponry to force concessions from Beijing. So it was that Baihai became an open port following a treaty with the United Kingdom. Eight Western nations (Belgium, Portugal, Italy, France, US, UK, Germany, Austrai-Hungary) established embassies, schools and hospitals in the city to further trade relations.
Following the Second World War and civil war in China, the communist party once again closed China off, and Beihai languished until 1984, when Beihai was named one of China's fourteen open coastal cities, allowing it to connect with Southeast Asian trading partners and begin to flourish anew. It was also named an official tourist destination, and tourism has grown alongside shipbuilding, pearl culture and other industries.
Climate
Beihai has pleasantly warm to hot weather all year around with average annual temperatures ranging between 17°C - 22°C (63°F - 72°F). Summers are hot and humid with lots of rain and an average July temperature of 29°C (84°F). Winters are mild, frost-free and short with an average temperature of 12°C (54°F). Spring sees occasional flooding.
As a popular vacation and weekend destination, Beihai is not without its share of places to stay. Popular hotels are invariably located along the beach and in the city center.
During the high season (March to September) make your reservation early. If you are after a bit of luxury, the five-star Shangri-La on Silver Beach is a good choice, but be sure to to negotiate for a good rate. The four-star Beihai Beach Hotel, also on Silver Beach, is a more modestly priced option (almost half price outside of summer).
Midrange hotels worth the trouble: Stone Forest Hotel, Furama Hotel, Gofar Garden Paris Hotel, Beihai Boyi Motel.
Budget travelers should be able to get a dorm bed for 100 RMB at either Taoyuan Dajiudian or Beihai Yingbinguan.
The Beihai Gulf provides abundant seafood supplies and there are plenty of restaurants to try, especially on the north coastal area. Around Waisha Dao and Sichuan Lu, there are inexpensive restaurants with outdoor seating areas (dapaidang) under the sun umbrellas where you enjoy the palatable food, the sea breeze and the islandy vibe.
Salted fish is also one particularly tasty dish that local people eat almost everyday. Clams, shrimp and flying fish are major ingredients for the traditional seafood dishes. More exotic foods include shark's fins and sea cucumbers (Beihai actually has the country's largest breeding farm for sea cucumbers).
The local cuisine is mostly influenced by the mild and light Guangdong cuisine. But if you hanker after some spicy food, Sichuan and Hunan cuisine can also be found around Wuzicun Lu.
The Beihai Shangri-la Hotel on Chating Lu has several restaurants and serves high quality western food at a high price. There are some cheap, hole-in-the-wall seafood restaurants beside the ferry terminal.
Woping Lu has a cute teahouse serving beverages and light snacks while the bus station's surrounds have some chaotic hot pot joints.
Getting Around
Taxi
Xiali and Kia taxis are relatively cheap in Beihai city with a base rate of RMB 5 for the first two kilometers and RMB 1.4 per additional kilometer. For Santana and Jetta, the price is a little higher with a base rate of RMB 7 for the first two kilometer and 1.8 per additional kilometer. Generally, it costs no more than RMB 10 within the urban area and about RMB 15 to 20 to get to the Silver Beach (Yintan) and the passenger wharf. If you are not familiar with the routes in Beihai, bargain with the driver before you get in.
Pedicab
There are many pedicabs in the city. It is cheap and you can enjoy the view on the way. And there is another kind of vehicle called a modi, which literally means “motorbike taxi”. These are quicker, but slightly more hair-raising than pedicabs.
Car Rental
Different from other places, both cars and drivers are “rented” together in Beihai. The price is 1.2 RMB per kilometer. You can also hire a taxi, but remember to fix a price with the driver before you go. In general it costs about RMB 200 a day.
To and from Beihai
Air
Located 24 kilometers from the city center, Beihai Fucheng Airport has opened flights to some major cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an and Guangzhou. With a ride of about 30 minutes between the city center and the airport, it may costs about RMB 60 by taxi.
Airport shuttles are run between the airport and Beihai Minhang Dasha (Beihai Civil Aviation Service Building) on Beibuwan Xi Lu. The trip takes about 30 minutes and costs 10 RMB for a single ticket. Two shuttles running from Beihai Minhang Dasha to the airport start at the fixed time of 5:00 and 6:45 in the morning. Others start two hours before the departure of the flights (for Beihai-Haikou flight, 1.5 hours before the departure). Shuttles from the airport to Beihai Minhang Dasha are subject to airpot arrivals and departures.
Train
Located in the city center on Beijing Lu, Beihai Railway Station only provides trains to and from Nanning. If you want to go to Beihai by train, you can first go to Nanning and then take a train to Beihai. There are not many people in the Beihai Railway Station even during holidays, and it is not necessary to buy tickets in advance.
Bus
Beihai enjoys a good highway network with No. 209 and 325 National Highways and several expressways stretching through the city. The distance from Beihai to Nanning is 206 km, about three hours ride; to Guilin, 630 km, seven hours; to Zhanjiang, 160 km, 1.5 hours. It is very convenient to go to Beihai by road. If you have a car and a Chinese driving license, it is really a good idea to drive to the city by yourself.
Boat
The passenger wharf serves ferries to Haikou, Hainan Province at 6:00 p.m. each day. The trip takes about 11 hours, prices ranging from RMB 120 to 260.
Beihai offers you numerous local specialties, especially products of the Beibu Gulf.
"Southern Pearls" (Nan zhu), a unique product of Beihai which used to be the spectacular tribute to the court in ancient China, are one of the top grade products among the pearl family. In Beihai there is an area of 33 acres of pearl cultivation. These unique saltwater pearls are used to make various jewels including necklaces, rings, brooches and earrings, as well as many beautiful pearl decorations. Pearl powder is a Chinese traditional medicine with a secret formula to help maintain youth and beauty. There are numerous shops in Beihai specializing in pearl jewelry, gifts and pearl powder. The newly-opened South Pearl Palace (Nanzhu Gong) on Chating Lu is a good place to go shopping. Artistic carvings on wood and horn are popular purchases. There are several big shopping centers along the Beibuwan Zhong Lu, of which the Qidong Shopping Center may be the best place buy souvenirs.
Beihai is still a bit lacking when it comes to serious cultural activities. There are various things you can do to get a dose of culture. The Beihai Submarine World, for example, exhibits some shipwrecks, and submarines bearing testament to the city's long relationship with seafaring and marine trade.
Bars
Some western style bars are beginning to pop up around town. Ibiza, it ain't, but if you bump into the right people, you can have a fairly active night out. Head to the Shangri-La, Taihe or Zhongyu hotels for techno blaring Chinese style discos, or not.