Beidaihe is a seaside resort district on the Bohai Sea coast of Hebei province, about 280 kilometres east of Beijing. For over a century it has served as the summer escape for the capital's residents, and for much of the 20th century it served a more exclusive purpose: the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party retreated here each August to make decisions away from Beijing's heat and scrutiny. The annual Beidaihe Conference is not officially acknowledged but has shaped Chinese politics since the 1950s.
Beidaihe Beach is sandy and wide, with calm water suited to swimming. By Chinese coastal standards it is not dramatic, but it is clean and well managed, and on a summer weekday you can still find stretches that are not entirely packed. The seafront promenade runs past pine trees planted during the Republican era — the town was developed as a resort by European and American diplomats and missionaries in the late 19th century, and a few old villas remain among the pine groves back from the shore.
Beidaihe is at its most alive in July and August, when Beijing families arrive en masse and the town fills with seafood restaurants and beach equipment rental stalls. Outside of summer it is genuinely quiet — much of the town shuts down — but the off-season has its own appeal: empty beaches, cheap accommodation, and the birding, which is exceptional. Beidaihe sits on the East Asian–Australasian Flyway and is one of China's premier birdwatching spots, drawing species counts into the hundreds during spring and autumn migration. Key spots include Pigeon Nest Park, Lianfeng Mountain, and the wetlands on the western edge of town.
Getting here from Beijing takes about two and a half hours by high-speed train to Beidaihe station, followed by a short taxi or bus ride to the beach.