Beihai is a beautiful city near the sea, and there are so many special local products you can buy for your friends and family. Here's some shopping information for when you go shopping in Beihai.

Generally speaking, shopping centers in Beihai - such as the Hualian Department Store in Xinli Square and the Guotong Center - are all located at the middle section of Beibu Gulf Road. In addition, the Old Street areas of Zhongshan Road and Jiefang Road are good places for window shopping. Beihai is also the hometown of Nanzhu (southern pearl) and many shops sell pearls.

The pearl, one of the three treasures of Beihai City, should be on everyone's shopping list. The genuine pearls that come from Beihai are called 'Nanzhu' (southern pearl). They are famous for their characteristics of dignity and burliness, roundness and smoothness, and a dazzling crystal luster. It is a must-have regional souvenir in Beihai, and it is often said that 'the eastern pearl is not as good as the western pearl, and the western pearl is not as good as the southern pearl'. Thus the southern pearl from Beihai is the best. It is a beautiful ornament for the ladies. To get to the Nanzhu Market in Beihai take bus No.4. Another place for pearl shopping is the Nanzhu Palace located on Chating Road opposite the Aquatic Products Museum. There, you can find many state-owned shops that sell high quality southern pearls.

Local Specialties

Beihai has many local specialty sea products that may interest you. You can take bus No.3 to Silver Beach, and then take a motorbike or taxi to the Seafood Market at Yunnan Road. There are many special aquatic products there. The Sand Maggot is a kind of worm about 5-10 centimeters (2-4 inches) long. It tastes good, and thus it sells well in the market. It can be eaten after drying in the sun. Its body usually contains sand, so before cooking clean the sand out. It is rich in protein and is good for one's health. The Sea Cucumber is another kind of aquatic product mainly found around Weizhou Island. The Huaci (Stichopus variegatus) Sea Cucumber is famous both in China and abroad and is regarded as one of the eight rare aquatic products in China. Its taste is very delicate. The Clam is one of the major seashell products in the South China Sea, and its meat is fresh, tender, and rich in protein. The shell of the clam is often used in traditional medicine.

You can also buy a variety of sub-tropical fruits to eat on your travels. The two most popular kinds are the Longan and the Jizui Litchi. Longan, also known as dragon's eye or eyeball, is a well-known local fruit produced in Hepu County which is located at the south of Beihai City and has a distinctive flavor. It is not overly sweet. It tastes as good as the traditional litchi. Another kind of litchi is called Jizui Litchi, and it has rich fruit flesh inside a fresh, sweet-tasting shell. They are very popular as snacks.

In addition, there are other special products such as shell carvings and bamboo weavings that you can buy wherever you go in the middle section of the Beibu Gulf Road. If you want to buy products that are not mentioned above, please go to the department stores and supermarkets in Beihai.

The following are some shopping centers:

Hualian Department Store	located on the west side of the Beibu Gulf Square
Xinli Department Store	located at the intersection of Beibu Gulf Road (West) and Sichuan Road
Qidong Department Store	located at No. Beibu Gulf Road (West)
Guotong Shopping Center	located at the intersection of Beibu Gulf Road (Middle) and Jiefang Road

Supermarket

Goudele Supermarket	located at Beibu Gulf Road (Middle)
Haohaojia Supermarket	Located at Times Square

As there is no direct bus line to these shopping centers and supermarkets, we suggest that you take bus No. 2 or 3 to Beibu Gulf Square and then go to these shopping centers by pedicab or by motorbike. It is more economical than by taxi.