It’s already more than a year since I moved to China and started living in this beautiful country! So far, I’ve managed to travel to 26 Chinese cities! However, in the last one year, I went overseas only once (October, 2018) when I was travelling to North Korea (DPRK). My trip started from Suzhou (I work in Suzhou, Jiangsu province of China), and stopped in Dalian for a couple of days before flying to Pyongyang via Shenyang city. As such, Dalian was my 24th Chinese city and I absolutely loved travelling over here.
So, in this post, I’m going to share with you my memories of Dalian, a beautiful and exhilarating coastal city. As always, initially I’ll share some general observations about the city and then go through some of the top things to do in Dalian. I’ll also add photos from Dalian travel attractions that I clicked during the same trip.
Where is Dalian?
Well, Dalian is located in the southern side of Liaoning province of China. Geographically, the city is surrounded by sea on the three sides, and no wonder, the city serves as a major seaport.
Dalian weather
During my trip, in October first week, it was autumn and the weather was probably at its best. As such, I loved strolling around the city.
If you are travelling to Dalian in autumn, a simple jacket would be good enough to keep you warm. However, the weather could be hot/humid in the summer and cold in the winter.
How to get to Dalian?
Well, there are high-speed trains connecting Dalian to other Chinese cities, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Shenyang, Dandong, etc.
Dalian also has its own airport – Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport (大连周水子国际机场). In my case, I was coming from Suzhou and took a Shanghai-Dalian flight. It was a pleasant experience.
Dalian airport to downtown
When you start walking out of the airport departure lounge, so many taxi drivers would try to grab your attention to get you in their taxis. In case you are not looking for a taxi, you may simply ignore them. There is a subway station just outside the Dalian Airport. I think the subway would be your most economical and efficient way to get to the downtown.
Dalian public transport
The subway network covers the city very comprehensively. The subway is clean and efficient, the fare is just basic, some RMB 3-4 for one ride.
When I was in North Korea, I showed the following photo to my tour guide, she couldn’t believe that a Chinese subway could be so clean.
Also, there are plenty of buses connecting different parts of the city, RMB 1-2/ride.
Dalian Hotels
There are plenty of hotels in Dalian. I’d recommend you to stay near the Xinghai Square or Russia Street as there are so many travel attractions located very close to them.
The Castle Hotel Dalian-
Top things to do in Dalian
Now let us go through some of the top Dalian travel attractions-
Visit Dalian Squares
Well, Dalian city is famous for its greenery and squares. Each square is unique and it’ll give you a glimpse of the city’s diversity. In particular, you shouldn’t miss the Zhongshan Square, Renmin Square and Xinghai Square.
Renmin Square
If you are interested to see the impressive government buildings, you should stop by the Renmin Square (人民广场). The square hosts the seat of local government. The buildings and fountains look beautiful in the evening. Although I took photos from a bit far, when I went close to the building to take a photo, the security personnel asked me to not take photos of the building. Free to stroll around.
Xinghai Square
Well a trip to the Xinghai Square (星海广场) is practically a must. The square itself is huge and some reports suggest that it’s one of the largest in Asia. Anyways, the scenery around the square looks beautiful, especially in the evening. However, it can be very crowded in the evening. Free.
The views of the Qinghai Bay Bridge (星海湾大桥) looked simply amazing-
I believe that the square would be a good place to discover Dalian’s nightlife as well. There are so many activities to explore here, including those for the kids.
You shouldn’t give a miss to the night musical water fountain show that happens every night. A huge crowd awaits the fountain show that lasts some 30 minutes. The music keeps changing as the fountain water form different shapes. Free
Zhongshan Square
If you areinterested in discovering old Japanese buildings, you should stop by the Zhongshan Square (中山广场). Well, the square known as Dalian’s financial hub. There are a good number of eateries nearby where you can also eat delicious local and western food.
Do keep in mind that there are so many buses passing by the Zhongshan Square and you’ll need to pay attention to the traffic signals.
Tianjin Jie
Probably Dalian’s most famous night market is Tianjin Jie (天津街) where you can eat local food. The street is located very close to the Zhongshan Square and Dalian Railway Station. The area is especially famous for the BBQs, local snacks and seafood.
The street also has Indian food-
Labor Park
Well, Labor Park (劳动公园) is another interesting travel attraction in Dalian. Come here to feel the relaxed vibe of the city. The crowd could be huge, yet the whole ambience is laid-back. Free. During my visit, I saw the locals fishing in the park-
The park has full arrangements for the kids to play and have fun.
Labor Park tourist information-
You can also go uphill the park to get a better view of the city. While coming down, you can use the First Land Sled. Here is the photo-
Dalian Forest Zoo
If you love exploring the wildlife, then a visit to the Dalian Forest Zoo is recommended (大连森林动物园). The Zoo has been developed on par with the international standards and often holds exhibitions. There are a good number of species in the Zoo, such as the pandas, lions, tigers, rhinos, polar bears, etc. also, there are some animal performances in the Zoo. RMB 120. The fee includes transportation with cableway.
During my visit, there were cute kids playing with pigeons at the gate of the Zoo –
Dalian Xinghai Park
The Xinghai Park (星海公园) is almost 800 meters long stretch along the Xinghai Bay. The park has both vegetation and sandy beach (golden sands). A walk on the beach is highly recommended. No entry fee.
The park and its cliffs tower offer great opportunities for taking photos as the views of the bay looks very beautiful.
The Xinghai Park has many eateries, and fun activities for kids. However, the food pricing appeared to be slightly higher than elsewhere in the city.
Russian Street and Old colonial buildings
If you are a history lover, you are recommended to explore the Russian Street (俄罗斯风情街) and Old colonial buildings (老殖民建筑). Since Dalian was controlled by both Russia and Japan, the street offers a good mix of buildings and historical stuff from both the countries.
There is a beautiful photo museum right near the entrance to the Russian Street, where you can feel Dalian’s rich history. Entry is free to both the street and the museum.
Also, there are many shopping and eating options in the street.
Haizhiyun Park
I must emphasize that a trip to Dalian is just not complete until you have visited the Haizhiyun Park (海之韵公园). In fact, I didn’t expect the park to be so beautiful and I was totally surprised by the scenery. The whole atmosphere looked serene and lovely.
Although not compulsory, you can ride the sightseeing car from the entrance gate for RMB 10. There is a separate entry ticket for the park (RMB 20, or so). The park is pleasant for a walk and as you walk in the park, you’ll reach the seaside in some 10 minutes. There are so many species of the beautiful flowers in the park. Breathtaking!
Dalian beaches
Let me quickly provide you a list of some interesting beaches in Dalian city-
- Xinghai Beach (星海海滨, Xīnghǎi Hǎibīn) – often crowded,
- Fujiazhuang Beach (傅家庄海滨, Fùjiāzhuāng Hǎibīn) – a bit far and may be difficult to get to the beach and expensive as well,
- Bangchuidao Beach. (棒棰岛海滨, Bàngchuídǎo Hǎibīn)- best bet for you!
Dalian nightlife
Dalian does have a decent nightlife scene. Do stop by the Xinghai Square in the evening and don’t forget to attend the musical fountain show. There are also some nice bars nearby.
Dalian food?
Dalian has lots of Chinese food. You should explore the Friendship Square and Tianjin Jie.
- North Korean Culture – Please Respect the Country and Its Leaders
- Why to Travel to North Korea? Is North Korea Worth It?
- How is Life in North Korea?
Alright, that’s about 2000 words in this Dalian blog-post and I’d better stop. 🙂
In summary, I loved travelling to Dalian. The city indeed offers pleasant travel attractions. If you are coming to eastern China, say for travelling to North Korea, spending a couple of days in Dalian is highly recommended.
That’s all in this Dalian City Travel Attractions and Top Things to Do review blog-post. If you have any question about traveling, living or working in China, do let me know! Feel free to post in our forum so that others could also contribute and learn. For regular updates like us on Facebook, or follow on Twitter!
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Wish you a great time exploring Dalian city travel attractions!
Cheers!
Last updated: Tuesday, January 8, 2019