Things to do in Zhanjiang
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Zhanjiang
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months. November is the sweet spot, warm and dry, and December is the driest month overall.
Warm spring months, pineapple season begins in Xuwen and humidity climbs.
Coolest months, daytime around 19 to 20C in January, with wintering gulls in the harbour and Spring Festival crowds.
Hot, humid and wettest, with typhoon season peaking in summer and early autumn and ferries at risk.
South China Sea fishing moratorium from 1 May for about three and a half months, so wild catch variety dips.
What's on
- Spring Festival late January to February, lunar
Festive and family full, with full hotels and small restaurants shuttered in the first days.
- Fishing Season Opening mid August
The fleet returns after the moratorium, with first catch feasts and the freshest seafood of the year.
- Mid-Autumn Festival September or early October, by the lunar calendar
Moon viewing on the Jinsha Bay corridor, and Wuchuan mooncake culture in the prefecture.
Best things to do in Zhanjiang
Huguangyan Scenic Area
A vast, calm volcanic maar lake in a UNESCO geopark, ringed by forest with a walking and cycling loop around the shore.
Chikan Old Street
The old treaty port streets of French era Zhanjiang, lined with arcades, snack shops and sweet soup stalls.
Former French Consulate of Guangzhou Bay
The surviving French consulate and church buildings of Guangzhouwan give Zhanjiang a colonial story no neighbour has.
Sea View Corridor, Jinsha Bay
The city front room, a long bay promenade and city beach for sunrise, sunset, runs and kite flying.
Xiashan Sea-Viewing Promenade
The older, lived in waterfront by Seaside Park, best for an evening stroll before a Xiashan seafood dinner.
Zhanjiang Military Culture Expo Park
Decommissioned naval hardware including a submarine and a warship, in the home port of the South Sea Fleet.
Zhanjiang Black-headed Gull Cruise
A harbour cruise past the port, the bay bridge and the waterfront, with wintering gulls in season.
Sanling Mountain National Forest Park
Dense subtropical forest park with trails and reservoirs, the green counterweight to a seafront trip.
Where to stay in Zhanjiang
Jinsha Bay waterfront, Chikan District
default base, first trip, sea views
The corridor, the bay and the best hotels at your door, with Chikan Old Street and Xiashan a short DiDi ride away.
Chikan Old Town / city centre, Chikan District
food led trips and lower budgets
Old Street grazing at your feet and the French era streets nearby, trading the sea view for the city best food.
Xiashan / Haibin, Xiashan District
second visits and Techeng based trips
The original seafront district with the promenade, Seaside Park, the Techeng ferry and older seafood streets.
Dinglong Bay (Loong Bay), Wuchuan
resort only stays with golf and beach
A self contained beach resort an hour from the city, right only when the resort itself is the purpose of the trip.
Think twice about
- Donghai Island Longhaitian resort strip
Isolated and seasonal, shuttered in winter, with litter and broken glass reported off the cleaned beach. Day trip the beach, do not base there.
- Techeng Island and Naozhou Island as a base
Ferry dependent and dead at night, so every city sight becomes a project. Visit for the day, sleep in the city.
- Dinglong Bay as a city base
An hour from Huguangyan, Chikan and the islands, with little evening life outside the resort fences.
- Zhanjiang West station area
A transport node in a still developing western district, far from the sea, the old town and the food.
Best restaurants in Zhanjiang
Sheraton Zhanjiang Hotel
The luxury tier is a hotel Cantonese seafood banquet here, live tank fish and shellfish in a bay view room.
Rongjishenghao Chicken Pot
A renowned local hotpot house famous for oyster chicken hotpot, the city two emblem products in one pot.
Yuehai Seafood Restaurant
Pick seafood alive from the tanks and have it steamed plain and fast, the best intro to Zhanjiang seafood.
Jinshawan Coastal Tourist Resort
Charcoal oysters with garlic at the Jinsha Bay night barbecue stalls, ordered by the dozen for street money.
Chikan Old Street
Graze the old street for sweet soup, shrimp cakes, rice rolls and beef offal, a meal eaten in instalments.
Datong Street
A rustic old street restaurant for authentic white cut chicken with sand ginger dip, the city signature dish.
Techeng Island
A mangrove seafood hotpot lunch in a village restaurant, crab and shellfish from the surrounding water.
Naozhou Island
Harbour restaurants serving the island famous abalone, lobster and crab at fishing port prices.
Outdoor things to do in Zhanjiang
Donghai Island
Longhaitian is a vast 28 km beach with fishing boats and beach shack seafood, magnificent as a day trip.
Techeng Island
A gentle fishing island minutes by ferry, with mangroves, cycling, a white sand beach and seafood lunch.
Naozhou Island
China largest volcanic island, with black rock coast, a working harbour and the 1899 French built lighthouse.
Pineapple Sea
Rolling red earth pineapple plantations running to the horizon in Xuwen, at their best in spring.
South Pole Village
Mainland China southernmost point, where two seas meet in crossing waves under a century old lighthouse.
Lanyuewan Hot Spring
A tropical style outdoor hot spring resort, best as an evening soak in the cooler months after dinner.
Dragon Auspicious Bay Golf Course
An 18 hole par 72 seaside course at Dinglong Bay, the one verified round in the Zhanjiang region.
Loong Bay International Ocean Resort
A managed 16 km resort beach with water park and hotels, the conventional beach package near Zhanjiang.
Best hotels in Zhanjiang
Sheraton Zhanjiang Hotel
The city flagship international hotel opposite the Jinsha Bay corridor, with sea view rooms and pools.
LN Garden Hotel, Zhanjiang
Domestic luxury on the waterfront with panoramic ocean views and an infinity pool facing the bay.
Atour Hotel Zhanjiang Chikan Jinshawan Guanhai Promenade
The smart mid range choice beside the Sheraton on the corridor, quiet rooms and a strong breakfast.
MEHOOD Lestie Hotel
A design leaning hotel minutes from the beach, praised for service and finish above its price band.
WHITE SWAN HOTEL ZHANJIANG
Old school Chinese five star comfort in the city centre, with pool, gym and a big banquet hall.
Haohai Qingyun Hotel
The budget pick with the location, simple clean rooms by the old street and its food at your feet.
Hai Bin Hotel
The Xiashan pick hotel near the promenade and Techeng ferry, with hot spring style bathing facilities.
Four Points by Sheraton Wuchuan, Loong Bay
The international resort hotel on Dinglong Bay, with pools, water sports and the golf course on site.
Is Zhanjiang expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | CN¥180 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | CN¥380 a person |
| Splurge | CN¥900 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Zhanjiang Black-headed Gull Cruise: a few days ahead
- Naozhou Island: a few days ahead
- Dragon Auspicious Bay Golf Course: a few days ahead
- Sheraton Zhanjiang Hotel: a few days ahead
- Sheraton Zhanjiang Hotel: a few days ahead
- LN Garden Hotel, Zhanjiang: a few days ahead
- Four Points by Sheraton Wuchuan, Loong Bay: a few days ahead
- Book Jinsha Bay hotels early for Spring Festival, May Day, National Day week and summer weekends.
- Book Dinglong Bay golf through BaiGolf or the resort and reconfirm tee time and operating status days ahead.
- Book the harbour cruise and island days a day ahead in peak season.
- In typhoon season ferries cancel with little notice, so keep a slack day for Naozhou.
Is Zhanjiang safe?
- Swim only in guarded designated areas and heed typhoon and surf warnings.
- Do not photograph naval vessels or restricted port areas at close range.
- Coastal UV is fierce, so cover up at midday, especially on Techeng and Donghai.
- Carry your passport for possible ID checks at military themed sites.
Zhanjiang travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Staying on Donghai Island for the beach instead of day tripping it.
- Seafood by weight without agreeing the per jin price, cooking fee and total before cooking.
- Paying Dinglong Bay resort prices expecting Sanya level international luxury.
- Luxury upsells from touts, such as private yachts or VIP island tours.
Getting around Zhanjiang: public transport and more
- Use DiDi for almost everything, buses 6 and 9 for Huguangyan, and ferries for Techeng and Naozhou.
- Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay before arrival and use Amap, as Google Maps is unreliable in mainland China.
- Book a private car and driver through your hotel for Donghai, Naozhou, Xuwen and Dinglong Bay days.
- Zhanjiang Wuchuan International Airport is about 40 to 60 minutes from the centre by taxi or express bus.
Who Zhanjiang suits
| Solo travellers | OK |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Zhanjiang your trip
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