Qingdao
From World travel guide
Qingdao 青岛 (also Tsingtao), with a population of more than 7 million, is one of the most beautiful and clean cities in the People's Republic of China and the largest city in Shandong Province.
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Get in
By boat
There are also twice-weekly connections to Shimonoseki, Japan on Orient Ferries ([1]). The trip takes over 24 hours and 2nd class one-way costs 1200Y.
Get around
TAXI Take one of the plentiful taxis. The drivers practically run each other over trying to get fares. Just 7 RMB for short haul. You can get across town for about 30 RMB.
BUS The bus network is quite well put together and useful once you figure out the routes.
CYCLING Cycling can be a little tough because the western, older part of the town is quite hilly and curvy. Things are cool on the east side, just be super vigilant, traffic is very luan (chaotic).
See
Tsingtao brewery. In parts this sight is to enhance the profile of the brewery but there are also some interesting exibhits and the bottling plant is particularly interesting. Of course the ample free samples of beer are likely to persuade you this place is worth a visit.
Do
Swim in the Yellow Sea at one of Qingdao's many beaches. It is very enjoyable during a flood tide, but during an ebb tide be wary of the abundant litter at the heavily trafficked beaches. At some places going to the beach costs a small fee. Having paid it you will have acces to a shower and other useful facilities.
You can find bathing beaches all along the seaside from the Zhanqiao Pier to the Shilaoren Beach in the eastern suburbs. The best one is just at the entrance to Laoshan National Park, about a 30 minute drive east of the city limits.
Number 6 (or Muscle Beach) is not very clean. Number 1 beach is clean and full of amusement for children but often crowded. Accessing quiet beach number 2 necessitate a small fee (2 RMB). Number 3 (or City Beach) has a "plastic island" so you can swim far away and have a rest before coming back (but it is sometimes exhausting to swim in the waves). The best beach within easy striking distance of the city is Shilaoren (Old Stone Man). It's cleanish, very long and broad. Get there by bus 125 or 321. And get some great Indian food at Trend 11 once you've had enough of a slat water soaking.
Walk along the sea front in the evening from beach 2 back into town to 6.
Buy
There are three main ares for buying stuff. The best is Taidong Buxingjie (Taidong Pedestrian Street). Very 'renao' (bustling), especially at night when the peddlers come out and you can buy all manner of trinkets, clothing, household wares, etc... Just north of here are a bunch of north/south streets lined with brothels pretending to be beauty salons.
To provision yourself, head out to the Carrefour / Jusco / Book City section of town where Hong Kong Middle Road and Nanjing Road intersect.
And don't miss Jimo Lu retail market. A warren of tiny mostly clothing shops. Get your knock of Gucci, Prada, Louis Vitton here. But don't drop your cigarette. The place is a tinderbox with no clearly marked emergency exits.
Avoid Zhingshan Road near the pier. It's over-rated.
Eat
There are the usual fast food chains around the station as well a Chinese eateries along the main shopping road(name ?). Sushi was spotted along this road also.
Drink
Tsingtao is China's best-known brand of beer. The brewery was founded by Germans during colonial times and still today brews according to the German purity law. Every August there is a beer festival. Many European breweries participate.
Sleep
Get out
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