Qingdao
From ChinaTravelGuide
East China (华东) » Shandong (山东) » Qingdao (青岛)
|
[edit] Overview
Qingdao (青岛) is located in Shandong Province on China's east coast. It covers 10,654 sq km. With a population of about 7.5 million, Qingdao is well-known for its beaches (730km of unbroken coastline) and its beer. Qingdao is surrounded by the ocean on three sides and an important port city in China. Qingdao will host the 2008 Olympic Sailing events.
Qingdao is summarized in an old Chinese saying: A visitor must do four things in Qingdao: swim in the ocean, drink a Tsingtao beer, eat fried clams and climb Mt. Laoshan.
[edit] Video
| Qingdao |
Get the Flash Player to see this player. |
| Qingdao is summarized in an old Chinese saying: A visitor must do four things in Qingdao: swim in the ocean, drink a Tsingtao beer, eat fried clams and climb Mt. Laoshan. |
[edit] Map
Click here to open Qingdao map.
[edit] History
[edit] Ancient times
Human settlement in the area dates back 6,000 years. The Dongyi nationality, one of the important origins of the Chinese nation, lived here and created the Dawenkou, Longshan and Dongyeshi cultures. In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770BC~256BC), the town of Jimo was established, which was then the second largest one in the Shandong region. The area in which Qingdao is located today was named Jiao'ao (胶澳) when it was administered by the Qing Dynasty on 14 June, 1891.
[edit] German colonial period and Japanese occupation
In 1891 the Qing government decided to make the area a defense base against naval attack and eventually began to improve Tsingtao’s existing fortifications. This Chinese activity was observed and reported by German naval officials during a formal survey of Kiautschou Bay in May 1897. After the Kiautschou Bay region was ceded to Germany in 1898, the German authorities soon turned the impoverished fishing village of Tsingtao into a strategically important port administered by the Imperial Department of the Navy (Reichsmarineamt) rather than the Imperial Colonial Office (Reichskolonialamt). The navy based their Far East Squadron here, allowing the ships to conduct operations throughout the Pacific. From January 1898 the marines of III. Seebatallion were based at Tsingtao. The German imperial government planned and built the first streets and early infrastructure of the city (still visible today), introduced electrification throughout, a sewer system and a safe drinking water supply. Commercial interests established the world-famous Tsingtao Brewery. German influence extended to other areas of Shandong Province, including the establishment of diverse commercial enterprises.
Before the outbreak of World War I the ships of the German naval forces under Admiral Count von Spee were located at central Pacific colonies on routine missions. The fleet then rendezvoused in the Marianas to plan a transit to Germany rather than be trapped in the Pacific by Allied fleets.
After a minor British naval attack on the German colony in 1914, Japan occupied the city and the surrounding province during the Siege of Tsingtao after Japan's declaration of war on Germany in accordance with the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. The failure of the Allied powers to restore Chinese rule to Shandong after the war triggered the May Fourth Movement.
The city reverted to Chinese rule in December, 1922, under control of the Republic of China. The city became a direct-controlled municipality of the ROC Government in 1929. Japan re-occupied Qingdao in 1938 with its plans of territorial expansion onto China's coast.
--from wikipedia.org
[edit] Weather
Current Conditions (2010-09-03 20:00:00, local time)
|
Qingdao |
Temp: 71°F (22°C) |
Qingdao Weather Forecast
|
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
Monday |
| Weather averages for Qingdao | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Avg high °C (°F) | 3 (37) | 5 (41) | 9 (48) | 15 (59) | 20 (68) | 24 (75) | 27 (81) | 28 (82) | 25 (77) | 20 (68) | 12 (54) | 6 (43) | |
| Avg low °C (°F) | -3 (27) | -1 (30) | 3 (37) | 8 (46) | 14 (57) | 18 (64) | 22 (72) | 23 (73) | 19 (66) | 14 (57) | 6 (43) | 0 (32) | |
| Rain cm (inches) | 1 (0.4) | 1.19 (0.5) | 1.55 (0.6) | 2.4 (0.9) | 4.48 (1.8) | 5.86 (2.3) | 10 (3.9) | 10.59 (4.2) | 4.57 (1.8) | 2.32 (0.9) | 2.34 (0.9) | 0.81 (0.3) | |
| Source: per MSN 2008 | |||||||||||||
[edit] Getting in & Getting out
[edit] By Air
The Qingdao Liuting International Airport is the main hub for Shangdong Airlines and a focus city of China Eastern. There are more than ten flights each day from both Shanghai and Beijing, and less frequent flights to all the other major domestic destinations. International destinations include Seoul (Incheon), Pusan, Tokyo, Osaka, and Hong Kong. The airport is located 32 kilometers from the city itself, about a half hour taxi ride. Prices for a taxi ride from the airport to the Hong Kong Middle Road area should be between ¥100-120 depending on the route taken (The 308 highway is slower but cheaper, the toll expressway is faster and more expensive).
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] By Train
There is a daily sleeper train from Beijing and one from Shanghai as well. The slow trains from Beijing take about 9 hours, from Shanghai 20 hours. The Qingdao Railway Station is located at the west end of ShiNan district.
There is now a much faster service from Beijing provided by CRH that has 6 trains per day and takes a little less than 6 hours for ¥300-350. One high speed train to Shanghai was recently added which takes about 10 hours.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] By Bus
Especially if you are travelling from within Shandong province, going by bus is probably the easiest way. Especially now with the new excellent and fast expressways linking Qingdao with other cities in the province. There are several buses per day to Jinan, Taian, Qufu, as well as Yantai and Rizhao on the coast. They leave from and arrive to the bus station just outside the train station, but also from the new bus station north of town, which can be reached by local trolleybus number 5 in 20 min.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] By Ship
From Incheon, Korea there are ferries thrice-weekly by Weidong Ferries [1]. There are also twice-weekly connections to Shimonoseki, Japan on Orient Ferries [2]. The trip takes over 24 hours and 2nd class one-way costs ¥12,000. Note that the boat going TO Japan takes 2 nights while for some reason coming back to China it only takes 1.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Getting Around
[edit] By Public Bus
The bus and trolleybus network is quite well put together and useful once you figure out the routes. Buses 26 and 501 run from the railway station (ShiNan Distict) along the coast via DongHai West Road (DongHai Xi Lu) to all the beaches in the modern eastern part of town (CBD), where pubs and cafes are located. Many major routes have dedicated bus lanes, that can make taking the bus faster than taking a car during rush hour. Buses 316 and 231 will bring you to the center of the town from the newly renovated station. Regular buses cost ¥1 and the air conditioned ones are ¥2. If you get on a bus that goes really far (out to the suburbs) you need to tell the ticket person on the bus where you're going and it will cost up to ¥6.
[edit] By cycling
For some reason very few locals in Qingdao cycle. They blame it on the hills, but quite frankly if San Francisco can have as many bikers as it does, Qingdao people are lazy. Renting a bike for the day is a great way to get around the city. There's more than 40km of waterfront trails and tons of side roads in the old colonial parts of town that are great for biking. If you really want a work out, try hiking Fushan or the TV Tower hills as there are some decent mountain bike trails in there as well.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] By Tour Bus
[edit] By Metro
Some metro (subway) lines should open by the end of 2012.
[edit] By Taxi & Rental Car
Take one of the plentiful taxis. The drivers practically run each other over trying to get fares. Although it can be hard to find them during rush hours (8-9AM and 5-6PM). Just ¥7+(¥1 tax) for short haul. You can get across town for less than ¥35. Be advised that there is indeed a fuel tax specific to Qingdao that is ¥1 regardless of distance traveled. Also be aware that you will be required to pay any toll fees incurred during the trip. So simply add ¥1 plus any toll fees you may have incurred (most likely not unless you traveled on the Qingyin Expressway) to the meter's reading.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Attractions
Qingdao is an excellent tourist city. It is also an important transportation hub and a seaport in east China entitled to the visa processing for overseas tourists and visa exempting for short-term (within 15 days) Japanese tourists.
Qingdao has beautiful scenery and an agreeable climate. As early as in the 1920s, Qingdao became a famous tourist resort. Zigzag seashore , undulating hills, European-style red-roofed houses and green trees make the city unique. Historical sites and constantly improved modern facilities add to the attractiveness of the city. Qingdao is an excellent place for sightseers, holidaymakers and for holding business talks and exhibitions.
In the west of the city is the old urban area which is known for its red-roofed houses, green trees, blue sea and azure sky; in the east is the new urban area dotted with modern high buildings. Both the old and new areas constitute a seaside city with both European and Asian landscapes.
Walking along the coastal sidewalk, tourists can enjoy the beautiful coastal sights of the city. From west to east, the entire scenic area is divided into four scenic spots with their own special features.
[edit] Historical Culture and Euro-Asian Culture Area
This area contains numerous cultural relics against the beautiful natural scenery. This valuable heritage of the century-old city is a result of the combination of eastern and western cultures. Historical sites, foreign-style villas and excellent beaches form a unique Euro-Asian culture area.
The western-style buildings here feature the architecture of over 20 countries. Typical ones include the former German Governor's Residence and Office Building, the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church and the villa area in Badaguan, where numerous newly-weds, photographers and tourists visit all year round.
[edit] Tourist attractions in the East of Qingdao
Donghai Road, Hong Kong Road, Macao Road, the Sculpture Garden of Cultural Celebrities, the May 4th Square and the Music Square, etc. form magnificent scenery for this modern international metropolis.
[edit] Shilaoren National Holiday Resort
Unique tourist villas, hotels, excellent beaches and numerous cultural and sports facilities like the Seaside Sculpture Park, the Dolphinarium, the International Beer City, the Golf Course, the International Convention Center, the Cultural Exhibition Center, the Century Square and the Sports Center are all places visitors should not miss. Such projects as the Qingdao Polar Sea World, the Modern Arts Center, and the Yacht Club are now under construction. All these will make Qingdao a comprehensive tourist area with facilities for holidaymaking, amusement, exhibition and sports competitions.
[edit] Laoshan National Scenic Spot
Located by the seaside of the Yellow Sea, the 1,133-meter-high Mt. Laoshan is known as the No.1 religious mountain along China's coastline and the birthplace of Taoism. Entitled a national tourist attraction by the State Council, this area is composed of nine sections, five scenic spots under restoration and some surrounding scenic spots. It is a national model scenic area, which ranks a national 4A ranking.
Laoshan Mountain has a humid temperate climate. It is an important shrine for spreading Taoism, known as the "Second Largest Taoist Monastery in the World". Grotesque rocks in the mountain resemble all kinds of live creatures, so Laoshan Mountain is known as a natural sculpture park. The ancient trees, rare vegetation and rich natural resources, especially mineral water and undersea jades, have made Laoshan Mountain widely known.
Qingdao enjoys an abundance of natural scenic spots and places of interest in its outskirt regions. In the famous Langyatai Tourist Resort where the Yue Emperor Goujian met his dukes and princes, the relics can be found. It is here that Yingzheng, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, paid visits for three times; and from here Xufu sailed eastward for Japan. Tianhengdao Island is a historic site recording the heroic feats of five hundred soldiers who died as martyrs in the West Han Dynasty more than two thousand years ago. The Cliff Inscriptions in Mt. Tianzhu in Pingdu are regarded as national treasures. The State-level nature reserve Mashan Hoodoos, and the Great Wall Relics of the Qi Kingdom in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) can also be found in this area.
In 2004, Qingdao received as many as 522,000 overseas tourists (person-time ) who contributed US$ 288 million to the local revenue, and a total of 21.57 million domestic tourists who left 18.378 billion yuan to the local treasury. The total revenue from tourism in 2004 reached 20.77 billion yuan.
[edit] Hotels
[edit] Budget
- Qingdao Kaiyue International Hostel- a really good hostel close by to the train station.
- Qingdao Old Observatory Youth Hostel - A beautiful hostel with a cool rooftop bar and plenty of helpful staff members.
[edit] Mid Range
[edit] Luxury
[edit] Restaurants
Chinese - Head to Yunxiao Road west of Fuzhou Nan Road for a large selection of restaurants of all Chinese varieties ranging from the local Shandong style, to Cantonese and Sichuan. Yunxiao Road is recognized as Qingdao's restaurant street, and serves up a wide variety of mouth watering dishes. Minjiang Road, near Fushou Nan Road (bordering on Qingdao's restaurant district), has several outstanding restaurants. The area is booming with foods from around the world.
Korean - The city has a very large Korean population, and thanks to this, lots of great Korean restaurants. Head to Hong Kong Gardens (Shanghang Road in particular) and you will find many excellent Korean restaurants.
Japanese - There are several good Japanese restaurants scattered about the Shinan district and the Shinan district near Hong Kong Garden.
German - It wouldn't be a trip to a former German treaty port without some real German food and beer cooked by Chinese.
Other Western - Most of the western restaurants can be found along the Mid Hong Kong Road corridor as well as in Hong Kong Gardens. You can choose from a wide variety of food: Italian, French, etc.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Shopping
- Taidong Pedestrian Street (Taidong Buxingjie). The best area for buying stuff. Very "renao" (bustling), especially at night when the peddlers come out and you can buy all manner of trinkets, clothing, household wares, etc. While in Taidong be careful of the Pickpockets.
- The Carrefour/Jusco/Book City section of town, (Where Mid Hong Kong Road and Nanjing Road intersect). To provision yourself, head out to this area. A new 8-floor mall, located close to this area, recently opened and is quite a bit better than Jusco. It is called MyKAL.
- Jimo Lu market. Do not miss this market, a great place to buy knock off Gucci, Prada, Louis Vitton as well as local retail goods. Recently refurbished and opening new shops across the street in a new plaza, it will soon become one of Qingdao's most popular retail markets.
- Zhong Shan Lu. Recently retrofitted for 2008, still boasts some of the oldest shops in Qingdao.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Night Life & Entertainment
Tsingtao is China's best-known brand of beer. The brewery was founded by Germans during colonial times and still today brews according to the German purity law. Every August there is a beer festival (check the listing in the "Do" section). Many European breweries participate.
Despite being a city of 3.5 million, nightlife is quieter here than in most cities of similar size. KTV (karaoke) is very popular activity amongst the locals. There are a few western style club/discos in the Hong Kong Road area close to the Jusco.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Sports & Recreation
[edit] Beaches
Qingdao has some famous (within China) beaches worthy of visiting. Unfortunately, litter is a problem at all of them, ranging from the occasional cigarette butt to having to wade through a flotsam of trash just to get into the ocean itself. Your experience will vary depending on the tides and the time of year you visit. During summer weekends, Qingdao city beaches are VERY crowded, and slightly less crowded on summer weekdays. Again, these can be packed full of people during the weekends. Bring sunscreen, while you can buy beach toys, food, drinks, and knick-knacks at any of Qingdao's beaches, surprisingly no one sells sunscreen at the beach itself. You can find bathing beaches all along the seaside from the Zhanqiao Pier to the Shilaoren Beach in the eastern suburbs.
[edit] Other
Qingdao International Beer Festival, held at the end of August every year, is a celebration of Qingdao's brewing heritage. During the daytime, there are official ceremonies that celebrate Qingdao's heritage as well as carnival type rides, food and games. In the evening, the event really picks up as crowds flock to huge tents set up by each beer company with a presence in China. One can sit down and order beer or snacks and watch (or participate in) various performances such as karaoke, concerts, auctions, or comedy.
--from wikitravel.org
