Beihai and Silver Beach

Beihai's Silver Beach sits about 210 km (130 miles) south of Nanning on the Gulf of Tonkin coast in Yinhai District, and the trip takes about 1 hour 10 minutes each way by high-speed rail from Nanning East to Beihai Railway Station, plus roughly 20-30 minutes onward to the beach by city bus or taxi. Second-class high-speed rail fares typically run ¥50-90 ($7.47-13.45), with frequent departures spread across the day. Silver Beach, known locally as Yintan, is a long stretch of fine, pale sand along the South China Sea coast, backed by a promenade, beachfront parks and a scattering of seafood restaurants; it is one of the most accessible coastal day trips from an inland city like Nanning. A typical day starts with an early or mid-morning train, arriving at Beihai station by late morning, then a short bus or taxi ride to the beach for a few hours of walking the shoreline, swimming in season, or renting a beach chair near the main entrance. Midday suits a seafood lunch at one of the restaurants along the coastal road, where fresh catch from the Gulf of Tonkin is the local specialty, before an afternoon spent either continuing along the beach promenade or exploring the nearby Beihai old town's colonial-era shopfronts for those with extra time. Because the return train needs to be booked around the day's schedule, travellers should check the last convenient high-speed departure back to Nanning East before finalising afternoon plans. The beach walk and promenade are pleasant year-round, but actual sea swimming is best from April to October when water temperatures are comfortable; winter months bring cooler water and stronger coastal winds, though the shoreline itself remains a worthwhile walk.