Zhoushan, Beihai, Shanwei, Qinhuangdao, Taizhou | Explore 5 seas without getting tired
Do you ever have those Fridays where weekly reports make your eyes ache, and you can't take a long vacation to go too far? This year, I split my annual leave into five segments and visited Zhoushan, Beihai, Shanwei, Qinhuangdao, and Taizhou. My biggest takeaway was: "seeing the sea" isn't just about Sanya. The Buddhist archipelago, volcanic islands, eastern Guangdong's glass-like sea, the Great Wall entering the sea, and the sea of clouds at Shenxianju—each shade of blue is unique. 🌊
Common points of these five cities: core beaches, old streets, and ancient temples are almost free to enter. The main costs are ferry tickets to Putuoshan and Weizhou Island, the cable car at Shenxianju, and seafood meals. For an average person, splitting up the visits, you can thoroughly enjoy them for CNY 500 to 1,800 per person.
🏯 Zhoushan – Buddhist archipelago + blue tears
Take the high-speed train to Zhoushan (Hangzhou East 95/Ningbo bus 50). For a first-time visit, choose "Zhujiajian + Putuoshan" without hesitation. Saturday morning at Putuoshan: 15-minute ferry from Zhujiajian Wugongzhi Pier (round trip 60), entrance ticket 160 (half price for 60–69, free for 70+). Incense and flower tickets for Nanhai Guanyin, Puji Temple, and Huiji Temple are free from 2026. Island bus day pass 50. This route is easy on the legs for seniors. If you're young and want to photograph the blue sea, go to Dongji Island (lower deck ferry 100, Miaozihu Lighthouse + Dongfushan sunrise), but you need to grab "Zhoushan Haixing Ferry" tickets 3 days in advance at 7 AM; in summer, they sell out in 5 minutes. Stay in Zhujiajian on the return trip. In the afternoon, cycle the Daqingshan coastal road (100/car) or step on the sand at Nansha (70). Eat: Shenjiamen seafood noodles 25, Zhujiajian night market grilled squid. Avoid expensive meals on Putuoshan Island.
🌴 Beihai – Silver Beach leisure + Weizhou Island
Fly to Beihai Fucheng. That afternoon, enjoy the free Silver Beach for sand and sunset → Qiaogang Style Street (free, Vietnamese spring rolls 5, crab roe noodles 15, huaihua powder dessert 3) → Qiaogang Beach (free, watch fishing boats return). The next morning, grab Weizhou Island ferry tickets (standard cabin 150 round trip + island ticket 98, "Laiyouba" app, 3 days in advance, 8:35 AM slot). Spend half a day on the island at Crocodile Mountain, Dishui Danping, and Wucai Beach (free, volcanic rocks with blue sea, rent an electric scooter 50/day) → Nanwan Street for mango clams 60/jin. Don't trust "low-price day tour" shopping groups. Buy your return ferry ticket before 5:10 PM. I tried sitting at Wucai Beach waiting for the sunrise, and the "work vibe" really dissipated a bit.
🌬️ Shanwei – Eastern Guangdong's low-key glass-like sea
Take the high-speed train to Shanwei Station. Take a taxi to Jinjing Bay (free, Poly Beach has fine sand, not sunny after 4 PM) → Honghai Bay Zhelangjiao 16 (one side has big waves, the other is calm, Hou'ao Glass Sea has a free snorkeling area) → Windmill Island (free, Shigongliao windmill array with blue water, electric scooter ride is super cool). Eat: Ermalu Food Street (free to browse), layered cake, vegetable tea, savory tea, thin pancakes are all in the alleys. Two people can eat until full for 40. For a first visit, don't treat Jinjing Bay and Honghai Bay as the same city (they are 40 minutes apart by car); allocate half a day for each bay. Xuanwu Mountain 25 and Fengshan Ancestral Temple 15 can be skipped. Honggong Hongchang is free and can be seen along the way.
⛰️ Qinhuangdao – Classic coastal city with the Great Wall entering the sea
2-hour high-speed train from Beijing to Beidaihe Station. Saturday: Shanhaiguan Ancient City (free to explore) → First Pass Under Heaven 60 (climb the city wall to see the pass layout, ancient city streets are free to enter) → Old Dragon Head 60 (the section where the Great Wall extends into the sea, take photos of "Great Wall drinking the sea" with side lighting after 4 PM) → Return to Beidaihe Pigeon Nest 35 for sunrise (or Liu Zhuang Night Market free). Sunday: Walk along Binhai Road to Xinghai → Jinshanzui → Xianluo Island cable car 100 (optional, cross-sea 1,038 meters for a panoramic view of the jelly-like sea) → Aranya Chapel + Lonely Library (reserve entry to the park, great for photos in early morning or evening). Eat: Zhaojiaguan dumplings near Qinhuangdao Station, Beidaihe Yangchangzi ham, Haigang District hunguo. Avoid the first restaurant in the main street of scenic areas.
⛩️ Taizhou – Mountain, sea, ancient city, Shenxianju
Take the high-speed train to Taizhou Station. Saturday: Guoqing Temple (free, Sui Dynasty ancient temple, Sui Pagoda + five layered peaks, light-colored clothes look good against yellow walls) → Taizhou Fucheng Linhai Ziyang Street (free, seaweed cakes 10 a box, shrimp noodles 15) → Jiangnan Great Wall 55 (7:00 AM–5:30 PM, climb the wall to see Lingjiang River, ten times fewer people than Beijing's Great Wall). Sunday: Shenxianju 110 (cable car 65 one way, Ruyi Bridge + Guanyin Peak, like a fairyland on cloudy days; Tiantai Mountain Grand Waterfall 100 is an alternative) → Wenling Xiaoruo Village (free, macaron-colored fishing village, Shitang Town seaside). Eat: Linhai egg white lamb tail, Xianju paopao xiang, Wenling qiangao. Alley shops are better value than those in scenic areas.
A few plain words from my personal summary:
These five cities are not "save up for one big trip" destinations; they let you realize that "you can experience five different seas even on weekends." Don't rush to Putuoshan on a Monday (it's crowded during incense fairs), don't cram Weizhou Island into half a day (ferry takes 3 hours), don't just visit Jinjing Bay in Shanwei and skip Ermalu, don't get sunburned like a red shrimp in Qinhuangdao at noon in August, and don't try to do Shenxianju and Tiantai Mountain in Taizhou on the same day (you'll be exhausted). Picking 1 to 2 cities each weekend is how ordinary people make their money and legs count. 🥾
Emotional resonance:
We usually rush to meet deadlines, stare at DingTalk, and fear missing messages. But sitting at Putuoshan Pier, feeling the sea breeze while waiting for the ferry, or stepping barefoot on Wucai Beach in Weizhou Island, or riding an electric scooter around Windmill Island in Shanwei, or standing at Old Dragon Head watching the Great Wall plunge into the Bohai Sea, or looking up at the clouds around Ruyi Bridge in Shenxianju—even with full phone signal, no one is looking for you. The tension of being forced to work overtime is slowly softened by the waves, wind, clouds, and boat horns. Travel doesn't always have to be far; giving yourself back a weekend is worth the ticket.
Suggestions for use (copy-paste version):
Pace: Zhoushan + Taizhou once (2-hour high-speed train), Beihai one separate weekend, Shanwei one separate weekend, Qinhuangdao one separate weekend; or Zhoushan and Qinhuangdao by plane.
Transportation: Zhoushan "Putuoshan Yimatong" for ferry tickets 3 days in advance at 7 AM; Weizhou "Laiyouba" 3 days in advance; Dongji "Zhoushan Haixing Ferry" same rules; get off at Qinhuangdao Beidaihe Station, don't buy tickets to Qinhuangdao Station.
Priority for free spots: Zhoushan Zhujiajian Dongsha/Shenjiamen → Beihai Silver Beach/Qiaogang/Old Street → Shanwei Jinjing Bay/Windmill Island/Ermalu/Xiaoruo Village → Qinhuangdao Beidaihe Bathing Beach/Shanhaiguan Ancient City/Ziyang Street → Taizhou Guoqing Temple/Ziyang Street/Xiaoruo Village.
Avoid pitfalls: Don't trust scalpers for free entry at Putuoshan; don't buy VIP cabin tickets for Weizhou; don't buy scalped 16-yuan tickets for Shanwei Honghai Bay at the entrance; arrive at Xianluo Island cable car in Qinhuangdao before 8 AM to avoid queues; Shenxianju in Taizhou is only worth it for the sea of clouds after rain, don't go on a clear day.
Season: Zhoushan July–August for blue tears, but typhoons are common, allow 1 extra day buffer; Beihai May–October; Shanwei April–June for clearest water at Windmill Island; Qinhuangdao July–August 26℃, but avoid noon; Taizhou March–April for rapeseed flowers + sea of clouds, September–November is most stable.
Which of these five cities do you want to visit first? Will you wait for the 15-minute ferry at Zhoushan Wugongzhi Pier, take the 8:35 AM ferry to Weizhou Island in Beihai to see the sunrise at Wucai Beach, ride an electric scooter around Windmill Island in Shanwei, see the Great Wall plunge into the sea at Old Dragon Head in Qinhuangdao, or wait for a sea of clouds at Ruyi Bridge in Shenxianju, Taizhou? Share in the comments, I'll reply to each one~👇