Qinhuangdao travel guide

Qinhuangdao sits on the key route linking North China with the Northeast, and it is very well connected by land, sea, and air. It has road, rail, and air links with cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Shenyang, and Qinhuangdao Port is a valuable ice-free harbour in northern China.

Driving from Beijing, you can reach Qinhuangdao directly via the Jingshen Expressway.

1. Many summer holiday special trains now run to Beidaihe and Qinhuangdao.

2. To visit Shanhaiguan, you can take a train. It is 312 km from Beijing, and more than a dozen fast trains a day stop there.

3. From Beijing, Tianjin, or Shenyang, a high-speed train to Qinhuangdao takes about 2 hours. From Harbin or Taiyuan, it takes only about 6 hours.

It's best to bring your ID card to Beidaihe, as the area has strict management.

2. Mengjiangnü Temple: This site, which holds a thousand-year-old legend, is right next to Shanhaiguan. If you don't know the background, the statue of the woman with a face full of sorrow may disappoint you.

Qinhuangdao Beidaihe Airport is 47 km from the city centre. It currently has five routes to six cities, including Shanghai, Harbin, Chengdu, Shijiazhuang, Chongqing, and Guangzhou.

Qinhuangdao has three main railway stations: Qinhuangdao Station, Shanhaiguan Station, and Beidaihe Station. Trains heading to North China (Beijing and Tianjin) all depart from Qinhuangdao Station, while trains heading to the Northeast (Shenyang) all depart from Shanhaiguan Station. Short-distance trains from Qinhuangdao to Beijing all pass through Beidaihe Station.

Long-distance coaches run daily from Qinhuangdao to nearby cities. Beidaihe Seaside Long-Distance Bus Station has services to Beijing, Tianjin, Chengde, Shijiazhuang, and other destinations. Shanhaiguan is 17 km from Qinhuangdao and 30 km from Beidaihe, and buses run between these places. Bus No. 34 runs between Qinhuangdao and Beidaihe.

Buses and dedicated sightseeing shuttles run between the main attractions in Qinhuangdao, and taxis are also convenient.

As a seaside travel city, Qinhuangdao's signature food is naturally seafood. In Beidaihe, the small restaurants lining Laohushi Beach (Tiger Rock Beach) are everywhere. Fresh catches, still alive, are displayed at the entrance. Pick what you like, hand it over to the kitchen, and it will be ready shortly, at reasonable prices.

At this popular summer resort and sightseeing destination, agree on the price before you eat, especially seafood. The same goes for other shopping.

1. The park has Chinese restaurants, barbecue stalls, and bars, and it offers wooden cabins and tents for overnight stays.

2. The nightclubs here are very good and suit young travellers well.

3. If you visit in summer, you can join the free bonfire party. There are also beer salons, sea fishing, a floating seafood food court, and other activities.

1. For fish, clear, non-cloudy eyes and gills that lie tight against the body indicate freshness. Shrimp shells should cling closely to the flesh. The outer shells of crabs and bivalves should be glossy, and their limbs firm and springy. Squid and octopus should have glossy skin and clear markings.

2. When you press a fish, the flesh should feel firm and spring back, and the surface should be free of slime.

3. Sniff it. If it has the distinct, fresh aroma of fish or shrimp, it's fresh.

Crab roe fish rice, steamed jiaji fish, stir-fried shredded shrimp with three peppers, stir-fried conch in its own juice, deep-fried crab, embroidered-ball scallops, stir-fried mantis shrimp in soy bean paste, pan-grilled prawns, and braised chestnut fish in red sauce.

If you want to eat seafood in Beidaihe, you can buy it yourself at the largest local seafood market. The small restaurants around the market will prepare it for you.

Summer weekend accommodation prices are driven up very high. The only solutions are to avoid peak periods or to book rooms in advance.

Beidaihe has many family-run inns and guesthouses, ranging from boutique options to budget-friendly ones. Priced at ¥100–200, the rooms are clean and comfortable, offering excellent value for money.

Nandaihe and Beidaihe offer a wide range of accommodation, including villas, hotels, guesthouses, sanatoriums and family inns, with prices to suit different budgets. If you stay in Beidaihe, we strongly recommend a sanatorium or guesthouse. The buildings are older and facilities may be more basic, but they usually have quiet gardens and sometimes private beach access.

Taxis in Chengde often do not use their meters, so be sure to agree on a price before you get in.

1. Near the southeast gate of Lianfeng Mountain Park, there is a hub for small commodities.

2. A newly built shopping area near the sand-sliding ground at the Nandaihe Amusement Centre offers a similar experience.

3. Prices vary widely between stalls, so compare both quality and price before you buy.

4. Shitang Road Market in Beidaihe is a seafood wholesale market that also sells retail goods. Many stalls sell pearl and shell ornaments, and you can find good-quality seafood. Be prepared to bargain hard.

Most of the handicrafts here are necklaces and pearl pendants made from seafood. However, many are not local handicrafts, so check carefully before you buy.

In this bustling tourist city, most nightlife is concentrated in Beidaihe, known as the “Seaside City That Never Sleeps”. There is plenty to do after dark, so your evenings won’t feel dull.