Side Trips in Beihai

The highlight of Weizhou Dao, apart from leaving, is an unusual 21m (69-ft.) high French Cathedral built here shortly after the 1876 Yantai Agreement, constructed entirely of local materials (rocks, coral, sand, limestone, and bamboo). Unfortunately, the island, 36 nautical miles (56km/35 miles) from Beihai, has seen much better days, especially since a 2-million-ton refinery opened up on the south of the island and polluted all 300 freshwater wells, killing off much of the natural vegetation. There is now the nasty shock of a ¥50 ($6.50/£3.25) entrance fee to leave the docks while the rest of the island lacks any decent accommodations and smells like a stinking fish-packing plant. There is also a volcanic museum that demands an excessive ¥40 ($5.20/£2.60) for just two rooms of displays. Daily boats leave Beihai in the morning at 8:30am and return from Weizhou at 3pm. Check with your hotel tour desk about 1-day tours of the island.