Dalian

Understand

Dalian, as a city, is young by Chinese standards, dating from 1898, though smaller settlements had long existed in the area. Like Hong Kong, Shanghai and Qingdao, Dalian's development stemmed from colonial occupation, in this case by Russia. Under Russian rule Dalian, or Dalny as it was known, became the southern tip of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the main port of the eastern Russian Empire. Following the Russian defeat in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904–5, the city was transferred to Japanese control and renamed Dairen. The Soviet Union took the city back from Japan following the defeat of the latter in World War II in 1945, before handing it over to the newly formed Communist regime in 1950 (though the city was jointly run with the Soviet Union until 1955), who renamed it to Luda City. There followed a period of relative stagnation until the city (once again named Dalian) was opened up to foreign investment in 1984. This sparked the first period of redevelopment of the city, the second period coming with the appointment of Bo Xilai as mayor. Under Bo's stewardship, the city became a model example of redevelopment, with extensive redevelopment of its infrastructure and open spaces and a new focus on tourism and commerce and away from heavy industry. Dalian is less reliant on heavy industry than its Northeast counterparts, and its heavy industry there is mostly relegated to the development zone far outside the city center. This, combined with the city's many parks and green hills, wide thoroughfares and army of street cleaners, makes Dalian a more pleasant city to visit and live in than most Chinese cities of comparable size. Though most of the tourist industry in the city is targeted at the domestic, rather than the international market, overseas tourists should still find enjoyment in the city. The large number of foreign businesses in the city and foreign students and teachers at the city's many universities ensure that there are plenty of companies (from upmarket hotels to bars and coffee houses) which cater to those who do not call China their native home. The city has a population of around 6,000,000. Dalian is perhaps most abuzz when it hosts the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the Champions (summer Davos).

When to go

The city is best visited in spring, when Dalian begins to shed its drab winter coat and cherries begin to appear on the trees, waiting to be plucked. Autumn is also very enjoyable, mainly because the temperatures are a tad cooler and the humidity is far less evident. During the summer school holidays (early July-late

Getting there

By plane 1 Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport (大连周水子国际机场 Dàlián Zhōushuǐzǐ Guójìjīchǎng DLC IATA), ☏ +86 411 8665 2071. to the north-west of the city center, offers direct domestic flights to Beijing, Changchun, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Guiyang, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hefei, Hohhot, Jinan, Kunming, Linyi, Mudanjiang, Nanjing, Nanning, Ningbo, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, Tianjin, Weihai, Wuhan, Xi'an, Xiamen, and Yantai. International destinations include Busan, Fukuoka, Hong Kong, Khabarovsk, Osaka, Pyongyang, Sapporo, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo, and Vladivostok. Although busy at times, the airport is fairly easy to manage, having only one terminal and a very simple layout. International check-in takes place on the west end of the building. The airport is served directly by Dalian metro line 2, which connects to Zhongshan Square and the harbor. A regular airport bus also departs after every flight lands and runs to the main train station (it also stops at the smaller Shahekou train station so be careful not to get off too soon), and to Renmin Lu. If you take a taxi instead, be sure to hail one from the official taxi queue on the east side (ground level), just a few feet from any of the glass doors on the ground floor. Failing to use one of these could prove problematic (unless venturing further outside of the downtown area, where most drivers waiting in the queue will resist driving to). Tickets for outbound flights can be booked in advance from the airport ticket office on Zhongshan Lu, just opposite Xiwang Square.

By train 2 Dalian Railway Station (大连火车站; Dàlián Huǒchēzhàn), 259 Changjiang Road, Zhongshan District (中山区长江路259号) (N of Victory Square; a metro station of the same name can be found on the north side of the station), ☏ +86 411 8260 3331. Direct trains serve most cities in Dongbei as well as Beijing. Daily express trains also run to Shenyang. High speed trains are available from Dalian Railway Station and Dalian North Train Station. D Trains (High Speed Rail) operate between Dalian, Shenyang and Harbin on a regular basis from both stations but Dalian Railway Station also operates D trains to Beijing. Tickets can be booked up to ten days in advance from the station, though this requires a degree of Chinese proficiency (or access to someone with Chinese proficiency). Local travel agents and major hotels should also be able to book tickets in advance, often further than is possible from the station (for an extra charge). For further details on train travel in China, including details on the various class

Getting around

By taxi Taxis are plentiful in Dalian and flagging one down is rarely a problem except in the more remote parts of the city (where high car ownership exists or large numbers of those who would have trouble paying a taxi fare)--or in rush hour. Rates start at ¥10 (¥13 after 22:00) for the first 3 km and ¥2 for each additional kilometre. For idle time, tack on ¥0.3/minute. Round all taxi fares to the nearest whole number as drivers do not accept any coinage less than ¥1 (e.g., ¥11.60 would round up to ¥12). Drivers range in mood, some acting quite gruff and excessively aggressive while some are keenly interested in where you originate from or other small talk. On the good side, they are less likely to take needlessly long routes compared to other tourist cities in China as Dalian is a relatively small city with a limited number of major highways and thoroughfares. Drivers don't understand basic English, so be prepared ahead of time to ensure accurate drop-off. If a driver is looking to pick up additional passengers along your route, encourage him or her to keep on driving unless you're comfortable with what might ensue. Especially during rush hour, when taxis are heavily sought after, it's quite common for drivers to pick up additional passengers if heading in the same direction as those in the taxi. As anywhere in China, during bad weather (e.g., heavy rain, snow, etc.), some taxi drivers may decide to go off the meter (illegal but not enforced) or only accept far-away destinations. Plan your trip beforehand if there's bad weather. The city has a lot of illegal taxis, both drivers and vehicles (even vehicles that are painted and have meters may be operating illegally). These drivers may be hesitant to go on routes which might be more heavily patrolled. The driver may use the meter, thus charging you an accurate fare, but they will often avoid giving a receipt. The best way to avoid running into any issues is to use taxis which have a blue or white light on top of the car: this is the highest colour ratings afforded to a Dalian taxi driver. Conversely, yellow is the lowest rating while all other coloured-lights are somewhere in between. Many taxi drivers smoke and play their radios, and you can tell them to stop smoking or turn the radio off. Some may also hesitate to start the meter so be sure you let them know to start it if you think they've forgotten or up to their tricks. Few use the air conditioner in the summer, except for perhaps during the hottest parts of day. The nicest thing about the taxis and size of Dalian is that ¥20 can go a long ways in

See

Squares – Within China, Dalian is renowned for its squares and green places, with a large number scattered throughout the city, each with its own distinct character:Zhongshan Square hosts the city's financial center and some fine old Japanese buildings; People's Square is the seat of the city government and boasts an impressive fountain; and Xinghai Square is the largest square in Asia and home to a wide range of tourist attractions. Old colonial buildings (老殖民建筑) - Though a young city, Dalian's status as a former colony of both Russia and Japan offers an eclectic mix of architectural styles for history buffs. Many of the older buildings in central Dalian were demolished during periodic bouts of renovation including the following: Dongguan Historic District (东莞地区) Located off Changjiang Road in Xigang District, Dongguan in Dalian has been revitalised as a trendy destination following restorations in autumn 2024. The district’s Japanese-style architecture on streets like Dalong, Huasheng, and Xigang has been restored, and the area now features bars, cafés, bakeries, boutique shops, and an event space space. With its blend of historical charm and modern culture, it’s fast becoming a favourite for locals and tourists alike. Nanshan Road Area (南山路) East of Labour Park and just south of Zhongshan Square in Zhonghsan District, the Nanshan Road area includes streets like Qiqi, Haerbin, and Qinglin, as well as the Children’s Park. Known for its old Japanese houses, many of which have been carefully restored, the area now features a relaxed atmosphere with trendy bars, cafés, and restaurants. Just a short distance from the busy Zhongshan Square, it’s a great spot to unwind while enjoying the blend of historical architecture and modern amenities. Russian Street (大连俄罗斯风情街) not far from the train station in Xigang District, also has a concentration of old buildings. Dalian Forest Zoo (大连森林动物园) - Dalian has a wide range of tourist attractions, but most of them are geared for the local market. To overseas visitors it would seem more of a tourist trap rather than attractions. The Forest Zoo (Xigang District) is one of the few that does stand up to international expectations, with large exhibits and a good variety of species. The zoo, set in the hillsides south of the city centre, is split into two sections on opposite sides of a mountain as well as offering an indoor rainforest (plant species only) and various performances showcasing animal talent. The zoo's pandas, both great and red, are probably its main attraction but rhinos, tigers, lions and polar bears are also

Do

Relax on one of the city's beaches – There are a number of beaches clustered along the southern and eastern sides of the Dalian Peninsula, the largest of which are Xinghai Beach (星海海滨 Xīnghǎi Hǎibīn), Fujiazhuang Beach (傅家庄海滨 Fùjiāzhuāng Hǎibīn) and Bangchuidao Beach. (棒棰岛海滨 Bàngchuídǎo Hǎibīn). Of these beaches Xinghai Beach is almost invariably overcrowded and Bangchuidao beach is hard to get to and expensive (it is in an exclusive luxury resort) making Fujiazhuang Beach the best bet for anyone wanting to take a dip or simply sunbathe. Travel along Binhai Road – Running along the southern edge of the Dalian peninsula Binhai Road is a pretty, winding coastal road similar to the corniche of the French Riviera. The road is split into three main sections, Binhai West Road {滨海西路 Bīnhǎi Xī Lù} from Xinghai Square to Fujiazhuang, Binhai Middle Road {滨海中路 Bīnhǎi Zhōng Lù} from Fujiazhuang to Tiger Beach, and Binhai South Road {滨海南路 Bīnhǎi Nán Lù} and Binhai North Road {滨海北路 Bīnhǎi Běi Lù} from Tiger Beach to Donghai Beach. It's possible to walk along the entire 35 km (22 mi) stretch in a day, but for those feeling less adventurous the Fujiazuang-Tiger Beach and Tiger Beach-Donghai Beach stretches also make for a rewarding walk. A taxi journey is a less taxing means of seeing the road. Entertainment – Dalian offers a range of entertainment options, with theatres and concert halls in Zhongshan District for those interested in high culture, including local and international performances. There are dozens of KTV bars and a few bars/hotels offer live music. For those interested in the silver screen, there's a cluster of cinemas in the centre of town around Youhao Square, but these mainly cater to local audiences and so English-language screenings are extremely rare. Those who aren't fluent in Mandarin would be better off going to the Warner-Wanda cinema on the north side of Olympic Square (Xigang District), Ownar Cineplex in the He Ping shopping centre north of Xinghai Square (Shahekou District) or theater at Roosevelt Shopping center. Finally, those visiting during the football season (March–November) should make the effort to catch a game at the People's Stadium, Xigang District, given football's role as a fundamental part of Dalian's identity. Typical of northern Chinese cities, the nightlife comes to an end rather early and the city feels asleep around 22:00 and the formal bar closing time is 02:00. Dalian Beer Festival, Xinghai Sq. 10 days in late-July and early Aug. Thousands of visitors. Day-time folks tend to go for the food and music acts, night-time goer

Buy

Cash is not king: the preferred way to pay for most items, from street vendors to corporate chains is via the WeChat or Alipay apps. Visitors should download and add their foreign cards to at least one of the previously mentioned apps before arriving. Chinese yuan (or renminbi) can be exchanged for at the airport, most 3-star and up hotels, and pretty much any bank. There may be restrictions to foreigners exchanging currency at some banks without the ID of a Chinese national, or limited amounts may only be permitted. Informal exchange personnel often spend time in the lobbies of large banks, with a black purse under arm, and typically offer a better exchange rate than the bank itself. Keep in mind these are not members working for the bank, and while there is a security guards in all lobbies of banks, so if you ever feel you're not getting a square deal, you may begin to bargain with others or attempt to exchange directly with the bank itself. While Unionpay is accepted at several establishments, those hailing from outside of China won't find the brand too helpful. Major credit cards are accepted few places other than 4- and 5-star hotels. There are many souvenir stalls around the main tourist sights in Dalian. The typical local souvenirs are Russian-themed items (remnants of a bygone era when Moscow laid claim to Dalian and much of Northeast China) and dried seafood, neither of which are of particular interest to foreign travellers (the first would be a strange thing to bring back from China and the second would violate customs regulations). There are plenty of other shopping areas that would be of more interest. Some general Chinese souvenirs include jade sculptures, shadow boxes with shell mosaics, calligraphy scrolls, Peking Opera masks, etc. Day to day essentials are also available in these shopping areas. As with the rest of China, bargaining is pretty much mandatory outside of department stores and supermarkets (although you can also bargain on some department stores like the knock-off MyKals). Wechat payment and Alipay are available in almost every shop, supermarket, and mall. Really convenient if you have an account that you don't look for your cash everywhere but only scan the code on/by your phone. If you go shopping in a supermarket or just want some snacks in a convenience store you should keep in mind that staff in China are good at mathsand may give you the change in other ways. For example, if you have to pay ¥191 in the supermarket, the cashier may ask for an extra ¥1. Then he/she will give a ¥10 note back. (Usually happens when there's

Eat

The local cuisine of Dalian is influenced by Dongbei regional style of cooking (which has a not wholly unjustified reputation for being big on portions and relatively low on flavour) and the city's proximity to the sea. Buns, pancakes and dumplings are staples rather than rice or noodles. The city also has a very good reputation for seafood dishes which are well worth trying. Overseas travellers should be aware, however, that in China seafood has different connotations than elsewhere, literally seafood refers to anything edible from the sea. Fish dishes invariably contain plenty of small bones that must be navigated around or crunched through (the local method). Additionally, due to its relation and storied history with Korean and Japanese empires, Dalian has many restaurants serving this kind of fare. The range and number of restaurants is huge, and the listings provided should be considered as merely scratching the surface of what is available. Individual exploration of the restaurants is recommended. Reservations are generally not necessary, so phone numbers have only been provided for those restaurants where tables may need reserving. Those wanting to stick to the familiar will find a large number of western and Japanese and Korean restaurants available, and international fast food chains are well represented. For good eats, try the recommendations in Zhongshan District and in Xigang District. Travelers on a budget will be spoiled for choice in Dalian, with low cost restaurants on literally every street corner (particularly in the more residential areas outside of the main city center). It would be impossible to begin to list them all, so only a couple of options available near the center have been listed in the district articles. The quality of the restaurants can be highly variable. A good rule of thumb when searching for a decent place to eat is, if the decor looks shabby but the place is packed the food is almost always good. Ordering can be tricky for non-Chinese speakers as English menus are incredibly rare in cheaper restaurants, and English speaking staff are even more rare. Try the roadside snack stalls which offer pancakes, rolls, skewers of barbecued meat and candied fruits starting at ¥1. These may cause some upset stomachs or bouts of diarrhea. As with budget restaurants there are plenty of mid-range restaurants to choose from in Dalian (differentiated from budget restaurants usually by being larger and having better decor), so experimentation is the key. The restaurants listed in the various district articles are just a couple of partic

Drink & nightlife

Dalian offers a wide variety of bars and nightclubs catering to a mixture of locals, foreign business people and the teaching crowd. The city lacks a bona fide bar street such as Beijing's Sanlitun or Shanghai's Maoming Lu with bars fairly liberally scattered across the city centre as well as near large universities. There are three main clusters of bars that those wishing to bar hop could concentrate on, however, the first and most centralized along a side street off Wuwu Lu near Sanba Square, the second along Changjiang Lu north of the Shangri-la Hotel and the third along Gaoerji Lu south of People's Square. KTV, or karaoke, is a large part of Chinese culture. There are a variety of such, some catering more to family or group get togethers and some for business outings. Typically the former are based in larger buildings and have little shops inside where drinks and snacks can be purchased, while the latter tend have a row of standing waitresses or mistresses lined up at the front door or shortly upon entering the singing room. Another good place to go for drinks for those on the cheap are the night markets that spring up during the summer. These offer very cheap draught beer (¥1-3 for a large glass) and barbecued meat, tofu, vegetables and bread in an informal outdoor setting; some may not even have chairs. This isn't recommended for those who are staying in Dalian a short time or those whom haven't spent a few weeks in China getting their immune system ready unless you're not worried about having any diarrhea issues. Many of the locals don't even eat at these types of places. Those looking for non-alcoholic drinks, there are plenty of coffee shops and tea houses around the city. Chain coffee shops include Starbucks, SPR and Amici Coffee, all of which offer Wi-Fi (SPR and Amici a food menu as well). Details are in district articles.

Sleep

Budget accommodation options in Dalian, as in the rest of China, are fairly limited for overseas travelers as most of the really inexpensive hotels do not accept foreigners. The best bet for non-Chinese visitors looking for a bargain are youth hostels or university guest houses. Some universities offer foreign student dormitories to travelers during school holidays. Some (for example Liaoning Normal and DUT) also have hotels on campus which offer rooms year-round. (See the Learn section for contact details). Mid-range 3- or 4-star Chinese-run hotels typically offer clean, decent sized rooms, good quality restaurants and but English-staff is spotty. There's an abundance of such hotels around the city, with a handful standing out from the rest of the pack. There's a great variety of choices, mostly Chinese run like Homeinn, Jinjiang inn, Hanting, 7days, Greenhotel and some international operated (usually higher prices but better conditions) like Super8 and Holiday inn express (which is rare in China, the price is also a little bit higher but a good choice). Splurge hotels are dominated by larger international chains, nearly all downtown. These hotels tend to be very well run and offer all the amenities that could be expected. Expect to pay international rates, rather than national, for these 4- or 5-star locations. Most room prices in China are the room prices of a day. Use Chinese platforms like Baidu or Ctrip for more information and lower prices for accommodation. Or you can phone some of the hotels to get information. Some youth hostels do not host foreigners (see discussion page).

Cheap There is absolutely no shortage of small hotels in Dalian, but of course you must first pay attention to their safety and legality. In addition, you can book hotel rooms at special prices through various third-party platforms. Youth hostels are also an option.

Medium There are many chain hotels in Dalian, ranging from low-end to high-end. Just make sure to book in advance during the peak tourist season, otherwise it will be difficult to book a desired room. There are many chain hotels near the railway station, and the prices are relatively acceptable.

Dalian Kempinski Hotel. 454 rooms. (updated Mar 2020)

Luxury Most high-end hotels are located in two areas, one is the Qingniwa-Zhongshan Square area, and the other is the Xinghai area (represented by the Castle Hotel). The experience is better and the price is of course higher. No matter what kind of accommodation plan, it is a wise choice to book and check online in advance. Most accommodation options ca