Photos and text by Kevin Smith

Lying beneath one as the shade engulfs you in its cool embrace, you drift off, a piece of flotsam carried downstream, only the soft thud of a falling coconut ... wait. That wasn't a coconut. That was a 3-inch-thick report dropped on your desk ... and that sweet Siren call of the sea suddenly looks a lot more like the boss bearing down on you, making boring demands.

Not sure about Sirens, but Beihai is what daydreams are for. Located directly on the Beibu Gulf Coast in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the weather is subtropical. Nightly breezes off the South China Sea stifle the extreme humidity that accompanies the summer months. The fresh air and clean waters offer a break from the smog-filled city for Chinese tourists who come here in search of white sands, fresh seafood and the famous pearls.

Most foreigners, unaware of Beihai, head for Xiamen, Hainan or Qingdao. While it may lack the international charm of Qingdao or the modernity of Xiamen, Beihai is economically friendlier and has been under major reconstruction for the last two years, hoping to attract tourism.

Back in 1992, the city - or more specifically, the Silver Beachfront - sprouted Greek statues, miniature coliseums and Swiss-styled chalets. Policies changed, cash ran out and the empty hulking structures fell into decay. Now a new wave of investors have decided to renovate and demolish, transforming this eyesore-ridden coast into a tropical paradise, replete with blowing palms and wooden boardwalks.

"Best Beach in China"

There are many beaches to be explored, but one, Silver Beach (Yintang, 15 yuan by taxi from the main square downtown), is touted as the most splendid in all of China. Yintang has toys for young and old: Jet skis and dune buggies. But, keep an eye on the kids: There are crocodiles looking for fresh meat.

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