The best way to spend your summer in Qingdao

If you’re looking for a place that has both sunshine and beaches, the coastal city of Qingdao in China’s Shandong Province is a good choice.

Located on China’s eastern coast, Qingdao’s beer bears much of the reputation of the city itself. The Qingdao Beer Festival held each August is the largest beer event both in China and Asia.

At the southeastern part of the Shandong Peninsula, Qingdao is right at the front of the Free Zone of China-Japan-South Korea, making it the most important hub for international business.

Qingdao shares the same latitude as Japan’s Tokyo and enjoys a temperate monsoon climate. Its average temperatures in summer hit 24 ℃ and just above zero in the winter. Its comfortable temperature makes it the best destination to escape the summer heat.

The Eight Great Passes, 4.3 kilometers to the east of the city’s railway station, is a must-see scenic spot of a diverse variety of trees and architecture with combined characteristics of both Chinese and western styles.

A German-style town in Mangrove Tree Resort in Qingdao, Shandong Province. [Photo provided to Discover China]

For a high-end and comprehensive place to spend your vacation, especially for a family relaxing, the city has the largest vocational resort of the country – Mangrove Tree Resort in the city’s west coast. The 800-thousand square meter resort provides a total of 4,000 rooms, offering the largest children’s park of the city covering 4,000 square meters, more than 100 restaurants of flavors from around the worlds, 12,000-square meters of outlets, a cinema, a German-style town and a gym center. You’ll also be astonished by the noodle restaurant with only robot server. In addition, its 6,000-square meter water park demonstrates the best of the coastal city.

Children’s park in Mangrove Tree Resort in Qingdao, Shandong Province. [Photo provided to Discover China]

For outdoor activities, a one-day tour to the Laoshan Mountain is recommended. With its main peak at an altitude of 1,132.7 meters, Laoshan Moutain takes the lead among others at China’s coastlines.

Zhanqiao Pier located on the side of Qingdao Bay is a 50-meter long strip pier stretching into the sea, which was initially constructed in 1892. It was the first man-made military loading pier in the city and currently serves as a landmark building and tourist attraction in Qingdao.