Nature
Silver Beach
A 7-kilometer stretch of soft white sand beach renowned for its fine quartz sand that glistens in the sun. Shallow, clear waters make it ideal for swimming and water sports.
Open all day
Free
Beihai history as a trading port dates back to the Qin and Han dynasties, when it served as an embarkation point for the Maritime Silk Road. During the late Qing dynasty, Beihai was opened as a treaty port in 1876 under the Chefoo Convention, leading to the establishment of consulates, customs houses, and merchant firms by British, French, German, and American interests.
The colonial era transformed Beihai architecture, particularly along what is now Qixia Old Street, where arcaded shop-houses in the European style still stand. After 1949, Beihai became a fishing and seafood processing center, and in 1984 it was designated one of China 14 coastal open cities, spurring industrial development and port expansion. In recent years, Beihai has pivoted toward tourism and digital economy, hosting the China-ASEAN maritime cooperation forum.
