Beihai Old Street

Background

Beihai Old Street is in Beihai's Haicheng District, Guangxi, and centres on Zhuhai Road; by one account it was first built in 1883, and it runs for about 1.4 kilometres. Both sides are lined with Sino-Western arcade buildings, described as Nanyang or Sino-European in style, blending Western facades with Lingnan building practice; the covered walkway below gives shade and shelter from rain, while people live upstairs. The district preserves modern-era buildings such as the former British, French and German consulates, the former German Senbao trading house and a Catholic convent. Beihai was once a treaty port with British, French and German quarters, and Zhuhai Road was one of the busiest commercial streets of the time. Today many of the arcade buildings have become cafés, bars, dessert shops and craft and design stores, alongside shops selling pearl jewellery and dried seafood, making it one of Beihai's most characteristic urban districts.

Local customs

• Stroll slowly under the arcades, looking at the carved facades and the former consulates and trading houses
• try snacks such as shrimp cakes, prawn crackers, cassava dessert soup and pig's trotter rice noodles
• come back after dark when the lights are on to see the arcades at night, and carry on to the seafront.

Travel tips

• Walking the old street is free, while some exhibition halls charge admission as posted on site
• allow one to two hours at a relaxed pace. Summers are hot and humid, so bring sun protection and drinking water
• the street has stone paving, so wear flat shoes.
• The street is in central Beihai and easy to reach by bus or taxi
• it is close to the sea, and you can carry on to Silver Beach. April to October is good for the beach but rainy, hot and humid
• winter is mild, and Silver Beach is pleasant for kite-flying and walks even then.