With its well-preserved historical relics and leisurely lifestyle, Beihai has a timeless allure.

Located on the southern coast of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Beihai is known for picturesque locales like Silver Beach, favored by tourists for its fine sand, clean seawater and gentle wave.

While many will find rest and relaxation to be the order of the day in Beihai, sports lovers can also enjoy riding a motorboats and all-terrain vehicles or a game of beach football there, according to the city's tourism officials.

Just off the coast of Silver Beach lies Weizhou Island, the largest and youngest volcanic island in China.

The island has many scenic sites, including a 140-year-old Catholic church, a park with stones in the shape of sea turtles and an old fishing village. According to local media, tourists gather nightly to see the spectacle of fishing boats returning to the wharf at dusk.

In addition to its natural beauty, historical heritage is another treasure of the city.

The city's Old Streets, as they are called by locals, were built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Featuring a combination of Eastern and Western buildings, they are now mainly clustered around Zhuhai Road and Zhongshan Road.

Beihai was opened to foreigners as a commercial port in 1876, and the city's consulates have greatly influenced the architecture on the Old Streets.

With urban areas surrounded by the sea on three sides, Beihai has the only international sea tourism route in the country, from Beihai to Halong Bay in Vietnam.

The city has won a series of honors, including National Historic and Cultural City, China Habitat Scroll of Honor Award and National Gardenlike City.

Su Bujuan contributed to the story.

huangfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/05/2013 page15)