Beihai Silver Beach
北海银滩
"The finest beach under heaven," a 24 km quartz-sand beach with powdery white sand and gentle slopes. Admission is free. Sunset watching and tidal-flat seafood gathering here are classic activities in central Beihai.
Beihai Silver Beach lies south of central Beihai in Yinhai District. It stretches about 24 km from east to west, and the main beach is about 10 km long. The sand is made of high-purity quartz, which glows silvery white in the sun. The beach is known as "the finest beach under heaven" for its long, flat shoreline, fine white sand, clean water, gentle waves and absence of sharks. It is a national 4A-level scenic area and has been free to enter since 2010. The scenic area has three entrance zones: east, central and west. The central zone (Silver Beach Park) has the best facilities, including showers, changing rooms, lifeguards and beach chair rental. It is the main area for swimming and sunset watching, and the Tide sculpture, a spherical musical fountain, stands here. The east zone is near Qiaogang, and it is quieter. The west zone has the widest sand. At low tide, the beach reveals broad tidal flats, where you can collect shells and chase sand crabs. Sand crabs are the raw material for Beihai's famous sand-crab sauce. Suggested plan: arrive around 3–4 p.m. Stroll along the sand or go for a swim first. Watch the sunset in the evening (around 6 p.m. in winter on the Beibu Gulf). Then walk or take a taxi to the Qiaogang Vietnamese Street for Vietnamese rice-noodle rolls, sweet soups and grilled food. Qiaogang night market is the heart of Beihai's nightlife. Getting there: take bus No. 3 from Beihai Railway Station, about 40 minutes. From the Old Street, a taxi takes about 20 minutes. It is about 5 km from Beihai International Ferry Terminal (the ferry pier for Weizhou Island), so you can plan it before or after your boat trip. Tips: swimming is only allowed in the central zone where lifeguards are on duty. At low tide, the tidal flats extend far out, and the tide comes in fast, so do not walk too far. In summer, the midday sand is hot and the sun is intense. Vendors on the beach sell activities, so choose carefully. Check the tide table before you go, especially around high tide.
Opening hours
All day (swimming area 09:00–18:00)
Nearby sights
- Qiaogang Street
- Beihai Ocean Window
- Beihai Garden Expo Park
- Fengjiajiang Wetland Park
- Beibu Gulf Square
- Beihai Modern Architecture (Former British Consulate)
- Beihai Underwater World
- Beihai Old Street (Zhuhai Road)