Home : China Guide : Guangxi : Attractions in Beihai

As a growing tourist destination, Beihai has a few natural and cultural sights that can hold you for a couple of days before you might go on to Hainan Island .

The city itself is worth one day's exploring. The charming colonial buildings in the old town area can remind you of the city's history as a destination for European travellers. From Crest Peak you have a good panoramic view of the city.

The fairyland of Silver Beach , with its fresh sea breeze, unique fine quartz sand and fabulous view, are attracting more and more sea-lovers.

Views in the city itself include the Dongpo Pavilion and the Wenchang Pagoda . You might want to venture out to the western suburbs to visit the Lian Yang cave with its colorful stalagtites and stalagmites.

Dongpo Pavilion
The Dongpo Pavilion was built in commemoration of the poet Sudongpo of the Song Dynasty ( 1100 A .D) who wrote several poems during his stay in Beihai. This pavilion is a brick and wood building. A plaque on the front gate bears the characters "Dongpo Pavilion" which were written by Tiechan, a Buddhist monk at Six-Banyan Monastery in Guangzhou .

There are stone inscriptions of Sudongpo and more than ten stones with his poems carved upon them embedded in the front wall of the pavilion. There is a well in the east of the pavilion, it is said, it was dug personally by Sudongpo, the water is clear and sweet. Waters and weeping willows surround the pavilion and account for a beautiful scenery.

Silver Beach
Silver Beach lies to the south of Beihai, stretching 24 kilometers west and varying in width from 30 to 300 meters. It is named Silver Beach because of its soft and silvery quartz sand. Known as one of the best beaches in China, it attracts numerous sea-lovers with an average seawater temperature of 23C all year round. The beach is lined by loose row of guesthouses and villas built in different styles.

Mangrove Forest
The mangrove is the only species of tree in the world that can grow in the swampy ground along the coast. A special species of forest vegetation-the mangrove tree-grows in the tidal zones lying between land and sea in China's subtropical areas. Its seeds remain hanging on the mother tree until saplings appear. Some then fall into the mud and take root, while others are carried to other areas by seawater. The mangrove tree has a marvelous speed of reproduction and growth. By and by the tree roots and branches mix up, creating a kind of natural beauty.

Transportation: Take the bus from Beihai, about two hours' drive.

The Aquatic Products Exhibition Center
The Aquatic Products Exhibition Center in Beihai is located in the north of the urban district. It covers an area of 1600 square meters, and is divided into 7 exhibition halls, an aquatic animal box, a green turtle pond and a seal pond. There are more than 670 kinds of marine specimens and more than 2800 pieces of exhibits on display, all of which came from the Beibu Bay.These include dozens of subtropical fish and even a species of the rare animal commonly known as "mermaid", also, there are artifacts made from the skeletons of whales which weighed more than 5 thousand kilograms. There are products made from huge lobsters, the famous " South Pearl " as well as a one-hundred year old living green turtle which weighs more than a hundred kilograms. Opening Times: 8:00 - 18:00

Weizhou Island
The 24-square-kilometer Weizhou Island , the biggest volcanic island in the country, lies 36 sea miles from Beihai city. The Island boasts clean sea water, a fresh sea breeze and shares the name of "Fairyland of Human Beings" with neighboring Xieyang Island . 85 percent of the local 16,000 residents are Hakkas who make a living from fishery and tourism. You will be immersed in the peaceful life on the island when you walk along the narrow streets in the villages and visit the local old Roman Catholic Church , a mini scale model of Notre Dame in Paris . Seafood is abundant at a extremely low price. Souvenirs such as seashells can be found in some stalls on the streets.

Wenchang Pagoda
Scenic spots incl The octagonal Wenchang Pagoda was originally built in the Ming dynasty, more than 3 hundred years ago. It is 36 meters high with an internal diameter of 2.6 meter. The molding decreases from the base to the top storey by storey. The pagoda's decoration is simple: the body is white, doors, corners and roof are red. There are east and west ventilating doors in each storey as well as artificial doors just for decoration purpose. ude the Sea-water eroded mushroom .

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