I believe that traveling to different countries isn’t that big deal. In fact, it’s actually something every one of us should be able to do, at least once in a while. Whether you prefer to travel for a couple of weeks, months, or years exploring this wonderful planet, it’s fascinating to see what’s out there. Also, you might have travelled to hundreds of international cities, your world trip is simply not complete until you have been to both India and China. No matter how does your travelling taste looks like, these two countries are bound to give you unprecedented new insights (whether you like or dislike) about the human life and developments. To me, travelling in a big country like China has been a fascinating experience. China has so many interesting cities and each city offers a unique perspective to a vagabond traveler. I’m glad to share that, so far, I’ve travelled to 23 Chinese cities (Harbin to Guangzhou and many cities in between). My last trip was in July 2018 to Anhui province when I visited Huangshan (the Yellow Mountain). My next trip will be in Dalian (Liaoning province) in the 1st week of October, 2018.
I live (with a full-time research job) in Suzhou (Jiangsu province). The garden city serves as my base in China. 🙂 In June 2018 I got an opportunity to travel to Shandong province. I visited three important provincial cities – Qufu (hometown of Confucius), Jinan (capital city of Shandong province) and finally Qingdao. In this post I’d share my memories of Qingdao (that happened to be my 22nd Chinese city).
Initially, I’d share some of the general observations about travelling to Qingdao city and then I’d list down some of the top things to do in Qingdao. I am also adding more than 80 photos in this Qingdao travel blog-post that I clicked in the city during my June trip.
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Qingdao City brief
Well, Qingdao city is located in the eastern part of Shandong province.
In 1890s, the Qing Empire established a major defense base in Qingdao. In later years, Qingdao was ruled by the Germans, and then by Japanese rulers. Even now, Qingdao remains a major seaport and defense hub. The city is also famous for Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, the world’s longest sea bridge.
Qingdao is a clean and green city. It’s often considered to be one of the most livable cities in China. The city, with a population of more than 10 million, is also famous for Tsingtao beer (Tsingtao Brewery).
In 2018 Qingdao hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
Qingdao City china map
Let me show you Qingdao city’s Baidu travel map.
I have marked some of the top things to do in Qingdao in English. The Qingdao Railway Station is located on the southern tip of the city. The station is directly connected with Qingdao Subway/Metro.
Qingdao City weather – Best time to visit Qingdao City?
Although, in mid-June, the weather in Qingdao was slightly better than those in Jinan and Qufu, the weather was still very hot and humid. It wasn’t very pleasant walking under the sun. The midday temperature would often cross 32’C. However, the city’s public transportation is very good. The buses and subways are air-conditioned. The city is full of lush green parks and gardens. So, probably you wouldn’t feel the heat until you are outside or walk under the sun.
In any case, the summer season is probably not the best time to travel to Shandong province. If you don’t like the summers, you’d better skip June, July and August. From September onwards, the temperature starts going down. The best time to visit the province would be around March, April, October and November.
How do you get to Qingdao?
I came to Qingdao from Jinan by a high-speed train. During my return trip, the trains originated from Qingdao Railway Station and was headed to Shanghai. The train stopped in to Jinan and Qufu as well. It was a pleasant ride both ways.
Well, there are numerous trains connecting Qingdao with other Chinese cities. As such, it’s not at all difficult to find a train to Qingdao. If you are planning to stay near downtown in Qingdao, you can book a train to/from the Qingdao Railway Station. The Qingdao North Station is little far from the downtown. You’d better use the Baidu Map to find the navigation routes.
Get around
I have to say that the public transportation in Qingdao is overall very nice. First of all, there is a comprehensive subway system that connects most of the tourist attractions.
Secondly, the city has an extensive coverage of the bus. The bus fares are usually RMB 1-2.
Thirdly, finding a taxi in Qingdao is very easy. You can just come to the roadside or go a nearby bus stop, and you’ll see the taxi. The basic flag down fare of a Qingdao taxi would be around RMB 12.
I also wish to mention that once I was scammed by a taxi driver when I was going to visit the Ocean University of China. For just 1km, I was charged RMB 16 (instead of RMB 12 🙂 ). I was using the Baidu map and I knew that the driver was driving along a long and wrong way. But owing to the hot weather, I didn’t come out of the taxi.
Qingdao accommodations and hotels
Finding an accommodation in Qingdao shouldn’t be an issue (you can use Booking.com). However, the prices in the downtown area are relatively more expensive. If you are using the Booking.com, you’ll need to be careful about the “Mainland Chinese citizens only” tag – these accommodations are not available to foreigners. I, personally, like staying at the Hanting Express or Home Inn chain of hotels. But they also often have accommodations with a mainland China tag and foreigners need to be careful while confirming a hotel booking.
Here is the photo of Shangri-La hotel, Qingdao. It’s located near the May 4th Square.
an expensive city
I visited 3 cities in Shandong and Qingdao was arguably the most expensive city of all. Even the accommodations in Qingdao are more expensive. However, many tourist parks and temples offer free entry (or for a nominal fee).
a seafood paradise
Qingdao is a paradise for the seafood lovers. The seafood is omnipresent in the city. I generally don’t eat seafood and would rather prefer a chicken dish. But you know, I often struggled to find a chicken dish in Qingdao. As such, most of the restaurants in Qingdao offer seafood, but not necessarily a chicken meal. 😀
Moreover, the seafood is rather expensive. You’ll be paying RMB 70-80 for one fish meal. For some of the dishes, the prices were around RMB 150/meal/person.
Top things to do in Qingdao city
Qingdao is indeed a touristy city. There are so many places to visit in Qingdao and now I’ll go through some of the top things to do in Qingdao! I’m listing them here in no particular, visit them as you may like.
May Fourth Square
The May Fourth Square (五四广场, Wǔsì guǎngchǎng) is located directly in the downtown of Qingdao. This is the central business district of the city.
The name May Fourth Square is derived from the May 4th Movement in Beijing that followed after the Treaty of Versailles was proposed. Based on the treaty, Qingdao was going to be handed from the Germans to the Japanese, rather than to the Chinese authorities. The movement took place on May 4th, 1919. The monument was commemorated in the memory of the movement.
The area is open 24 hours to the public and there is no admission fee. Moreover, the whole area is a coastal park and there are many shopping stores.
Zhan Qiao
Well, if you have to visit just one place in Qingdao, then I’d recommend a visit to the Zhan Qiao (栈桥, Zhànqiáo) pier in the evening. This is the seaside area of Qingdao. The beach is not that inspiring. But it’s a great place to take photos. There is no entry fee.
The area is lively throughout the day. But the night lighting around the Zhan Qiao is very impressive and worth checking out. The pier pavilion is the logo of the Tsingtao Beer.
Zhanshan Temple
The Zhanshan Temple (湛山寺, Zhàn shānsì) is the only Buddhist temple in the city. It is located in the base of the Zhanshan Hill (in the eastern part of the Taiping Hill). Construction of the temple began in 1934 and was completed in 1945. The temple is spread over 23 acres. There are two stone lions in the mountain gate, which are passed down as relics of the Ming Dynasty. There is a stone lotus pond in front of the temple. The temple has more than 6000 collections of the Buddhist and related ancient statues. On the east side of the temple, there are octagonal and seven-level brick towers. RMB 8.
Very close to the entrance gate of the Zhanshan Temple, there is a tall the Pharmacist Tower (药师塔, Yàoshī tǎ). Worth checking out! Free entry.
Zhongshan Park
Qingdao’s massive Zhongshan Park (中山公园, Zhōngshān Gōngyuán) is situated across the road from the Qingdao Tiantai Stadium. The park is surrounded by the mountains on three sides and the sea on the southern side. The whole surrounding if full of lush green vegetation which is the most important characteristic of this scenic spot in the urban landscape of Qingdao. The park, located in the Taiping Mountain, is connected to the Qingdao Botanical Garden in the east; in the north, it is connected to the Qingdao Zoo, and Qingdao Yulin Park. Free entry.
Ocean university of China
Ocean University of China (中国海洋大学, Zhōngguó hǎiyáng dàxué) is considered to be one of the most beautiful university campuses in China. The university is a comprehensive key university directly under the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.
The university has multiple campuses and they all look serene and beautiful. If you are travelling to Qingdao, you are recommended to visit at least one of them. I did visit the campus and interacted with the students. The university sports ground is particularly very beautiful.
Catholic church
Qingdao Catholic Church (天主教堂, Tiānzhǔ jiàotáng), also known as St. Michael’s Church, is the seat of the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Qingdao. The German style building if the finest example of the presence of Roman architectural styles in China. The church’s construction began in 1932 and completed in 1934.
The proposed church was supposed to be 100 meters high. However, the construction coincided with the outbreak of World War. Hitler strictly forbade the outflow of German domestic funds. So, the design of the Church was modified to the current scale. The tower is 56 meters high and was the tallest building in Shandong Province before the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Protestant Church
Qingdao Christian Church (青岛市江苏路基督教堂, Qīngdǎo shì jiāngsū lù jīdū jiàotáng) is another famous religious building in Qingdao. It’s a part of the national key cultural relics’ protected unit. The church is located on the hill in No. 15, Jiangsu Road (Shinan District of Qingdao). The church is adjacent to the beautiful Signal Hill Park.
The church was built around 1908 and was used by the affiliated hospital of the Qingdao Medical College after liberation. The worship service was resumed on November 2, 1980. The church has an auditorium and a bell tower. The bell is original and was brought from Germany to be installed in the Qingdao Christian Church. RMB 10.
Xiao Qingdao Park
Little Qingdao Park (小青岛公园, Xiǎo qīngdǎo gōngyuán) is a landmark park, located in Jiaozhou Bay (into the sea in the Bay of Qingdao). The park covers an area of 2.47 square kilometers. Because the island is evergreen, it is called Qingdao (literally, Green Island). This is the island from which Qingdao derives its name.
Luxun Park
Lu Xun Park (鲁迅公园, Lǔxùn gōngyuán) is the first attraction of the Qingdao Huiquan Scenic Area. The park stretches along the narrow and long bedrock coast, east to the Qingdao Aquarium. The length of the park is 2 kilometers. The park has red reefs, clear water, green pines, secluded trails, pavilions and beautiful scenery. It is a scenic area that comprises both beautiful gardens and natural beauty.
Baihuayuan garden
Baihuayuan (百花苑, Bǎihuāyuàn) garden is the first large-scale memorial garden in Qingdao. It was founded in 1984 and covers an area of 8.25 hectares. It is bordered by Qingdao Mountain in the north and Zhongshan Park in the south. In 1995, the Qingdao Municipal Government hired famous domestic sculpture masters to build statues for 20 deceased Qingdao citizens or prominent cultural celebrities in Qingdao. It is also known as the Cultural Celebrity Sculpture Garden.
There are ten scenic spots in the park, including Sanyou, Huaxi, Lianchi, Hehuanlin, Dragon and Tiger, white snowflake and fishing ground, etc. The garden has more than 2,600 varieties of shrubs, 8,000 plants of 110 varieties. It is an important attraction of the AAAA-class “seaside scenic spot”.
Qingdaoshan Park
Qingdaoshan Park (青岛山公园, Qīngdǎo Shān Gōngyuán) is located on the west side of the Qingdao Zhongshan Park, close to Qingdao Baihuayuan, which is part of the Taiping Mountain extending westward. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Zhang Gao Yuan once set up a defense base on the mountain and built the barracks on the southwest slope of the mountain. After the German occupation of Qingdao, the mountain was named after the German prime minister, called “Bismarck Mountain”, and two permanent forts were built in Shannan, namely “Bismarck Fortress”. During the Japanese-German war, this turret dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese. The fort’s steel, cement gun platform and gun room are still intact.
In the 1980s, Qingdao Mountain was turned into a mountain park, and the mountain trails and stone steps were built in the park. The top of the mountain has a glazed tiled roof and a pavilion for viewing the landscape. In 1997, the Qingdao Modern History Exhibition Hall was built at the foot of the Fort. RMB 15.
Xiaoyushan Park
The Xiaoyushan Park (小鱼山) is built in traditional Chinese style. The park is worth visiting to check out the impressive panoramic views of Qingdao city. The Xiaoyushan park is not very high in elevation, only 61 meters, but nevertheless it is a famous tourist attraction of Qingdao. The park covers an area of 2.5 hectares. It is called “Xiaoyushan” because it is close to Yushan Road. RMB 10.
Xinhaoshan Park
The Signal Hill Park (信号山公园, Xìnhào shān gōngyuán) is located in the central part of Shinan District, Qingdao City, at an altitude of 98 meters. This park, built in a European style, is named after the mountain. After the invasion of Qingdao by Germany, in order to direct the ships entering and exiting the Jiaozhou Bay, a signal issuing station was built at the top of the mountain. Various signal signs, meteorological and wind signs were hoisted every day.
There are a variety of flowers and trees planted on the mountain. On the hillside, the beautiful terraces, buildings, and distinctly yellow and white pavilions look very interesting. There are a few red towers in the foothills that look like a three-handed torch. It stands in the middle of the mountain and is very eye-catching.
Qingdao Municipal Museum
The Qingdao Municipal Museum (青岛市博物馆, Qīngdǎoshì Bówùguǎn) is a national first-class museum and a national key protection unit for ancient books. The collection of cultural relics includes more than 30 categories including calligraphy, painting, ceramics, bronzes, jade, coins, enamel, oracle bones, and bamboo roots. The museum also houses more than 40,000 pieces of cultural relics left over from various stages of Qingdao’s historical development, reflecting the development of the city since the establishment of Qingdao. The museum is indeed a very important place to comprehensively understand the history of Qingdao.
Qingdao Art Museum
The Qingdao Art Museum (青岛市美术馆, Qīngdǎoshì Měishùguǎn) is affiliated to the Qingdao Municipal People’s Government. It was built between 1934 to 1940. The old site, after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, was the Qingdao Museum and the Qingdao Library. The museum and library were later developed and merged into the Qingdao Art Museum. In 2018, the museum was thoroughly renovated.
Qingdao Underwater World/Qingdao Aquarium
Qingdao Underwater World (青岛海底世界, Qīngdǎo Hǎidǐshìjiè) is located on the Qingdao Huiquan Bay, adjacent to Lu Xun Park. It’s a Qingdao’s famous scenic spot. It houses the Qingdao Aquarium, Herbarium, and Freshwater Fish Museum. The aquarium blends with the natural beauty of the mountains and the sea.
The unique geographical location, modern display means, and the integration with the aquarium, specimen museum and freshwater fish museum make it a unique marine ecological garden in China.
Polar Ocean World
Qingdao Polar Ocean World (青岛极地海洋世界, Qīngdǎo jídì hǎiyáng shìjiè) was inaugurated in July 2006. It is a large-scale travel and holiday attraction that integrates leisure, entertainment, shopping, cultural and aesthetic values. Some of the places worth checking out are Polar Ocean Animal Show and Performance Hall, Ocean Expo and Science Exhibition Hall. Recommended length of play 3-4 hours. Ticket price RMB 200. Opening hours- 8:30-17:00. Suitable for all year round visit.
Qingdao German Prison Site Museum
This is an interesting Qingdao travel attraction with more than 100 years of history. The German Prison Site Museum (青岛德国监狱旧址博物馆, Qīngdǎo déguó jiānyù jiùzhǐ bówùguǎn) is located at No. 25, Changzhou Road, Qingdao. It was built in 1900. It is the only modern building in China that is dominated by ancient castles and has a distinctive architectural complex. The German Prison Site Museum, formerly known as the “European Prison”, is the earliest preserved colonial prison in China.
The German Prison Site Museum is a German castle-style building with heavy red brick walls and pointed towers. Inside the museum, you’ll see the internal structure of the castle and learn about the history of the detention centers as well as the prison environment. The old prison site is composed of five buildings including “Benevolence”, “Yi”, “Li”, “Chi” and “Xin”. At present, the main “opening” is the “Ren” word supervision room. The interior of the museum includes the prison guard duty room, the prison room, the water prison and other scene facilities.
From 1900 to 1995, the complex was used as a prison. During the German occupation of Qingdao (1897-1914) and then Japan’s first occupation of the Qingdao (1914–1922), it remained a prison center.
The Qingdao German Prison Site Museum is a special museum that integrates the castle complex and the judicial brigade building.
Qingdao Naval Museum
The Naval Museum (海军博物馆, Hǎijūn bówùguǎn) of the People’s Liberation Army Navy fully reflects the Chinese naval development. The Naval Museum is a national patriotic education demonstration base and a national AAA tourist attraction.
Naval Museum is located along the Laiyang Road, east of Lu Xun Park, west of Qingdao small park and north of the famous attractions in the Qingdao Signal Hill Park. The museum covers an area of more than forty thousand square meters.
In March 2005, it was rated as one of the first batch of 100 red tourism classic scenic spots in China by 13 ministries and commissions including the Central Propaganda Department, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Tourism Administration. In May 2008, it was assessed as a national first-class museum by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.
Tsingtao Brewery
Tsingtao Brewery (青岛啤酒厂, Qīngdǎo Píjiǔchǎng), established 1903, covers an area of more than 90,000 square meters. Once the number of employees at the brewery used to be more than 2,000. Tsingtao Brewery has been exporting beer since 1954. It has sold beer to more than 70 countries. Even now, the brewery remains the largest beer exporter in China.
The museum was designed in 2001 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Tsingtao Brewery. The brewery provides detailed insights about beer making. Here you’ll also history of the brewery and beer making process from the 19th and 20th century. The ticket price includes one free 125 ml sample of delicious unfiltered “raw” beer. RMB 80.
Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center
The Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center (青岛奥林匹克帆船中心, Qīngdǎo àolínpǐkè fānchuán zhōngxīn) is located on the bank of the Fushan Bay in the Eastern New District of Qingdao. The original site of Beihai Shipyard is adjacent to Wusi Square and Donghai Road. The famous scenic spot “Yandao Qiuchao” is located in the southeast corner of Yan’er Island Mountain at the base. The 29th Olympic Games and the 13th Paralympic Sailing Competition were held here. In order to greet the Olympic sailing competition and build the “Sailboat Capital”, the Qingdao Municipal Government has relocated the Beihai Shipyard to Haixi Bay in Huangdao District, and built the International Sailing Center in an architectural area with unique marine sports features in Qingdao, reflecting the concept of green Olympics, science and technology Olympics, and humanistic Olympics.
Former Residence of Lao She and Yushan Lu
The area around Yushan Lu is full of tourists. You will see many tourists taking photos by the side of the road. There are many interesting tourist buildings located nearby.
Once such building is the Former Residence of Lao She (青岛老舍故居) – the residence of Lao She (Shu Qingchun), a renowned Chinese novelist. The residence is also known as the Camel Xiangzi Museum. This is the place where Mr. Lao She wrote the acclaimed novel Rickshaw Boy (Camel Xiangzi), a classic of 20th-century Chinese literature. Free entry.
Qingdao nightlife and pick up bars
Qingdao has a vibrant nightlife scene. You should stop by the Zhan Qiao for a nighttime stroll. The views of the Qingdao Maritime Palace look absolutely stunning in the night. If you are looking for night markets in Qingdao, the Taidong Pedestrian Street is a must visit. If you are travelling in August, don’t forget to check out the International Beer Festival.
Well, Qingdao is famous for its beer. If you are looking for beer and pick up bars in Qingdao, you can find them near Jiangxi Road and Hong Kong Road. There are some clubs and bars near Zhonglian Plaza (中联广场) as well. Along the Hong Kong Road you can find some western style clubs. The drinks are not that expensive. You can get a beer for RMB 20-25.
Let me provide you some of the names of Qingdao pickup bars and clubs-
Jianxi Rd
- 7th Street
- Freeman
- Charlie’s Bar
Hong Kong Rd
- Le Bang
- Feelings Club
- Muse
- Club New York
Btw, my clubbing experience in Qingdao was quite similar to the one in Suzhou. Check out his post- Suzhou Pickup Bars.
Stay safe
Qingdao is a safe city. The locals are very friendly and always willing to help. Apart from the soaring summer temperature, I didn’t feel any other issue during my June trip.
In summary, I absolutely enjoyed travelling to Qingdao and would love to be here again. If you like historical sites, museums, parks, drinking beer and clubbing, you’ll have a great time travelling to Qingdao. In particular, if you are into drinking, the International Beer Festival, held every year in August is also worth checking out.
That’s all in this Shandong, China Travel Guide & Review blog-post about Qingdao city.
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Wish you a great time travelling to Qingdao!
Cheers!
Last updated: Wednesday, September 26, 2018