I declare! Weizhou Island in Beihai is my top island destination this year

It's time to say goodbye to the noise and plan a sea trip for yourself. Let your vision broaden at the horizon where sea meets sky, and let your worries ebb away with the tide. Check out this private guide to Weizhou Island in Beihai to help you start a perfect slow-paced island journey.

1. When going to Crocodile Mountain, don’t search for Crocodile Mountain Scenic Area! We foolishly followed the default navigation at first, climbing a steep slope for half an hour and taking a detour. Later we found out we should search for Weizhou Island Crocodile Mountain Visitor Center. Enter from the south gate and take the sightseeing bus directly to the main attraction. The 98 yuan combo ticket saves energy and reduces waiting time. Standing by the volcanic rock looking at the sea, I truly felt it was wise not to take the detour!

2. The paid viewing platform at Dishui Danping is a rip-off! Some villagers stopped us asking for 20 yuan, but we didn’t believe it. We searched for the Dishui Danping Beach main entrance which is free to enter. A 2-minute walk takes you to the reef area. At sunset, the orange sunlight shining on the sea is ten times better for photos than the paid spot, and we even collected half a small bag of shells. If you go, don’t waste money here!

3. Sisters who want to shoot the sunrise at Five-Color Beach, remember the east gate entrance! We arrived before 6 am and got front-row spots. The colorful rock layers after the tide recedes glowed faintly. When the sun rose, the sea was dyed golden red. No need to squeeze in crowds to take photos of people’s heads. The feeling of waiting for the sunrise while blowing the morning sea breeze still feels so pleasant now.

4. Don’t search for the default address for Shiluokou Beach! It will take you to a heavily commercialized resort where renting a lounge chair costs 50 yuan each. Navigate to Shiluokou Herdsmen’s Path, pay 10-20 yuan to enter the village-managed beach. It’s less crowded with fine sand. We even borrowed tools to catch sea creatures and were super excited when we found little crabs. The experience was amazing!

5. For the Catholic Church, search for the main entrance, not the commercial street! The alleys are full of overpriced souvenirs. The old banyan tree and century-old brick wall at the church entrance are perfect for vintage-style photos. The auntie selling banana pancakes for 5 yuan at the door makes them crispy outside and soft inside, bursting with banana aroma. They taste even better than those at popular shops.

6. For Shell Beach, the Beigang Village entrance is definitely the right choice! Previously, we searched for the scenic area and went to an underdeveloped place with no toilets or shade. Beigang Village has a villagers’ teahouse where we rested and the owner cooked the small seafood we caught. The 30 yuan seafood noodles were so fresh we drank every drop of the broth.

Finally, I must praise the owner of the guesthouse we stayed at! Not only did they help us avoid pitfalls, but also took us to local favorite restaurants. Coconut jelly at Yeji Man, salt and pepper mantis shrimp at Sister Wang’s Seafood, and Qiong’s fermented vinegar—everything was reliable, more affordable, and authentic than the trendy spots.

Post by HarperSutherland84 | Oct 26, 2025