防城港市

Why this place

Fangchenggang is the coastal prefecture on the Vietnam border, and it is the home of the Jing — the only Chinese ethnic group whose traditional economy is fishing at sea, with their own language and culture. The port is one of the main gateways to Vietnam and to ASEAN.

What to see

• The Jing villages of Wanwei and the sea-goddess culture of the three islands
• The Dongxing border gate, across the river from Mong Cai in Vietnam
• The Beibu Gulf coast and the mangrove wetlands

What to eat

• Coastal seafood; the Jing fishing people's own preparations
• Vietnamese-influenced food, which is common in the border towns

Best time

October–December and March–April