WITH a coastline of 18,000 kilometers, China has abundant beach resorts. This week we'll be zeroing in on Beidaihe in Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province and Golden Pebble Beach in Dalian, Liaoning Province.

Beidaihe

The seaside resort on the Bohai Gulf, 300 kilometers east of Beijing, was originally patronized by European diplomats, missionaries and businessmen around the turn of the 20th century. After New China was founded, the village became a summer resort for Party leaders, reaching the height of its popularity in the 1970s.

Beidaihe remains an alluring coastal village with a small-town ambience. Along with seaside pleasures, its charm lies in its lively inhabitants and bustling night stalls. From long stretches of pebbled sand to small coves, travelers can easily escape the masses.

Beidaihe Beach Resort stretches 10 kilometers from Yinjiao Pavilion in the northwest to the mouth of the Daihe River. There are also plans to convert a local bathing beach in Changli, southwest of Beidaihe, into another resort. This naturally pristine beach, like the rest of Beidaihe Beach Resort, is expected to attract millions of additional visitors from all over the world each summer.

Not just beach, the environment around Beidaihe offers mountains and lush vegetation. Lianfeng Mountain, which backs onto the beach, has two peaks covered by abundant green pines and cypresses. Rich vegetation, caves, decorated pavilions, secluded paths and winding bridges cover the mountain. Looking down from Wanghaiting (Seaside Pavilion) at the top of the hill, visitors can view the misty sea in all its majesty.

Beidaihe is one of nine famous sunrise spots in China. Yinjiao Pavilion is the best place to watch the sun rise.

Lianhuashi Park (Lotus Stone Park), at the eastern edge of Lianfeng Mountain, is named after several huge rocks standing upright in the shape of a lotus flower.

A magnet for vendors, speed boats and school outings, Tiger Rocks are heralded by the locals as the central attraction of the middle beach. The rock formation of several huge rocks protrudes from the sea like crouching tigers. Standing on the rocks, beachgoers can feel the beating waves below them as they take in the vast expanse of sea.

Golden Pebble Beach

Aptly named, the most distinctive element of Golden Pebble Beach National Resort, on the Yellow Sea 50 kilometers from downtown Dalian, is its stones. Not just pebbles, splendid rock formations create a natural museum of sea-eroded rocks formed 500 millions years ago during the Cambrian Period. Geologists consider the expanse a true Glacial Period sea karst landscape.

The eight-kilometer beach along the eastern part of Liaodong Peninsula has been called an "Oriental Hawaii" by Bo Xilai, former Dalian mayor now China's minister of commerce.

Not just for beachniks, recreational facilities include a golf course with 36 standard fairways, a hunting ground within a forest, a yacht club, a coastal park and a waxworks museum.

Admission: 66 yuan (US$8.2) for all facilities except the golf course.

Hours: Open 24 hours

Getting there: Dalian Light Rail System connects Dalian Railway Station with Golden Pebble Beach. The 50-minute ride costs 8 yuan. Trains run every 30 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Minibuses are available on Jianshe Road near Dalian Railway Station. Tickets are 10 yuan. Buses run from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Editor: Wing