Qingdao Travel Guide

Overview

Qingdao is a city in eastern Shandong Province on the east coast of China. It is the largest city in its province. Administered at the sub-provincial level, Qingdao has jurisdiction over six districts and four county-level cities. As of 2014 Qingdao had a population of 9,046,200 with an urban population of 6,188,100. Lying across the Shandong Peninsula and looking out to the Yellow Sea, it borders Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west and Rizhao to the southwest.

What to do in Qingdao

1. Wave Goodbye To City Center Hustle And Bustle

One of the great things about Qingdao is its proximity to Shilaoren, which surely qualifies as China's finest city beach. Stretching for a mile and a half, the beach is ideal for sunbathing and swimming, but just as good for bodyboarding thanks to its impressive waves. And it's not even that busy. On most days, you'll have plenty of space to stretch out and watch the waves lap the Chinese shore, all within half an hour of the center of town.

2. Ancient Glories With A Fortunate Back Story

One of the finest historical museums in China, the Han Dynasty Brick Museum came about thanks to a fortuitous find. In the 1980s, construction workers building roads in rural Henan found that the bricks they were working contained beautiful carvings. It turned out that the granite being used for the road was actually a treasure trove of 2,000 year old Han era masterpieces, most of which have been preserved and can be seen in this sumptuous setting. Largely depicting everyday life, they are incredibly rare windows onto ancient Chinese life.

3. The Center's Peaceful Getaway

Another bonus about Qingdao is the amount of peaceful green space inside the city limits, and the finest park of all is Zhōngshān. Occupying 69 hectares of prime real estate, the park is studded with fountains and flower gardens, but it also houses Zhanshan - the city's primary Buddhist temple. Don't miss the gold-leaf covered sandalwood Buddhas on display there, and be sure to take the cablecar up the slopes of Taiping Hill, which rises on the northern side of the park, and offers some stunning views across the city.

4. Raise A Glass To The City's Famous Brew

Across the world, the city of Qingdao is probably most famous for the success of Tsingtao Beer. A staple of Chinese restaurants from Sydney to San Francisco, this light, intensely drinkable lager was started by German residents in the 1900s, which probably accounts for its distinctly Germanic characteristics. The Beer Museum has been set up on the site of Tsingtao's original brewery (they've since moved onto bigger things). Inside, you'll learn how Chinese beer got a heads up from German experts, and - of course - sample the product itself.

5. An Idyllic Escape With Gorgeous Views

Hopelessly picturesque, Little Qīngdǎo is an unmissable spot, and was built on a spit of land that juts out into the bay. Supposedly shaped like a lute (or "Qin" in Han Chinese) the peninsula was chosen by the Germans as the site of a lighthouse, which you can visit and climb for exceptional views. But the main appeal is the ambiance. With its thick trees, coastal paths, and scenic vistas, Little Qīngdǎo is a sublime place to picnic and take some vacation photos. As a bonus, the Naval Museum is just across the water, and maritime buffs won't want to miss that either.


Transportation

Plane

Qingdao Liuting International Airport has frequent connections with Beijing and Shanghai and international services from Germany, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. The 20 mile taxi ride into the city center will cost around ¥130 and the airport shuttle bus is ¥20.

Train

Qingdao has a great high-speed rail service to other Chinese cities. The fare from Beijing is around ¥275 and Shanghai is ¥550.

Car

Qingdao is well served by excellent modern highways, with the G20/G25 taking you north to Beijing and the G15 running south along the coast to Shanghai.

Bus

The city has excellent bus links across Shandong Province and good services from other major cities. The fare from Beijing is around ¥231.


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