Jiangshan Peninsula — A Paradise Loaded With Romance

（By Tang Huiqun）Located in Fangchenggang city, Guangxi, Jiangshan Peninsula is an integrated sightseeing spot with tourism, sports, and leisure areas. At this so-called “tourist resort and sports paradise”, you can walk on the spacious white beach and bask in the warm sunshine, wander in the golden camellia garden to enjoy the scent of flowers, or look out over jagged rock, and being amazed by the mysterious power of nature. The 78-kilometer-long coastline of the Jiangshan Peninsula is pristine and crooked, which is known as the“most beautiful coast in the Beibu Gulf”. Each attraction here is unique and has its temper. The choppy spindrift and the jagged rock at Bailang Beach, the golden Camellia Botanical Garden, and the historic Bailong Ancient Fortress all seem to have their characters and Jiangshan Peninsula is where they meet.

Bailang Beach — a holy nymph

in white sarong

Bailang Beach is located at the southeast of Jiangshan Peninsula where the breaking waves left the beach covered with foam, hence it was named “Bailang Beach” which refers to a beach with white waves in English. 

In the morning, the crimson sun rises over the horizon and shines on the wide, endless sea. The mirror-like sea reflects the rising sun and fishing boats move slowly on the sea, generating a cozy and peaceful ambiance which makes tourists relaxed. 

At midday, when the hot sun bakes the grey-black sand and the sunshine shimmers on the seawater, some people lie in the sun to tan while others bury themselves in the sand to whiten their skin. Bailang Beach is a rare black-and-gold titanium beach in the world as the sand is rich in titanium ore and gray in color. Many visitors come to Bailang Beach to dig a hole and bury themselves to whiten their skin naturally, because the acidic substances such as sweat secreted by the human body react with titanium and oxygen.

As the sun goes down and the fishing boats return to shore, the dark red sunlight reflected in the clean water looks like a pink veil over the sea, and the tourists gradually dispersed. Bailang Beach, as if the ingenuous maiden in white, is about to fall asleep. Couples go for a walk along the beach at twilight. The girl whispers in lover’s ear and tells him what interesting things have happened today.

Camellia Nitidissima Endangered Plants Demonstration Base

— a noble and elegant queen

On Jiangshan Peninsula, there is a golden garden where fields of flowers are undulating in the breeze and golden petals swaying like the skirts of a dancing princess. Flowers in full bloom are like girls singing a joyful song “longing for the gentle breeze, fanning your beautiful skirt”, with a faint scent of flowers in the air. The leaves are firm and turquoise, lubricious, and bright as if there covers a layer of wax. Stroll through such a beautiful flower sea you can enjoy the mellow sunshine and quiet time.

The Camellia Nitidissima of Fangchenggang City is a Chinese National Geographical Indication product. This kind of flower is the only type of Camellia in yellow colors. It is famous as the “Queen of the Camellia” and the “Treasure of the Plant World” because of its rarity and nutrient value. The distribution of Camellia Nitidissima is extremely limited. 90% of the world’s wild Camellia Nitidissima grow only in the Shiwan Dashan area of Fangchenggang, Guangxi, China, making it a rare and precious plant in the world. 

Apart from enjoying the flowers, at this scenic spot, you can also sit by the lake and fishing, or stand on the wide beach and play golf. If you are tired, return to the hotel and bask in the warm water to relieve your fatigue. Here, you can visit the flowers during the day, listen to the sound of the waves at night, and enjoy your leisure time with a glass of wine. 

Mangrove Reserve — the steady and sober guardian

On the western shore of Jiangshan peninsula stands a group of “guardian” wearing green helmets, grey armor, and bright red pendants that protect the coast from stormy seas — they are mangroves that have yellow-green mangrove leaves, grey trunks, and bright red calyces

Mangroves grow along the tropical coastline, and here is the third largest mangrove forest in the world and the largest on the Chinese coast. Mangrove, also called “sea olive”, is a natural barrier to the coast and a unique marine plant that purifies the sea, which is known as the “guardians of the coast”. Moreover, mangroves are rare plants that can survive in saltwater. The clean, oxygen, and nutrient-rich forest provide a good environment for marine animals to grow and live. Fish from deeper waters are attracted to the mangrove area for food and shelter.

The mangroves are also rich in bird food resources where serve to be wintering ground for migratory birds and a transit point for their migration, as well as a place for various seabirds to feed and roost. 

The nutrient, sheltered water provides nursery habitats for various marine species, and the dense, tall branches are like a great green wall that protects against strong wind and waves. At low tide, the land is crawling with tiny crabs, and sea birds warble their sweet songs amongst the green boughs; when the tide comes, the water submerges the roots of the trees, then the colorful and varied fish from the deeper water swims in and scrounges for food.

Bailong Ancient Fortress

— brave and persistent warriors

Located at Jiangshan Peninsula, Bailong Ancient Fortress is a national major cultural relic protection unit and the southernmost ancient military building on China’s coast. It was built in 1887 when the war raged in these waters.At that time, Bailong Ancient Fortress stood like a steadfast warrior on the sea defense line, firing its gunfire bravely to resist invasion.

Now, the Bailong Ancient Fortress sits on a desolate hill, and the traces of war having been dusted beneath the scrolls of history, the surrounding area is heavily forested and sparsely populated. The lush wood seems like protecting the ancient walls of the building. The sunshine glints through the thick shrubbery and scatters over the mottled stone staircase. At the end of the stairs is a fortress in the Ming and Qing dynasties style, with an old gatehouse and mottled green slab on which are engraved the words “Bailong Terrace” in regular script.

Time flies, everything here became a historical spotlight. As we walk slowly along with the ancient fort’s stone steps, leaning gently on the old stone walls, closing our eyes and listening to the sound of the waves from the sea that go on hundreds of years, as if we can feel the flame of war. Today, the war is ever gone. When we open our eyes, the blue and clean sea is present in front of us. The fishing boats are moving on the sea slowly, their children are chasing and laughing at sunset. 

Source: China-ASEAN Panorama