Why go
Huguangyan, 20 minutes from downtown, is one of the world's best-preserved maar lakes — a near-perfect circle of jade water in a volcanic crater, ringed by forest and ancient temple ruins. The volcanic soil grows the pineapples and mangoes the region is known for.
The city's real business is the sea: oysters are farmed by the million in Leizhou Bay and grilled with garlic at open-air stalls every night, alongside mantis shrimp, sea snails and fish congee. Travellers traditionally passed through Zhanjiang's Xuwen port for the Hainan ferries.
- Huguangyan Maar Lake — a crystal crater lake in a national geopark
- Seafood night markets — oysters, mantis shrimp, fish congee
- Donghai Island's 28-km beach
- Rail-or-ferry connections onward to Hainan
Where to go
One day: Huguangyan morning, city temples and the French-era arcade remnants downtown, seafood night market for dinner. Day two: Donghai Island beach or continue to Hainan.
What to eat
Charcoal-grilled oysters with garlic and vermicelli, white-cut chicken, Zhanjiang-style fish congee and tropical fruit by the bagful.
Getting there
- Zhanjiang airport 30 min; HSR to Guangzhou ~3h
- Role
- Port city, Guangdong province
- Oysters
- Leizhou Bay farms, season Oct–Feb
- Huguangyan
- Volcanic maar lake geopark
