Island · Guangxi
Weizhou Island
涠洲岛
A young volcanic island of lava cliffs and coral reefs in the Beibu Gulf
Weizhou Island lies in the Beibu Gulf (Gulf of Tonkin) south of Beihai and is often described as the largest and geologically youngest volcanic island in China. Its southern coast of layered volcanic tuff has been carved by the sea into cliffs, arches and caves, and its surrounding waters hold coral reefs and are visited by Bryde's whales.
- National geopark
Key facts
- Area
- about 25 km²
- Origin
- Pleistocene volcanic island
- Sea
- Beibu Gulf (Gulf of Tonkin)
- Location
- Haicheng district, Beihai, Guangxi
Overview
Weizhou is a low, tilted island of about 25 square kilometres, rising gently from sandy beaches in the north to cliffs in the south. Its small neighbour Xieyang Island lies to the south-east. The island is farmed with bananas and vegetables and fringed with fishing villages, and it is administered by Beihai as part of Haicheng district.
Its interest lies in the volcanic rocks exposed along the shore: the layered deposits of eruptions that took place in the sea in the geologically recent past, cut into a coast of dramatic shapes. Coral reefs, rare so far north in Chinese waters, grow in the shallows, and the island's churches and old villages record its unusual history of settlement.
How the landscape formed
Weizhou was built by basaltic volcanoes on the continental shelf of the Beibu Gulf during the Pleistocene. Explosive eruptions, where rising magma met seawater, laid down thick beds of tuff with volcanic bombs and ash, now tilted and exposed in the southern cliffs. Waves have eroded these soft layers into sea stacks, arches, caves and wave-cut platforms, and the ash and lava weathered into fertile red soils inland. The volcanoes are extinct, but the island is counted among the youngest volcanic landforms in China.
Highlights
Crocodile Hill
鳄鱼山
A headland on the south coast shaped like a crocodile, with a coastal path past sea caves, lava layers and the remains of a crater.
Five-Colour Beach
五彩滩
A wave-cut platform of multi-coloured volcanic rock on the east coast, famous at sunrise.
Shiluokou
石螺口
A bay on the west coast with reefs and a sandy beach, known for sunsets and snorkelling.
South Bay
南湾
A horseshoe harbour formed in the drowned rim of a volcanic crater, lined with fishing boats.
Xieyang Island
斜阳岛
A smaller volcanic island to the south-east, reached by boat from Weizhou.
Plants and wildlife
Weizhou's reefs are among the northernmost coral communities along China's mainland coast, living near the limit of the warm water that corals need. Since the late 2010s Bryde's whales have been regularly recorded in the waters around the island, feeding on shoals of small fish, which has made Weizhou a focus of marine mammal research in China.
Plants
Coral reefs
珊瑚礁
Hard and soft corals fringe the island, especially on the northern and western shores.
Prickly pear
仙人掌
Grows wild on the dry volcanic slopes and cliff tops.
Wildlife
Bryde's whale
布氏鲸
A baleen whale that feeds in the waters around Weizhou, now a regular presence.
Migratory birds
候鸟
The island is a stopover for birds crossing the Gulf in spring and autumn, a draw for birdwatchers.
Culture and legend
The island was lightly settled until the nineteenth century, when Hakka and Cantonese settlers arrived. French Catholic missionaries worked among them, and two nineteenth-century churches in European Gothic style, built with local coral and volcanic stone, still stand. Weizhou's villages keep a mixed Hakka and Cantonese heritage, and fishing remains central to island life.
Weizhou Catholic Church
涠洲天主教堂
A Gothic church of the late nineteenth century in Shengtang village, built of coral stone and still in use.
Chengzai Church
城仔教堂
A smaller church and mission building of the same period in Chengzai village.
Hakka
客家
The Han subgroup whose settlers arrived in the nineteenth century and still form much of the population.
History
Pleistocene
Volcanic eruptions build the island
Explosive eruptions in shallow sea lay down the tuffs of the southern cliffs.
19th century
Settlement and the Catholic mission
Hakka and Cantonese settlers arrive; French missionaries build churches on the island.
2000s
National geopark
The volcanic coast is protected as a national geopark and developed for visitors.
Late 2010s
Bryde's whales recorded regularly
Whale sightings put the island's waters on the map for marine research and conservation.
Through the seasons
Spring
Warm and often hazy or foggy; bird migration peaks in March and April.
Summer
Hot and humid, the peak season for beaches and snorkelling, but typhoons can close ferry links for days.
Autumn
Calm, clear and warm into November, the most reliable season for sea conditions.
Winter
Mild but windy; the sea can be rough, and the island is quiet.
Routes and ways in
Crocodile Hill coastal path
A walk along the south coast past volcanic layers, sea caves and the lighthouse.
Island circuit
A ring road circles the island, easily covered by bicycle or electric scooter in a day, with stops at the beaches, churches and South Bay.
Practical notes
- Ferries from Beihai depend on sea conditions and are suspended in typhoons and strong winds; allow slack in travel plans.
- Visitor numbers are managed in the peak seasons, and advance ferry booking is usual.
- Do not collect coral or shells, and avoid touching reefs when snorkelling.
Cities to start from
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Beihai Municipal People's Government — Beihai Municipal People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Government — Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
- China Geological Survey — China Geological Survey (retrieved 27 September 2026)
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