When is the Best Time to Travel to Weizhou Island? A Travel Guide to Beihai and Weizhou Island

Weizhou Island in Beihai, Guangxi is different from other islands because it is the largest volcanic island in China. When the weather is good, the endless coastline is all blue, and the sand on Silver Beach is also excellent, attracting tourists from all over the country. I am one of them, and below I will introduce my life on the island in the past few days!

A few years ago, no one seemed to know about Weizhou Island. Now, it is said that there is more publicity, but it still feels like fewer people know about it. I also accidentally discovered this small island. At that time, I didn’t know which province it was in, but I just thought the name sounded nice and wanted to go see it.

An undeveloped, somewhat primitive little island has its good and bad sides. The bad ones might be like what people complain about online, such as the prevalence of electric scooters and sightseeing vehicles on the island, with no public buses yet; or the fact that some management on the island is not yet standardized, resulting in some places charging exorbitant fees. But these drawbacks are actually only minor influences. Thinking about it from a different perspective, it’s understandable. After all, it hasn’t been commercialized yet, and you can experience more of its original nature.

Island Scenery and Cuisine

Later, I felt that choosing it was a unique experience. It is a small island off the mainland, requiring a more than hour-long boat ride from Beihai to reach. It feels completely different from Gulangyu Island. Gulangyu Island is considered to be very maturely developed as a tourist destination, with dense and uniform shops on the island, while Weizhou Island is just the opposite, like an undeveloped primitive island. The shops on the island are considered to be more commercialized, but they are not that dense. What you see more is a dense array of plants.

The little bananas on the banana trees are very sweet

I arrived here just after 7 pm. From the pier to the inn, my first impression was how dark it was. I was used to the bright lights of modern life, and my eyes couldn’t adjust at first. It was hard to see anything on the road except the main road with a few lights, and the other small paths were basically pitch black. When I got to the inn, there were also very few lights. Once I turned off the lights in the room, it was truly pitch black, and I was amazed at how dark darkness could be.

The inn

Because it was a volunteer trip (regarding volunteer travel, it’s actually just working in exchange for accommodation. After all, the stay is long, and the tourist time is also long. This is a more practical approach, and you can also experience local life better), the next day I had to familiarize myself with the work I would be doing for the next month. It was mainly cleaning the guest rooms. I’ve basically never done any housework from childhood to adulthood. I guess I’ll develop a good habit of washing dishes after going back. It was also a good experience to switch roles and turn my mental labor into physical activity. (Volunteer travel and work are omitted here. If you want to discuss with me how to clean guest rooms in an inn, send me a private message, haha)

Local specialties and fruits, some I had never seen beforeThis is an island, so all kinds of seafood are a must

I usually have a lot of free time, but the sun is pretty strong on the island in summer, and it’s best to go out to play around 4 or 5 pm. So, I spend a lot of time just lounging around in the inn, daydreaming and sleeping.

Qinghuan Bieyuan Inn

Qinghuan Bieyuan is considered one of the more refined inns on the island. You can see various thoughtful designs in the courtyard. In addition to all sorts of plants, my favorite thing is to sit in the rocking chair and listen to music and sleep when the sun is warm.

Decorations in Qinghuan Bieyuan

The inn is also close to the beach. At this point, I have to blame myself for not knowing how to swim, so I can only go wading in the water. I became a shell-collecting fanatic, collecting a whole bunch of shells to mail back home. But it’s good that just looking at the scenery is a pleasure, because the sky and sea here are always changing in different ways. Every trip is a new experience.

Island stroll

The attractions on the map are listed in the guide section. After staying on the island for a long time, it seems that many beautiful scenery that looks beautiful are actually discovered by chance. Once, on my way back from playing, I saw the same sky on the road. On the left was a purplish-blue moon, and on the right was an orange-yellow sun. The two different color schemes were so captivating, and riding my electric scooter in the middle of the road felt really good.

I often see this kind of beauty at sea. It’s rare for me, an outsider. The islanders are good at guessing the next day’s weather based on the changes in the weather during the day, and then decide whether to go out to sea.

I also went fishing at night with them, and I was surrounded by a herd of cows on my electric scooter, and I was even chased by a pack of dogs because I had a puppy in my car… My memory isn’t good, so I should write these things down, to know that I have experienced these things and met these people.

This is Luhu, a Labrador with a physique like a pig. It is said that he became obese after being neutered. He is very lazy and doesn’t usually pay attention to you unless he sees his owner or food. You can play with him to your heart’s content. He will guard your door, but it’s just to get the air conditioning. He loves playing in the water, and at the inn, he always puts his big paws in the small gap next to the goldfish pond to soak in the water. When he swims in the sea, he floats on the surface and just paddles with his big paws in the water, and he swims very well. He also has two cute poses, as shown in the picture.

This is Luhu and his owner Mao Ge. He feels like a young cynic, always having something to complain about, and he can talk your ear off whether he’s drinking or not. He also edited the photos I took, and they all have a demonic vibe.

This is A Jing, a kind-hearted and lovely person who looks unfriendly at first. When we first met, he called me sister, and I almost hit him. Later I found out that he was only 20 years old. Didi speaks Mandarin very humorously, and when he drives on the road and sees branches or anything on the road, he will kick them to the side. I think he’s afraid they’ll trip someone up, and he’s a really nice guy. He also knows all sorts of car repair skills. Once, my electric scooter broke down on the road, and thankfully I met him and got saved. I’m eternally grateful.

This is a Hunan girl who traveled with me from Guangzhou to Weizhou Island. She’s always got a bunch of spicy strips for you to eat, and I’m amazed that there are so many flavors and styles of spicy strips. And the Weilon spicy strips we used to eat are not eaten in their area.

Travel Guide

1. Regarding Transportation and Expenses:

Getting to Beihai International Passenger Port (take a boat to Weizhou Island from here)

Beihai Railway Station (same as High-speed Railway Station) → Beihai International Passenger Port

Take bus No. 20/21/22 to Beihai International Passenger Port Station, about half an hour. Check the details yourself.

Beihai Fucheng Airport → Beihai International Passenger Port

Take the airport shuttle bus to Beibu Gulf Square, then transfer to bus No. 3 to Beihai International Passenger Port Station.

Take a boat from Beihai International Passenger Port to Weizhou Island Passenger Pier

Depending on the boat schedule you choose, it takes about an hour, and the price is 120~240 yuan/ticket. You can book tickets on the Laiyouba WeChat public account to avoid being sold out when you get there.

Island entrance ticket (valid for the whole island): full ticket including insurance 120 yuan/ticket. Crocodile Mountain Volcano Park requires a ticket, other attractions usually don’t. Some attractions may charge an additional 20 yuan for a sightseeing vehicle ticket.

From Weizhou Island Passenger Pier to your inn, you can first ask the inn if they offer pick-up service. If not, there are all kinds of tricycles outside the pier, and the price is usually 30 yuan or so.

Transportation on the island is mainly electric scooters, sightseeing vehicles, and tricycles. It feels great to zoom around on an electric scooter, even though there are many small paths on the island, and you might get lost at first. But the island is not big and it is very safe. I won’t tell you that many inns don’t lock their doors at night, so if you encounter places that tell you there’s a fee to park your electric scooter, you can ignore them and find another place to park. It won’t be stolen anyway.

Electric scooters are generally 60 yuan/day, and sometimes inns will offer a discounted price for their guests. Sightseeing vehicles are said to be 200 yuan for a round-trip island tour, so it’s more cost-effective to share with more people. The maximum capacity is 11 people. You can ask the inn where you’re staying.

2. Regarding Sightseeing:

If you really have to categorize the attractions, there are about 10 or so, but after staying on the island for a long time, I feel that the most beautiful attractions are the natural wonders you discover by slowing down and exploring.

I feel that the best time to visit is closer to summer but not yet summer, because the sun is still very strong on the island, and in summer, there are more plants and more small animals, including snakes and centipedes.

The left coast is for watching the sunset, and the right coast is for watching the sunrise. In May, it’s around 6 am sunrise and 7 pm sunset.

Colorful Beach

The best place to watch the sunrise. At low tide, there are many rocks exposed. There are many hermit crabs in the shells you pick up here. This is actually just the beach, and the entrance to the scenic area is closed, but there are many paths you can take to get here. If you take a small path and some islanders tell you to pay, you can ignore them and find another path down. This area has many rocks and is not suitable for swimming unless you know the area well and someone takes you there. I swam here anyway.

Catholic Church

There are two paths to enter the Catholic Church scenic area. Usually, you have to park at the entrance and walk in. If the staff is not there, you can drive in directly. After driving in, you can park near the convenience store on the small road. It’s called “He’er Convenience Store,” and there’s a special electric scooter parking spot there. It’s similar to other churches, and there’s a small garden inside that’s good for taking pictures. As for the other church on the island, called the Holy Mother Church, you have to buy a ticket and take a sightseeing vehicle to visit, which is 20 yuan. I don’t think it’s worth visiting.

Shell Beach

I thought it was called that because it was a place to collect shells, but it’s not really that way. You can find shells on the beach, but it seems like there are more near the direction of the Blue Bridge. It’s suitable for swimming, but it’s not as distinctive as other beaches.

Blue Bridge

You can’t go up there now, I’ve only seen it from a distance. The arched bridge extending into the sea is good for taking pictures. I once saw a sunset near here, and the sky, clouds, and sea were all connected, it was very spectacular.

Shiluo Kou

I think it’s the best beach here. The water is clear, and it’s a beautiful place to watch the sunset by the sea. It’s also a good place to sit and listen to music and the waves. But there are usually a lot of people selling jet ski rides and beach buggy rides by the sea. They are very enthusiastic and talk to you. If you are not interested and don’t want to be bothered, you can make it clear. But we got a free ride, and it was really thrilling at top speed.

Lovers’ Cliff

I still don’t know what it’s really called. Some people call it Lovers’ Cliff, and some people call it Muya Cliff. It’s not usually on the map in travel guides, and the location is also quite hidden. It’s another great place to watch the sunset. You can navigate to the oil and gas pier or the Muya Seaview Hotel. Stop at the gate of the oil and gas pier, and walk down the small path to the right. Make sure you walk in the direction that requires you to jump over a ditch, otherwise, you’ll get lost like we did and get surrounded by cows. Just follow the crowd.

Di Shui Dan Ping

It’s also by the sea, but there are some rocks dripping water by the sea. It’s not as beautiful as I imagined. The shore is also mostly rocks. But the sunset sky here is also very beautiful. Find a place to park at the entrance and walk along the beach to the left until the end.

Crocodile Mountain Volcano Park

You can’t drive in for about 1.5 kilometers from the volcano park. You can choose to take a sightseeing vehicle up for 20 yuan/person. If you want to walk up, you can park at the free parking lot, but the free parking lot is far away. You can also park on the open space at the entrance for 5 yuan/vehicle. When I went there, there was still a lot of construction going on, so it wasn’t particularly beautiful. It’s like visiting a different park with scenery along the coastline, combined with volcanic eruption remnants and coastal geomorphological landscapes.

Nanwan

There are generally two paths to Nanwan. One of them is too steep and winding, so be careful. When you come back on an electric scooter, it’s best not to take this path, because you have to push it uphill, which I experienced firsthand and it was very tiring. Nanwan is also a pier. There is a market there mainly for buying groceries. There are seafood, fruits, vegetables, etc. Prices on the island are generally about twice as expensive. A Cute Yummy costs 7 yuan. If you want to go to the market to buy groceries, you can ask the innkeeper if you can go together, because they are familiar with the locals, and the locals generally won’t overcharge them if they see someone they know. The post office and the clinic are also in Nanwan. The Rural Credit Cooperative ATM is in Wanbei.

Piggy Ridge and Xiayang Island

Piggy Ridge is a rock cliff in the sea that can be seen from Nanwan. At low tide, there is a path to walk there, but it is said that this path is difficult to walk and it is easy to get hurt. I haven’t been there. Xiayang Island is a slanted island that can be seen from Colorful Beach. It costs 150 yuan/person for a round-trip boat ride. The water is clearer here, and it’s suitable for diving and fishing. I didn’t go there either.

You can navigate to all the places mentioned above directly by name except for the cliff. Many of the roads on the island are connected, and you’re not afraid of getting lost because you can always find your way out. Just don’t run out of battery on your electric scooter.

If you stay on a trip for a while, you will have a deeper experience of local life, and you will always encounter many people and things you have never seen before.

3. Regarding Security on the Island

The island’s management is indeed not very good. It was supposed to be a single ticket for everything, but there are some islanders, mostly elderly people, who charge fees at the entrance to some scenic areas for parking and storage. While the fees are only 2~5 yuan, it still feels uncomfortable because the island is very safe and there’s no need to store your vehicles. According to the innkeeper, these people’s charges are not legal either. I’ve also encountered some elderly people holding bananas and asking you to buy them. It is said that you can buy a large bunch for 3 yuan, but sometimes they will rip off tourists for 5 yuan or even 10 yuan. This is just a complaint, after all, they are elderly people, so you can be understanding. Weizhou Island has some beautiful scenery.