# Weihai travel guide (威海) Shandong Province · East China, China · 11 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/shandong/weihai ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Liugong Island → Chengshantou (Hailv Island) - **Day 2:** Chengshantou (Cape Chengshan) → Shendiaoshan Wildlife Kingdom → Swan Lake → Rongcheng City - **Day 3:** Rongcheng City → Shidao Chishan Mountain → Rushan Yinsha Beach (overnight) - **Day 4:** Rushan Yinsha Beach → Weihai → Huaxia City ## The feel of the place - **Seaside Town:** If you simply want to stroll through a quiet small town, if you don't mind whether it has famous sights or historic relics, if you don't mind hilly streets, and if you prefer the seaside, then Weihai, this seaside town, is an excellent choice. - **Garden City:** Rather than calling Weihai a seaside city, it is more accurate to call it a “garden.” Flowers, green trees, sea breezes and distinctive architecture make walking through this town feel like strolling through a garden, leaving you refreshed. Its air quality, water quality and machinery noise levels all meet national standards. It was China's first “National Hygienic City” and is also a “National Garden City” and a “National Model City for Environmental Protection.” It seems the media's description of Weihai as “the most liveable city in the world” is no exaggeration. - **Korean Flair:** Weihai lies across the sea from South Korea, and “Korean style” is everywhere, with many imported Korean clothes and cosmetics on sale, so you may forget where you are. Fortunately, everyone speaks Chinese. ## The feel of the place ### Preparation and Advice ### Language Mandarin is the common language here. ### Climate and Travel Season Summer is the most suitable season in Weihai for escaping the heat and relaxing. Weihai has distinct seasons and a pleasant climate, but being on the coastline, it is occasionally hit by natural hazards such as waterlogging, hail, low temperatures, prolonged drizzle, heavy rain and typhoons. These events are fairly rare, but if you happen to run into one, it can disrupt your itinerary and dampen your mood, so it is advisable to check the weather forecast before setting out. ### Festivals 1. Wendeng Kunyushan Fair Held in Weihai every year from 20 to 22 May, featuring folk art performances, Quanzhen Taoist roots-seeking tours, calligraphy and stone-inscription study programmes and other activities. 2. Rongcheng International Fishermen's Festival An international folk festival held every July. Fishermen from China, Japan, South Korea and other countries celebrate solemnly in their own countries, each following their people's distinctive customs. ## Getting there & around ### Getting In and Out Weihai now has an integrated three-dimensional transport network linking air, sea, rail and road. ### By Air Weihai Airport has been expanded into a high-standard airport capable of handling large passenger aircraft. Routes operate from Weihai to Beijing, Harbin, Changchun, Guangzhou, Lanzhou, Qingdao, Shanghai, Xi'an and Yanji. Weihai Railway Station has passenger trains to Qingdao, Jinan, Beijing and other cities. The station is quite far from the city centre; take bus K3, 11 or 44 to get there. ### By Road The Qingdao–Weihai and Yantai–Weihai expressways are open to traffic. Every day, over a hundred long-distance buses run to dozens of large, medium and small cities, including Laiyang, Dongcun, Jinan, Yantai, Linyi and Penglai. ### By Sea Weihai Port has four sailings daily to Dalian, taking 7–8 hours, with fares varying by vessel. International ferries to Incheon, South Korea, depart at 17:00 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and at 18:00 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. ### Driving 1. From Beijing: via the Qinbin Expressway and Rongwei Expressway, about 9 hours. 2. From Qingdao: take the Qingwei Expressway to Weihai, 214 km (toll ¥55), about 3 hours. ### City Transport Transport within the city and its suburbs relies mainly on buses, taxis, sightseeing shuttle buses and small passenger boats. ### Buses The city bus network has grown to more than 20 routes, reaching all the major sights and main districts. All city buses are minibuses, with a flat fare of ¥1. City buses in Weihai finish quite early; generally there are no buses after 20:30. ### Transport Tips The Weihai sightseeing bus links the city's main attractions, so you can simply board it and enjoy Weihai's scenery at your own pace. Sightseeing bus tickets are ¥20 per ride; pay when you board, as no change is given based on distance. ### Seafood and Pearls 1. There are many seafood stalls along the coast. The food is fresh, but prices are high and hygiene standards can vary. 2. Pearls are sold on Liugong Island. Vendors won't pressure you to buy, and they will happily explain how to tell real pearls from fake ones. Perhaps this in itself is a form of marketing. ### Taxis Taxi flag-fall fare during the day is ¥8 for the first 2 km; ¥1.8 per km for 2–8 km; ¥2.7 per km beyond 8 km; and ¥3.6 per km beyond 20 km. Fares rise at night. Set Sail - **Weihai International Airport (Wendeng Shuibo Airport)** — (Dashuibo Town, Wendeng District, 40 km from the city centre, 0631-8641172) - **Weihai Railway Station** — - **Weihai North Station** — - **Weihai Bus Terminal** — - **Weihai Port Passenger Terminal Information Desk** — - **Longyan Port International Passenger Terminal Information Desk** — - **Shidao New Port Passenger Terminal Information Desk** — ## Eat & drink Weihai has plenty of restaurants, so you will never struggle to decide what to eat. If you want seafood, it is best to gather fresh catch from the shore yourself, then ask a restaurant to cook it for you for a small processing fee. This guarantees freshness and costs less than ordering the same dishes directly at a restaurant. ### Local snacks - **Qizhen Zhugeng (Seven Treasure Soup)** — A famous Weihai dish. The white broth is made from wild mountain delicacies and has a range of colours, making it an outstanding soup. According to legend, Wang Chongyang, founder of the Quanzhen School of Taoism, arrived at Shengjing Mountain on the southern slope of Kunyu Mountain in 1176 and took seven disciples, who became known as the “Seven Northern Immortals.” Each of the seven favoured a different mountain delicacy. After the tradition spread among ordinary people, locals began cooking all seven delicacies together in one pot. The result was delicious, and the dish became known as “Qizhen Zhugeng” (Seven Treasure Soup). ## Nightlife North of Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai), there is a seaside beach that you reach by walking through a villa area. It is a quiet and beautiful stretch of sand, and it is also worth recommending because there is no admission charge. ## Shopping ### Shopping recommendations - **Sea Urchin** — No shopping trip to Weihai is complete without seafood specialities, and its sea urchin is especially good. Dried sea urchin, known as “dan mao,” is rich in protein, with a delicious, savoury flavour. It is considered an excellent food for people focused on beauty, weight management and cardiovascular health. Sea urchin can be prepared in many ways, such as stir-fried, in soup, or deep-fried, with deep-frying considered the most refined method. Coastal Weihai began farming sea urchin many years ago. Weihai is also famous for its prawns, sea cucumbers, abalone, shellfish and seaweed. - **Korean Town** — Because Weihai is the Chinese city closest to South Korea, Korean goods are easy to find throughout the city. The Sanhai Korean Clothing City and the Korean Brand City (formerly the Commercial Building) at Weihai Tourist Pier are well known across China. Shoppers should not miss these two spots, which offer good-value Korean products. ## Where to stay - **Ziyou Zuo'an Youth Hostel** — Located beside the No. 1 International Seawater Bathing Beach in Weihai, this hostel offers sea views from the window and sandy beaches just outside the door. The rooms are decorated warmly and tastefully. The friendly, straightforward owner, who is from Shandong, is also happy to point you to some unconventional sights! (215 Beihuan Hailu Road, Weihai, 15666883363) ## Things to see - **Chengshantou (Cape Chengshan)** (★★★★): Admission ¥148; Hailu Island ¥120; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chengshantou-cape-chengshan - **Liugong Island Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥122; Time needed 4–6 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/liugong-island-scenic-area - **International Bathing Beach** (★★★★): Time needed 4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/international-bathing-beach - **Rushan Silver Beach Resort** (★★★★): Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/rushan-silver-beach-resort - **Rongcheng Swan Lake** (★★★★): Admission Free admission; Opening hours All day; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/rongcheng-swan-lake - **Shidao Chishan Mountain** (★★★★): Admission ¥135; Opening hours 7：30—17：00; Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shidao-chishan-mountain - **Hailu Island** (★★★★): Admission ¥120; Opening hours 7：30—17：00; Time needed 1–1.5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/hailu-island - **Heqing Pier** (★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 7：30—17：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/heqing-pier ## Day trips & beyond - **★** (★★★): Admission ¥160; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/-weihai - **Jiming Island** (★★★): Admission ¥128 (admission + ferry ticket) — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jiming-island - **Maotou Mountain** (★★★): Admission North of Huanhai Road, Suniantuan Town; Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/maotou-mountain --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1386–1400. 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.