The Second Bathing Beach (also known as Taipingjiao Beach) sits in Taiping Bay at the southern end of the Badaguan villa district, right below Huashilou, the stone villa associated with Chiang Kai-shek. It is a calmer alternative to the First Bathing Beach: the shore is sandy, but large rocks and rocky outcrops appear towards the edges, and from the water you get good views of the coastal cliffs and green hills. There are almost no noisy activities here — no banana boats, no catamarans — just sunbathing, swimming and walking along the shore.
Visitors praise the clear water, gentle slope and small waves, as the rock walls on both sides shelter the bay. The reefs make it a good spot for children to look for shells, hermit crabs and starfish, and a stone breakwater extends into the sea for a walk. Wedding photo shoots are common, and evenings are noted for a pleasant night view. Opinions on the sand are split: some describe it as fine and soft, others as coarse with stones, and several mention seaweed in summer and water that looked less clean than they expected.
Practical tips: the easiest approach is on foot from Badaguan — walk south along Ningwuguan Road to Huashilou, and the beach is a few steps from its exit. Plan 1-2 hours; combine it with Huashilou and the Badaguan streets. Mornings are the quietest. Bring water shoes if you plan to explore the reefs. Access is generally free; some older reviews mention closed management in summer and a small fee of about 2 yuan, so check on the spot in peak season.
In winter or on grey days the beach loses much of its appeal and gets cold and windy, so save it for a sunny day. If your priority is long swims on soft sand, visitors suggest other beaches; here the scenery is the main draw.
