Qingdao Sightseeing

The Eight Passes Villas Scenic Area is so named because eight of the roads here are named after China's most famous passes. The area features Russian, English, French, German, and Danish constructions which are now mostly either large scale guesthouses or sanitariums. With its colonial, predominantly German, historically Qingdao contains the architecture of many different European styles.

Outside of the old German Concession, north of the railway station, most of this history is displayed in Badaguan, also known as the Huiquan area. The area of the Eight Passes Villas is very pleasant; each pass has its own tree species. The Princess Building and the Huashi Building are open to the public in the daytime. The Huashi Building was home to the president of Kuomintang, Chiang Kai-shek. The Gothic-style Princess Building is located at No. 10, Juyongguan Road; Eight Passes Villas Scenic Area has become a popular background for wedding photos.

Built in 1930, Huashi Villa was originally a villa of a Russian aristocrat and later sold to a British businessman. After liberation, the building was used for a reception facility. The building is one of the famous landscapes in the Eight Passes villa district for its unique appearance. Located near Beach No. 2, the mixture of Roman and Greek architectural styles make the villa resemble a miniature castle planted into China.

Address: No. 18 Huanghai Road (at Shanhaiguan Road), Shinan District, Qingdao
Tel: (86532) 8387-2168

Facing the Yellow Sea, Mount Laoshan is located to the east of Qingdao. The tall and majestic Mount Laoshan is famous for its marvelous mountainous scenery and coastal landscape. It also holds significant importance in Taoism. Spending one or two days climbing Mount Laoshan will enrich your trip to Qingdao. The best season to climb is from May to October. Mount Laoshan is the most recognized mountain of all mountains on the coast of China. Thus it is a must to see when traveling in Qingdao as this famous mountain caters well for all tourists. Three lines, Liuqing, Taiqing, and Yangkou lead the visitors to 220 scenic spots including historical and natural points of interest.

The Small Qingdao Island lies to the southeast of Zhan Bridge in Qingdao Bay, and is an important resort of the Qingdao Coastal Scenic Area. It is a great place to enjoy ocean views and to soak up an island atmosphere.

The island is famous for its unspoiled natural scenery, which includes steep rocky outcrops, and a variety of trees, such as cherries, pomegranates and hibiscus. Visitors can either walk along the coastline to enjoy the gentle ocean breeze, or sit on the beach to watch and the gentle waves roll in. There are also statues and pavilions that can be viewed at various locations. This all makes for a delightful island to visit.

Another famous island attraction that adds to the glamour of Small Qingdao Island is the 'beacon'. It was built by the Germans in 1900 and stands 15.5 meters (51 feet) tall. It is built in the shape of an octagon and constructed from white marble. In the sunlight, the tower shines as white as snow while at night the light at the top sparkles like a ruby, guiding ships safely into the bay. When viewed from the sea, the beacon's light flickers and appears to be floating on the waves. The local people consider it to be one of the ten top scenes of Qingdao and call this view 'Floating Light on the Qing Island'.

TianHou Palace has the longest history in the urban area.  This temple was first built in the Ming Dynasty (1467 AD). Its original name was Tianfei Temple, and was later changed to Tianhou. With a stage in the front and bell & drum towers on both sides, this temple is also used as Qingdao's Folk Customs Museum.

Address: No. 19 Taiping Road, Shinan District, Qingdao
Tel: (86532) 8287-7656

Mostvisitors heading to Qingdao would have heard of the beer. The brewery has some interesting exhibits and the bottling plant definitely peaks hop drinkers with brewing details. Of course the free samples are abundant and are likely to lure visitors.

Address: No. 56 Dengzhou Road (east of Chushuishan Children's Park), Shibei District, Qingdao
Tel: (86532) 8383-3437
Opening Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

May Fourth Square (Wusi Guangchang) is a large public square in Qingdao's central business district. It is located between the new municipal government building and Fushan Bay and is composed of Shizhengting Square, the central square and the coastal park. Named after the nationwide protest movement that started in Qingdao, the square is best recognized by the large "May Wind" (Wuyue Feng) sculpture near the seaside. The square is a popular tourist destination, and is bordered by the city government to the north, the sea to the south, and residential and commercial buildings on either side. On pleasant days May Fourth Square fills with young couples on the ground and kites in the air.

There are altogether 6 beaches in the Qingdao area and for varying reasons all are worth a visit.

The No. 1 beach (Diyi yuchang) located at Huiquan Bay, is famous for soft sands, limpid seawater and mild waves. The beach has some interesting features: a view of the distant Huiquan cape, with the waves lapping its red reefs, the nearby Luxun park, with its shade-providing pines and cypresses, and its weird, round changing huts. It is the longest of the beaches, around 580 meters long.

For the more claustrophobic, No. 2 (Dier yuchang) and No. 3 (Disan yuchang) Beaches are probably a safer option; they are smaller, but less crowded. The No. 3 beach is filled with lovers and kite flyers. At the eastern end of the beach, on the hill, is the Huashi Lou, a former German governor's residence built in 1905, with fantastic architecture and decent views of the surrounding area.

The No. 6 Beach (Diliu yuchang) is mainly rock pools and dirty grayish sand. In the early morning the beach is filled with an abundance of sword wielding Tai Chi practitioners, joggers and fishermen.

For a secluded beach experience, head for the golden sands of Yellow Island (Huangdao) . After a high speed ferry, (about 20 minutes), and a longer public bus (or shorter minibus) ride, you will arrive at the Long GoldenGbeach (Jinsha Haitan) in Huangdao. Initial impressions can be misleading, as the entrance to the beach is filled with stalls and broken English vendors, but it is easy to get away from this. You will need a good day to fully appreciate this trip. The ferry leaves from the local ferry terminal (Qingdao lunduzhan) on the western side of Qingdao (down the road from the Friendship Hotel).

Qingdao is host to China's first public aquarium, opened in 1932. Today the Underwater World Museum consists of four main areas on both sides of the street, and connected underneath the street itself.One highlight is the moving platform that takes visitors in a tunnel through the aquarium itself - one can look all around and see fish from every angle. Also, don't miss the ever-popular mermaid shows. Located next to the No. 1 beach, a day at the aquarium and a late afternoon at the beach make for a great summer day.

Address: No. 1 Laiyang Road, Shinan District, Qingdao
Tel: (86532) 8287-8218
Opening Hours: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm (May 1 - Oct.31); 8:30 am - 5:00 pm (Nov.1 - Apr.1)

While the three red balls adorning the top of Signal Hill (Xinhao Shan) are charming to behold from afar, a visit to the park itself provides an opportunity to view remarkable vistas of West Qingdao's classical landmarks from the comfort of a revolving platform. First used by the Germans in 1897 for radio communications, Signal Hill now features several scenic pavilions, gift shops, and a tea house tucked among its prominent architectural curiosities. From the highest point in the old city (98 meters), one will learn to appreciate Qingdao's designation as "the city of red roofs, green trees, blue sea, and azure sky."

Address: No. 17 Qidong Road, 18 Longshan Road, Qingdao

ZhanBridge is one of the important symbols of Qingdao. Overlooking the lighthouse on Small Qingdao Island (Xiao Qing Dao), the 440 meters long pier reaches into Qingdao Bay; and at the end there is the traditional two story Huilan Pavilion. In 1999 it was set up into a park. To the west is the No. 6 beach.

Anyone who has been to Qingdao, or checked their beer labels, will not fail to recall Zhanqiao Pier, the symbol of this city. This is an obvious destination for anyone wishing to complete their Qingdao experience.

The views from here contrast sharply with the towering modern buildings looking down upon the old German Concession area, with its church peaks and parks, and with its red clay tiles interrupted by dark green pines. At full tide, the billowy surf rolls against the beach, the breakers sending up a fountain of spray. With the ebbing of the tide, the brown coral reefs and yellow sand emerge. This is a great time for tourists and locals to gather conches and other seashells.

Address: Off Taiping Road, in the Tuandao Bay, Qingdao
Opening Hours: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm (peak season); 8:00 am - 5:30 pm (low season)

The Zhanshan Temple was built in 1945 and is situated at the foot of Zhanshan Hill and to the east of Taiping Hill,. It has five halls and a pagoda, with an area of 20,000 square meters. The temple boasts a large collection of skillfully carved statues of Buddha and Buddhist scriptures. There are tens of thousands of people at Zhanshan Temple from April 8 to 10 on the lunar calendar every year.

Address: No. 2 Zhiquan Road, Shinan District, Qingdao
Tel: (86532) 8386-2038
Opening Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Zhongshan Park, nicknamed as "Dongyuan Flower Sea", has many of its scenes named after flowers and plants such as Oriental Cherry Road, Plum Blossom Road, Chinese Herbaceous Peony Garden, and Osmanthus Flower Garden as well as other tourists sights like Little West Lake.  The 500 meter long Oriental Cherry Corridor is a famous scenic spot featuring 20,000 Japanese cherry trees. Every April and May, a Cherry Festival attracts thousands of admirers to view the delicate pink blossoms.

Address: No. 28 Wendeng Road, Shinan District, Qingdao
Tel: (86532) 8287-0564
Opening Hours: 6:00 am - 6:00 pm


NOTE: Although this information is correct at the time of our web publication, it is still advised that you call the phone number and confirm the address before going to the venue because some venues may have changed their telephone numbers or address locations.