Hidden Gems: The Cleanest Beaches in China

CHI takes a close look at China’s mammoth coastline to unearth some of the country’s less well known beaches that are also among its cleanest.

Environmental issues are always a hot topic in China, with stories of polluted rivers and poor air quality regularly making the headlines. The country’s beaches often come in for criticism too, but they can’t all be bad, can they? Suffice to say, the answer to that question is a resounding no - China has some wonderful beaches that are more than a match for their more illustrious rivals throughout the Asia region. Here, we list five of the cleanest and most environmentally-friendly beaches in China.

1. Holiday Beach, Haikou, Hainan Island

The aptly named Holiday Beach on Hainan Island, not far from the capital city of Haikou, is a 6 kilometer stretch of beautiful white sands and clear blue water. The beach area is enclosed by the Qiongzhou Strait on one side, and lush green hills on the other, providing visitors with some wonderful vistas of the surrounding bay. Although located on the popular vacation island of Hainan (which features heavily in this list), the resort of Holiday Beach is one of the island’s quieter beaches and as such, it has not been heavily impacted by masses of tourists; instead remaining mostly undeveloped.

That being said, there are a small choice of accommodation, dining and nightlife options available nearby. The resort, however, is mostly popular with fishing and diving enthusiasts, and those who want a quiet and relaxing day at a beach which they almost have to themselves. Further adding to its reputation, the beach has no admission fee and is open all day. A number of tour buses also run daily shuttles to Holiday Beach from Haikou.

2. No. 1 Bathing Beach, Huiquan Bay, Qingdao, Shandong Province

Qingdao is a city located on China’s northeast coast and although it may not have the climate to permit year-round trips to the beach, it is home to the No. 1 Bathing Beach, one of northern China’s most popular and cleanest beaches. Little about the actual beach itself is natural, however, as it was first built by Germans in 1901 before being redeveloped and extended by the local government in 1984 and 2003.

The bay on which the beach is located is surrounded by mountains, thus giving the water an eerie calm feeling more akin to that of a giant lake. The sands of the beach are pristine and the local government ensures they are kept in good condition throughout the summer months. August sees the sea temperature peak at 25 degrees Celsius, and it is the area’s busiest month for vacationers, attracting hordes of tourists from around China. Although there is really only a three month window each year that provides beach lovers with warm weather and nice temperatures, swimmers have been known to visit the beach in the depths of winter to brave the icy waters.

3. Dadonghai Beach, Sanya, Hainan Island

Located about 3 kilometers outside of the bustling resort of Sanya, Dadonghai Beach is one of the quieter and cleaner beaches in the greater Sanya area. The beach itself is crescent shaped, roughly 2.5 kilometers in length and is bordered by Mount Luhuitou and Mount Tuziwei. Dotted with palm trees and other tropical fauna, Dadonghai is one of China’s most picturesque beach resorts.

With a calm and clear blue sea that rarely drops below 20 degrees Celsius, even during the cooler winter months, Dadonghai is a popular area for water sports, diving, snorkelling, fishing and underwater photography. Not far from the beach is Seashore Park, which contains a number of small mountains and hills offering wonderful panoramic views of the area. Dadonghai is popular with those looking to vacation in a resort that is less crowded and quieter than either Sanya or Haikou.

4. Yalong Bay, Sanya, Hainan Island

Another wonderfully clean and quiet beach resort just outside Sanya is Yalong Bay. Although one of the more famous beaches in Hainan and indeed China, the local government and people keep the beach and surrounding resort in pristine condition year round. Yalong Bay is 7 kilometers long with white sands and green-blue seas. It is surrounded by lush hills, tropical forest and numerous accommodation and dining options.

The seas surrounding Yalong Bay are a protected marine reserve in which commercial fishing is forbidden. As such, the water is crystal clear and visibility in certain areas can reach up to 8 meters. In common with most of China’s cleanest beaches, Yalong Bay is popular with bathers, swimmers and divers. In addition to the beach, Yalong Bay is also home to some of China’s best golf courses and  five-star hotels. Admission to the beach is a respectable RMB15 per day.

5. Weihai International Bathing Beach, Weihai, Shandong Province

Not far from Qingdao, the coastal city of Weihai in Shandong Province is home to the Weihai International Bathing Beach, the last in our list of the cleanest beaches in China. Weihai International is almost 3 kilometers in length and is characterised by its close proximity to two mountains.

Similar to its sister beach in Qingdao, Weihai is an idyllic bathing beach with clean sand and calm waters. The beach is most popular during the warmer months of May to September, and it has been known to accommodate over 40,000 visitors per day during summertime. Despite these large numbers, the beach and surrounding area are clean, the water is clear, and it is a popular location for swimming and recreational sports activities.

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