Weizhou Island
By admin on 2015-01-09

Weizhou Island (wéi zhōu dǎo 涠洲岛) is the biggest as well as the youngest volcanic island. It is located in the southeast of Beihai City (běi hǎi shì 北海市), Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (guǎng xī zhuàng zú zì zhì qū 广西壮族自治区). Covering an area of 24.74 square kilometers, it is 6.5 kilometers from south to north and 6 kilometers from east to west. It is ranked by the China National Geography Magazine as One of the Top Ten Most Beautiful Islands in China, and regarded as “the Penglai Fairy Land of the South China Sea”.

The southern part of the island presents many examples of volcanic topography. These include walls and terraces formed by rocks molten and compressed in volcanic eruption, grotesque and colorful sights of marine-eroded caverns, hills, pillars and terraces, together creating an ocean fairyland. The northern part of the island is lower, with sand dikes, beaches and rocks. Flatter, more open seabeds are corals with fabulously attractive colors. With dense vegetation, the island is like a green jade floating on the sea. There are many beautiful sites on the island, among which the most impressive ones are the Dishui Screen (dī shuǐ dān píng 滴水丹屏), Guishi Scenic Area (guī shí jǐng qū 龟石景区), Seashore Park (hǎi bīn gōng yuán海滨公园), corals and Catholic Church (tiān zhǔ jiāo táng 天主教堂).

Dishui Screen is located at the west side of the villag. It is more than 10 meters high, accumulated by the rock-magma. Efflorescing for many years, it is like the head of a human, facing to the vast sea. Because there are spring dripping all year long, so it is names as Dishui, which means dripping.

Guishi Scenic Area is located at the southeast side of Weizhou Island. There are cliffs facing the green sea, unique with its cliffs, caves and beaches. The rocks near the beach are like seal, manatees, dolphin and sea horse, etc. It is regarded as the natural aquarium.
　
The Seashore Park is located on the north side of the Weizhou Island. Different from the southern beach, beach on the northern island is mainly sand, with a total length of 2300 meters. It is an ideal place for sports and relaxation. On the basalt beach on the northeast and northwest, tourists can pick up some green crystal stones.

In the 1860s, French churchmen came to Weizhou, and built the Catholic Church, which is completed in 1882. It is Gothic, covering an area of 774 square meters. It is the first church that the French churchmen built in Beihai.

Besides the beautiful scenery on the island, tourists can also enjoy the scene under the sea----diving. Everything beneath the sea surface is interesting and strange. But be careful not to touch coral or unknown creatures, because they may be poisonous. The best time to dive is from 3 to 4 pm.