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Best Food in Beihai (2026)
Beihai is famous for its fresh seafood and unique snacks. The star dish is Beihai shrimp cake, a crispy fritter stuffed with whole shrimp, sold at street stalls for around… 🍜 Must-Try Local Dishes
Beihai is famous for its fresh seafood and unique snacks. The star dish is Beihai shrimp cake, a crispy fritter stuffed with whole shrimp, sold at street stalls for around 5 RMB. Another local favorite is sandworm porridge, a savory rice porridge with tender sandworms, best enjoyed at breakfast spots like Laojie Sandworm Porridge on Zhongshan Road.
🦐 Best Seafood Restaurants
For a sit-down seafood feast, head to Waisha Seafood Island at 9 Waisha Island Road. This floating restaurant offers live seafood tanks and dishes like steamed crab and garlic clams, with average spending around 150-200 RMB per person. For a budget option, try Beihai Seafood Market on Sichuan Road, where you can pick fresh catch and have it cooked at nearby stalls for a small fee.
🥟 Street Food Hotspots
The Old Street (Laojie) on Zhuhai Road is the top spot for street food, especially in the evening. Don't miss the grilled oysters with garlic and chili, sold for 10 RMB for six pieces. Another must-try is the sticky rice cake filled with red bean paste, available from vendors near the clock tower for 3 RMB each.
🍜 Noodle and Soup Spots
For a hearty bowl of noodles, visit Beihai Rice Noodle King at 88 Beibuwan East Road. Their signature is the seafood rice noodle soup with shrimp and squid, priced at 18 RMB. For a lighter option, try the fish ball soup at Auntie Chen's stall in the morning market on Heping Road, where a bowl costs 8 RMB.
🍰 Sweet Treats and Desserts
Cool down with a bowl of Beihai's signature sweet potato soup, available at Yipin Sweet Soup on Jiefang Road for 6 RMB. Another local favorite is coconut milk jelly, sold by street vendors near Silver Beach for 5 RMB. For a unique experience, try the durian-flavored ice cream at Ice Age Dessert at 23 Changle Road, priced at 12 RMB per scoop.
🍺 Evening Food Markets
As night falls, the Beihai Night Market on Beihai Avenue comes alive with food stalls. Try the grilled squid skewers (10 RMB) and the spicy crawfish (30 RMB per portion). For a drink, grab a bottle of local Zhujiang beer from nearby convenience stores to pair with your snacks.
💰 Budget Tips
Most street food items cost between 3 and 15 RMB, making Beihai very affordable for food lovers. For a full meal at a mid-range restaurant, budget around 80-120 RMB per person. Avoid eating at tourist-heavy spots near Silver Beach, where prices can be double; instead, walk a few blocks inland for better value.
📍 Getting Around for Food
Many food spots are concentrated in the Old Street area and along Beihai Avenue, which are easily walkable. For farther destinations like Waisha Island, take a taxi or use a ride-hailing app for around 15 RMB from the city center. Public buses also run along major routes, with fares starting at 2 RMB.
The guide is right about the Old Street, but if you want the best grilled oysters, skip the main strip and walk down the side alley across from the clock tower. There's a woman there who shucks them fresh and tops each one with a mix of minced garlic, fermented black beans, and a tiny dab of butter, it's 12 RMB for six but worth the extra 2 RMB. I usually grab a bag of those pickled mango slices from the cart near the alley entrance to reset my palate between orders.
honestly the guide nails the big stuff but one thing i always tell people is to hit the dai pai dong style stalls near the north gate of Zhongshan Park around 7pm. there's this old guy who sets up a tiny charcoal grill and does these squid tentacles that are way better than the night market ones, chewier and smokier, 8 RMB for a skewer. he's usually there unless it rains, just follow the smoke and the line of locals
This guide covers the big names well. I'd add that the sandworm porridge at Laojie is good, but I actually prefer the version from the morning market on Heping Road. They use a bit more ginger and white pepper, which cuts through the richness better, and it's only 6 RMB a bowl.
One thing the guide doesn't mention is the local snack of pickled mango slices. You'll see them sold from glass jars on pushcarts around the Old Street, especially near the clock tower. They're tart, slightly sweet, and sprinkled with chili salt, a great palate cleanser between heavy seafood dishes for about 3 RMB a bag.
For the Waisha Seafood Island, try to go on a weekday evening if you can. The weekends get packed with tour groups and the service can slow down noticeably. The steamed crab is a solid choice, but the stir-fried conch with chives is what the locals usually order.
3 Days in Beihai: Itinerary 2026
Start your Beihai trip at Silver Beach, the city's most famous stretch of white sand. Arrive early around 9 AM to enjoy the calm waters before the crowds. Spend the morning swimm… 🗺️ Day 1 Overview
Start your Beihai trip at Silver Beach, the city's most famous stretch of white sand. Arrive early around 9 AM to enjoy the calm waters before the crowds. Spend the morning swimming and sunbathing, then grab a seafood lunch at a beachfront restaurant like Wai Sha Hai Xian.
🏛️ Day 1 Afternoon
After lunch, head to the Beihai Old Street (Zhongshan Road) to explore the historic European-style architecture. The street is about a 15-minute taxi ride from Silver Beach. Visit the Beihai Old Port and the Christian Church, both free to enter. End your afternoon with a coffee at a local café like Shi Guang Dao.
🌅 Day 1 Evening
For sunset, walk to the nearby Beihai Beach Park (free entry) and watch the sky change colors over the sea. Dinner can be at the seafood market on Sichuan Road, where you pick fresh catches and have them cooked for around 50-80 CNY per person. Return to your hotel by taxi for about 15 CNY.
🏝️ Day 2 Weizhou Island
Take the 8:30 AM ferry from Beihai International Passenger Port to Weizhou Island (1.5 hours, round-trip ticket about 300 CNY). Rent an electric scooter (60 CNY per day) to explore the island's volcanic landscapes. Visit the Crocodile Mountain Volcano Park (98 CNY) and the colorful Shiluokou Beach.
🍜 Day 2 Local Flavors
For lunch, try the island's famous seafood noodles at a small shop near the harbor, costing around 20 CNY. In the afternoon, stop by the Catholic Church (free) and the Dripping Water Danxia scenic area. Return to Beihai on the 5:00 PM ferry to avoid late crowds.
🌿 Day 3 Nature Escape
On your final day, visit the Guantouling National Forest Park (50 CNY) in the morning. The park is a 30-minute bus ride from the city center (bus 3 or 5). Hike to the observation deck for panoramic views of the coastline and the mangroves below.
🛍️ Day 3 Shopping & Departure
After the park, head to the Beihai Pearl Market on Beibuwan East Road to shop for local pearls and souvenirs. Prices vary, but a strand of freshwater pearls starts around 100 CNY. If time allows, grab a final bowl of Beihai rice noodles at a nearby stall before catching your train or flight.
yo this is a solid itinerary, i've done almost the exact same route a couple times. one thing id add is that on weizhou island, the electric scooter rental is the move but make sure u check the battery before you leave, some shops give u half-charged ones and youll be stuck pushing it back. also for the seafood market on sichuan road, i'd go around 5pm not later, the good stuff sells out fast and the prices jump after 6 when the tourist buses roll in. the pearl market is worth a look but honestly the real deals are at the smaller stalls on the side streets off beibuwan east road, same quality for like 70% of the price.
The guide mentions the 8:30 AM ferry but doesn't say you should book it at least a couple days ahead if you're going in summer or during any Chinese holiday. I showed up in July thinking I'd just buy a ticket at the counter and the 8:30 was sold out, had to wait for the 10:30 which threw off the whole island schedule. Also if you're not a strong swimmer, skip the water at Shiluokou Beach on Weizhou, the currents there can be surprisingly strong and there's not much lifeguard presence. The beach near the Catholic Church is calmer and just as pretty for a dip.
this is a really well planned out trip, one thing i'd tweak is day 1 afternoon. instead of heading straight to old street after silver beach, grab the bus 106 from near the beach entrance to the zhongshan road stop, it's like 2 yuan vs the 15 yuan taxi and drops you right at the start of the pedestrian section. also for day 3, guantouling is nice but if you're short on time skip the park and do the mangroves at jintan instead, it's a 10 minute bus from the city and you can walk right out onto the boardwalks for free, the park charges 50 for basically the same view from higher up. the rice noodle spot near the pearl market on beibuwan east road is called lao you ji, get the dry mixed ones with extra chili oil, it's like 8 yuan and way better than the soup version most tourists order