Qingdao

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Introduction

Qingdao (青岛) is a port city in the northwestern province of Shandong in China. It's especially famous for it's cobbled streets and partly Bavarian look, mixed with a new Chinese skyline due to it's German colonial history. Churches and European style houses dominate the city centre. Another important heritage from the Germans was beer. Qingdao is home to the famous Tsingtao (the old western name for this city) beer, where it is possible to tour the factory (and sample some beer). Anyone who has been in China long enough has drunk Tsingtao beer.

Along its coast there is a long stretch of public beaches favoured by locals for their morning dip (even in winter). The sailing events for the 2008 Beijing Olympics were held in this port city.

Compared with other major Chinese cities it is comparibly cleaner and more beautiful.

Neighbourhoods

Sights and Activities

Tourist Attractions

• Tsingtao brewery - a highlight of any visit to Qingdao. Exhibits the process of making and bottling beer. Tour includes copious amounts of free samples.
• Catholic Churches - strangely some churches require a mandatory "contribution" before you can enter. People selling religious (Christian) trinkets usually camp outside the churches.
• Qingdao Underwater World.

Beaches

Qingdao's beaches are probably the most famous in China (after Sanya on Hainan Island). Clean and sandy with an opportunity to take a dip, it is worth visiting. There is also a path connecting the beaches offering pleasant seafront walks.

During summer the beaches are very crowded.

Events and Festivals

• Qingdao International Beer Festival held in late August.

Guangzhou celebrates the same festivals that are common throughout the rest of China, including:

• Chinese New Year or Spring Festival.
• Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival.

Weather

Qingdao's climate is monsoon-like, with cold and windy winters (December to February). Temperates can go as low as -3 °C. Summer is generally hot and humid but cooled from the sea. It does not experience as high a summer as some parts of China.

The hotest and best time to swim is in July and August, although cold weather does not stop the local population from taking a dip in very cold temperatures.

Getting There

By Plane

Flights from Liuting International Airport go frequently to many Chinese cities, including Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai. There are also international services to Seoul, Osaka and Fukuoka. It takes 30 minutes by taxi to reach the airport.

By Train

All trains from Qingdao go through Jinan, except the direct Qīngdao to Yantai and Weihai trains. There are two trains a day to Yantai (4 hours), several to Weihai (5 hours) and regular services to Jinan (5 hours). There are two express trains daily to Beijing (10 hours), and trains to Shanghai (15 hours), Tai’an (five hours) and Zhengzhou.

By Car

By Bus

There are buses departing for Weihai (every 20 minutes), Yantai (every 15 minutes) and Jinan (every 50 minutes), all of them from the early morning until late afternoon/early evening. There are also daily buses to Beijing (13 hours), Hangzhou (20 hours), Hefei, and Shanghai (18 hours, 2 departurers daily).

By Boat

Weidong travels between Incheon and Gunsun in South Korea and Qingdao, taking around 16 hours. There are also boats with Orient Ferry to Shimonoseki in Japan, taking around 36 hours. Boats to Dalian leave from Yantai or Weihai, which have frequent bus and train connections (see above).

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

The coast is a lovely place to walk and there are paths hugging the coast line.

By Bike

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

There are plenty of opportunities to teach English in schools and universities.

Learn

Keep Connected

Internet

There are many internet cafes to be found where many of the local people play computer games. Internet typically costs RMB1-5 per hour.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

SIM cards can be cheaply from one of the many mobile phone outlets in the city. Some carriers incur a roaming fee if used outside of Shandong province and should be aware before making calls (although rates are still cheap by western standards).

Post

The cheapest way to send letters or packages abroad are by one of the many China Posts. The maximum weight they can ship is 30kg. If sending abroad, remember to include the destination country in Chinese characters or it may not be delivered.