Dalian

Northern China's largest port faces the Yellow Sea and, despite extensive shipbuilding and industrial enterprises, is rated one of China's greenest cities. Chinese tourists flock here, attracted by the beaches, wide avenues, natural scenery and spacious parks. Russian and Japanese colonizations have left the city of six million with a rich architectural legacy, especially visible today on Russian Street. Xinghai Square, Asia's largest, is filled with modern shops and cafes. Among the many passable swimming beaches, Xinghai is the most crowded and Bangchuidao the most upscale. Binhai Road connects 22 miles of beaches along spectacular ...

Northern China's largest port faces the Yellow Sea and, despite extensive shipbuilding and industrial enterprises, is rated one of China's greenest cities. Chinese tourists flock here, attracted by the beaches, wide avenues, natural scenery and spacious parks. Russian and Japanese colonizations have left the city of six million with a rich architectural legacy, especially visible today on Russian Street. Xinghai Square, Asia's largest, is filled with modern shops and cafes. Among the many passable swimming beaches, Xinghai is the most crowded and Bangchuidao the most upscale. Binhai Road connects 22 miles of beaches along spectacular overlooks. Golden Pebble Beach, 30 miles northeast of the city, has plenty of upscale resorts and theme parks. In fact, Dalian is theme park city, renowned for Sun Asia Ocean World, Forest Zoo with its pandas, and the new Polar Region Zoo with its dolphin shows. Outside of Dalian, the Big Black Mountain area is dotted with temples, foremost of which is Xiangshui Temple, built around a cavern with waterfalls inside. Hikers and rafters go farther north to scenic Bingyu Valley, northeast China's Guilin.

About the Expert

J.D. Brown is a contributor to Frommer's China and Frommer's Beijing, coauthor of Frommer's China: The 50 Most Memorable Trips, Berlitz Shanghai, Berlitz Singapore, and other books.