14 Days in Zhanjiang

Base yourself by the seafront promenade; the 1903 Gothic church and the old French quarter are a short walk. Seafood dinner in the market lanes.

1. zhanjiang seaside promenade
2. zhanjiang victor catholic church

The Guangzhouwan lease ran 1899-1945 — Chikan's arcade blocks and old chamber of commerce hold that ledger, Cunjin Bridge park the 1898 resistance. Zhanjiang's deepwater port opened in 1956.

1. zhanjiang chikan old street
2. zhanjiang cunjin bridge park

A slow morning at the 150,000-year-old maar lake — 2.3 square kilometres of water inside the Leiqiong UNESCO Global Geopark (2006) — with the lakeside villages after lunch.

1. zhanjiang huguangyan maar lake

The 15-minute ferry to the mangrove island southeast of downtown; fish-raft lunch on the water, village lanes after, back by late afternoon.

1. zhanjiang techeng island

Guangdong's largest island (286 square kilometres) and its 28-kilometre run of firm sand. Sleep island-side for the sunrise.

1. zhanjiang donghai island
2. zhanjiang longhaitian beach

Ferry to the volcanic island for the 1899 French lighthouse, 23 metres tall with its crystal lens still turning, and the lava columns of Nayanhai. Back to the city at dusk.

1. zhanjiang naozhou island
2. zhanjiang naozhou lighthouse

A city-day reset — late breakfast, Jinshawan beach, an afternoon museum hour and oyster season on the grill. The peninsula legs begin tomorrow.

1. zhanjiang jinshawan beach

North to Lianjiang for the Hedi reservoir, one of Guangdong's largest, dug from 1958 to feed the Leizhou Youth Canal that waters the peninsula. Picnic by the water, back through Zhanjiang.

1. zhanjiang hedi reservoir

South to Leizhou — the West Lake shrine to ten exiled Song statesmen, the Leizu Temple of 642, the Sanyuan pagoda begun in 1613, and a Wushi sunset if the tide allows. Overnight in Leizhou.

1. zhanjiang leizhou west lake
2. zhanjiang leizu temple
3. zhanjiang sanyuan pagoda

Roughly 350,000 mu of pineapple fields, about a third of China's crop. Farm-road loop and fruit stalls, then a county-town night in Xuwen.

1. zhanjiang pineapple sea

The mainland's southernmost point, with the coral reserves off Xuwen's tail and the 19.4-kilometre narrow of the Qiongzhou strait. Sleep in Xuwen a second night.

1. zhanjiang dengloujiao cape

An honestly labelled neighbouring-province day — three hours west across the peninsula's waist to Beihai for the Silver Beach and its 19th-century arcade street. Sleep in Beihai.

1. zhanjiang beihai day trip

Morning arcades in Beihai, then the drive back to Zhanjiang for a farewell seafood dinner — oysters, sandworms and white cut chicken in the lanes you learned on day two.

1. zhanjiang chikan old street

Two honest ways out — fly from Zhanjiang Wuchuan airport, or run south to Xuwen port for the hour-long ferry to Haikou and its Meilan flights. The peninsular loop ends here.

1. zhanjiang haikou day trip