Local food experience——Beihai(北海)

Beihai Seafood Delights

Beihai is rich in marine resources and is home to dugongs and mangrove reserves. Seafood-themed dishes are very popular here, and many visitors come to Beihai specifically to enjoy fresh seafood. These seafood may look unusual, but their taste is incredibly delicious. If you're adventurous, try:

• ● Fresh shrimp & Mud Worm congee 鲜虾泥丁粥（Beihai Specialty）
  Mud Worm Congee is a specialty of Shankou Town in Beihai. If you haven't tried it, it's like you haven't really been to Beihai.
  
• ● Steamed Sand Worm with Vermicelli 沙虫 (Beihai Specialty)
  Different from the worms used in mud worm congee, sand worms are clean and delicious, making them a top choice for New Year gifts in Beihai. Due to high demand and government restrictions on harvesting areas, sand worms are quite expensive. Whether dried and stir-fried or cooked in soup, they are very tasty. In restaurants, steamed fresh sand worms are common because fresh sand worms are relatively affordable.
  
• ● Stir-Fried Conch 炒螺 (Beihai Specialty)
  Coastal residents love conch, and people in Guangxi enjoy pickled bamboo shoots. In Beihai, these two flavors are perfectly combined. If you try stir-fried conch with pickled bamboo shoots, you've found a truly authentic Beihai restaurant!
  
• ● Crabs and Mantis Shrimp 花蟹、皮皮虾
  Beihai is famous for its 花蟹（huā xiè） and mantis shrimp. While most visitors prefer spicy and savory flavors, locals enjoy seafood prepared in its natural taste. This cooking style truly highlights the freshness of the seafood.
  
• ● Grilled Shellfish 烤生蚝、烤扇贝
  Grilled oysters and scallops are the best-selling items at Beihai's barbecue restaurants. Since Beihai is the place of origin, the seafood is exceptionally fresh and high quality.
  

Snacks

Beihai offers a variety of traditional snacks that delight locals and visitors alike.

• ● Sweet Soup 糖水 (Tong Shui)
  Tong Shui is a traditional snack from Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan, usually made with fresh vegetables or beans. Common ingredients include chestnuts, red beans, longan, fruits, and coconut milk. In Beihai, there's a special version where you can even find pearls in the soup. This famous dessert is called "Wu Jia" meaning "five ingredients combined" including sago, ginkgo nuts, pearls, red beans, and coconut milk.
  
• ● Chestnut & Taro Ball Sweet Soup
  
• ● Stir-Fried Ice 炒冰
  Chao Bing is a type of icy dessert, usually available in flavors like mango or jackfruit. Some shops also top it with raisins.
  
• ● Assorted Rice Cakes
  Just a short walk from RPL School, on Hé zǎi Jiē 籺仔街 (He Zai Street), you can find a variety of Beihai's specialty rice cakes. If you have a sweet tooth, these rice cakes are a great choice. There are also affordable Vietnamese-style baguette sandwiches available there.
  

Guangxi Rice Noodles (Guangxi Specialty)

Rice noodles are a cornerstone of Guangxi cuisine, combining local flavors and fresh ingredients.

• ● Beihai Seafood Rice Noodles 海鲜粉
  In Beihai, besides the usual flavors of sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty, there is also the flavor of "freshness." Seafood noodle soup is a perfect example of this fresh taste.
  
  
• ● Luosi Rice Noodles 螺蛳粉
  Don't be scared by the name! In China, snails for Luosifen grow only in clean rivers—they are a delicacy, not giant garden snails. In the past decade, Luosifen has become one of China's most popular foods, evolving from a local specialty to a global sensation. You can even find it in the United States now. For Chinese students abroad, Luosifen is often the first food they turn to when craving home flavors. However, while instant packaged Luosifen is convenient, it is far from matching the taste of noodles served at local shops in Guangxi.
  
• ● Guilin Rice Noodles 桂林米粉
  Affordable and delicious, with chewy noodles and flavorful pickled bamboo shoots. Whoever invented Guilin rice noodles must have had a divine recipe!
  
• ● Rice Noodle Rolls 卷粉
  These are not regular noodles, but are made from rice noodles. They usually contain ingredients like black fungus, carrots, taro, dried shrimp, and meat.
  

Beihai is a magical city, full of hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Join RPL School's activities and explore the best local food spots in Beihai together!