Guangxi was already a charming province before it acquired the extra territory of Beihai from Guangdong in 1954 so as to provide the province with a port. Guangxi is the home of the rice paddied, mountain studded Guilin and Yangshuo it is the tropical gateway to Vietnam and lies snuggled up to the vibrantly colourful Yunnan. The addition of Beihai to its list of credentials has ensured that the province now counts as one of the most varied, interesting and beautiful parts of the country.

The most well known ones include the Badaling stretch of the Great Wall of China, the Trainmen and the Forbidden City.The city also has plenty of temples, hutongs and parks, relics of ages gone by.

With the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park to its east, Zhong Nan Hai to its south, Beihai Park is one of the oldest, largest and best preserved ancient imperial gardens in China located in the centre of Beijing.

While Beihai does suffer from pollution as much of China does, it isnt nearly as severe as most other parts of the country.

It has a fairly active nightlife also containing western style bars such as the Kangaroo Bar on Beiwan Loo which is extremely popular amongst the local residents.

Accommodations are affordable and food ranges from traditional Chinese to KFC and McDonalds. Two new youth hostels opened in Beijing, which should come as a great comfort to cost conscious independent travellers and students, including foreigners, who sometimes find it difficult to find suitable and inexpensive lodgings in the city. The youth hostels are mainly open to people between the ages of 14 to 27, regardless of race, nationality, sex or religion.

One of the most valuable resources and advantages in Beihai is tourism. The sea areas here are not polluted, the air here is fresh and the 10 kilometres beaches are clean too. Also, in the spring, summer and autumn, people can take seawater bath. In winter, Beihai is a good place to spend a holiday at a summer resort.

Beihai is in the subtropical zone with abundant amounts of sunshine and rainfall, and the mild climate ensures vegetation to grow vigorously all year round. Green trees, colourful flowers, delicious melons and fruits can easily be found in Beihai, whatever time of year you come here. Sea, beaches, islands, sea food and costal forests present you with a beautiful and elegant city.