# Qinhuangdao travel guide (秦皇岛) Hebei Province · North China, China · 10 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/hebei/qinhuangdao ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Laolongtou (Old Dragon's Head) → Shanhaiguan Pass → Yansai Lake - **Day 2:** Beidaihe: Xin'ao Undersea World (or Qinhuangdao Wildlife Park) → Guailou Qiyuan → Pigeon's Nest Park → Biluota Bar Park - **Day 3:** Lianfeng Mountain → Laohushi Park → Nandaihe ## The feel of the place - **Fresh Air:** Qinhuangdao is known as "the most liveable place for people." The fresh air and lush greenery are noticeable as soon as you step off the train, and in Beidaihe especially, you'll feel your breathing ease. You'll find yourself wanting to take a few extra deep breaths. - **Strong commercial instincts:** Anyone who has visited here will be struck by how commercially minded the locals are. Setting aside entrance tickets, you may have to pay for left-luggage storage, changing rooms, and even taking photos at some sights. Touts posing as "guides" and "drivers" crowd the entrances to many attractions, and they can be hard to get rid of. ## The feel of the place ### Getting to the Sights 1. From the city centre (near Taiyang Sun City), take bus No. 33 and get off at the "Diyiguan (First Pass)" stop, where you can see the Shanhaiguan city walls. Bus No. 25, which departs from Sidaoqiao Bus Station (四道桥汽车站) in Qinhuangdao, runs along the coast from the city proper to the Laolongtou (Old Dragon Head) scenic area in Shanhaiguan. 2. Bus No. 34 goes to Beidaihe Bus Station. Bus No. 5 runs from Haibin Bus Station to Beidaihe Railway Station, and bus No. 22, which departs from Beidaihe Railway Station, goes toward Nandaihe. 3. From Beidaihe Railway Station, take bus No. 6 to the Qinhuangdao city centre. 4. Taxis in Qinhuangdao start at ¥7. ### Relaxed and Budget-Friendly Ways to Travel 1. Avoid weekends if you're visiting Qinhuangdao in summer. Sights are overrun with visitors, buses are very crowded, and hotel room rates soar. 2. If you're travelling as a family of three, consider booking a taxi in advance for your own use. It's convenient and can save money. ### Preparation and Advice ### Language Mandarin is widely spoken. ### Climate and Travel Seasons The best time to visit Beidaihe is May to October. For other Qinhuangdao sights, June to August is best. However, for a birdwatching trip, the best times are the spring and autumn bird migration seasons: mid-March to late May, and early September to mid-November. ## Getting there & around ### Arriving and Departing 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. ### Getting to Qinhuangdao by Train 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. ### Bring Your ID It's best to bring your ID card to Beidaihe, as the area has strict management. - tip: 1. Don't stay in Shanhaiguan: its accommodation capacity is limited. For visiting Shanhaiguan, it's better to stay in Qinhuangdao city or Beidaihe. 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. ### By Air 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. ### By Rail 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. ### By Road 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. ### Getting Around the City Buses and dedicated sightseeing shuttles run between the main attractions in Qinhuangdao, and taxis are also convenient. - **Railway and Air Ticket Office** — - **Airport** — - **Qinhuangdao Long-Distance Bus Station** — ## Eat & drink 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. ### Don't Forget to Bargain At this popular summer resort and sightseeing destination, agree on the price before you eat, especially seafood. The same goes for other shopping. ### Biluota Bar Park 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. ### How to Choose Fresh Seafood 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. ### Qinhuangdao's Signature Seafood Dishes 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. ### Buying Seafood Yourself 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. ### Hotel Rates Soar in Peak Season Summer weekend accommodation prices are driven up very high. The only solutions are to avoid peak periods or to book rooms in advance. ### Good Guesthouses 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. ## Shopping 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. ### Recommended Restaurant 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. - **Pinxiaojie** — You can pick your seafood yourself from the tanks by the entrance. Prices are clearly marked and portions are generous. The chefs are especially good at preparing seafood braised or stir-fried with scallion and ginger. (155 Youyi Road, 0335-3964386) - **Haitian Yise Seafood Restaurant** — Clean, attractive and delicious seafood is a given, but the best part is the location. It sits right by the sea, so you can hear the waves while you eat, which adds to the atmosphere. (51 Dongshan Street, Qinhuangdao, 0335-3408888) - **Lao Luoyang Beef Soup** — There are queues in the morning and at lunchtime because it gets crowded. In the evening, go early, or it may sell out. (Ground floor, Yuanyang Haiyi Shijia, 300 West Section of Hebei Avenue, Jinding Street, 13930381589) ## Nightlife 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. ## Where to stay 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. ### Taxi meters in Chengde are just for show Taxis in Chengde often do not use their meters, so be sure to agree on a price before you get in. - **Xuanhe Hotel Beidaihe** — It takes just 3 minutes on foot to reach Laohushi Beach. (4 Haining Road, Beidaihe, 15133500819) - **Bihai Lantian Resort** — Located on the seafront at Nandaihe, the resort has a private beach and distinctive wooden cabin villas. (Nandaihe Second Tourism Development Zone, 13463390123) - **Chengde Urban Passenger Transport Office Complaints** — ## Things to see - **Shanhaiguan Pass** (★★★): Admission ¥50 for Shanhaiguan Pass (First Pass Under Heaven); ¥130 combined scenic-area ticket (includes First Pass Under Heaven, Bell and Drum Towers, Wangyang Tower, Yingen Gate Tower, Wangjia Courtyard, Laolongtou and the old town sightseeing shuttle); Opening hours Open all day; Time needed 4–6 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shanhaiguan-pass - **Laolongtou (Old Dragon's Head)** (★★★): Admission ¥60; Opening hours 8:00–17:30 (April–October); 8:00–17:00 (November–March); Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/laolongtou-old-dragon-s-head - **Beidaihe** (★★★): Admission Free (beaches are free; some attractions charge separately); Opening hours Open all day; Time needed 2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/beidaihe - **Aranya** (★★★★): Admission Free (the community requires advance reservation, or entry with a hotel stay/ticket purchase); Opening hours Open all day; Time needed 1–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/aranya - **Pigeon Nest and Tiger Rock Park** (★★★★): Admission Pigeon Nest: ¥35; Tiger Rock Park: free admission; Opening hours Pigeon Nest: 5:40–17:30; Tiger Rock Park: 8:00–18:00 — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/pigeon-nest-and-tiger-rock-park - **Xianluo Island** (★★★): Admission ¥60; activities within the island are charged separately; Opening hours 8：00—16：30; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xianluo-island - **Nandaihe** (★★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours Open all day; Time needed 0.5-1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/nandaihe - **Biluota Bar Park** (★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours November 2026, 05:00-17:00 (varies by season); Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/biluota-bar-park - **Qinhuangdao Wildlife Park** (★★★★): Admission ¥45 (December–March); ¥90 (April–November); self-drive vehicle tickets: ¥50 (up to 7 seats, including 7 seats), ¥100 (8–19 seats), ¥150 (20 seats or more, including 20 seats); Opening hours 8:30–17:00; last entry at 15:30; Time needed 4–6 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qinhuangdao-wildlife-park - **Lianfeng Mountain** (★★★): Admission Peak season (March–November): ¥25; off-season (December–February): ¥5; free for local residents; ¥160; ¥80; cable car: ¥78 one way, ¥130 round trip; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1–3 hours; 3–6 hours; 1–2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/lianfeng-mountain --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1768–1781. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.