What to do in Dalian 72-hour visa-free policy

Trip Planner

In Dalian, a port city in Northeast China's Liaoning province, you must enjoy beautiful natural scenery, taste delicious seafood, swim at a bathing beach, and take a hot spring spa.

72 hours is not enough to explore even all the attractions along its picturesque Binhai Road. Here we list most of the must-go places and it is best for you to focus only on several parts.

Day 1

The first day, you can take the sightseeing bus to see the city's most beautiful scenery. Or you can take a taxi to go the same route.

After breakfast, go for a walk at People's Square. Maybe you can meet policewomen patrolling on horseback at the square in front of the municipal government. It is a symbol of Dalian.

Then, move forward to Xinghai Square. It is called the largest square in Asia. At the very center of the square, there stands a 19.97-meter-high cloud pillar (Huabiao) for the celebration of the re-unification of Hong Kong with China in 1997. There is also a sculpture commemorating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Dalian as a modern city.

The square also acts as the avenue for many expos and activities, such as Dalian International Beer Festival and Dalian Auto Show.

If you are interested in seeing marine and polar animals, you can visit nearby Sun Asia Sea World or Laohutan Ocean Park about 10 km away.

Next, we go to breathe some fresh air along the Binhai Road at the southern coast of Dalian. With imposing mountain scenery on one side and ragged seaside cliffs on the other, the road is one of the most fascinating destinations in Dalian.

It links many attractions, including forest zoo, Fujiazhuang bathing beach, and Beida Bridge.

The 20.99 km-long wooden walkway along the road is the longest in the world. You can get off the car and spend some time at Mount Bird's Nest (Yanwoling) to feel the nature.

Refuel yourself at the Fisherman Pier (Yuren Matou) before heading for Bangchui Island.

BangchuiIslandis a state guest hotel as well as a good place for recreation. There, you enjoy swimming and sun bathing for a while. Its water quality is one of the best among Dalian's bathing beaches.

If you take a shot snap on the bus and get off at Zhongshan Square, surrounded by century-old European style buildings, you'll find it is like coming back to busy world from a short trip to suburb.

The 1.3 km-long Renmin Road that connects the square and the Eastern Harbor Commercial Area is the city's central business district.

Dine on delicious seafood at a restaurant in 15 Ku (No.15 warehouse, which is transformed from a warehouse of relocated Dalian Port).

Wrap up the first day trip with shopping at Dashang Pedestrian Street and the underground Victory Plaza (Shengli Square), a great place to buy gifts. Be careful, it is not a good idea to wondering around alone because most probably you will get lost underground.

Day 2

Take light rail from its terminal near Dalian Railway Station to Jinshitan, the Golden Pebble Beach State Tourist Resort. It takes about one hour to get there.

Jinshitan is called the back garden of the romantic city of Dalian. The special marine abrasion landform won it the title of Chinese State Geological Park.

You can also cover all the scenery spots by sightseeing bus. The ticket is RMB 10.00 per person for the whole day.

Start the journey from Jinshi Cultural Expo Center, which accommodates a waxworks museum, a museum collecting badges of Chairman Mao Zedong, and the Mysterious Life Museum. Mysterious Life Museum reveals the vertebrate evolution process by more than 2000 specimens preserved by advanced plastination technology.

Then, go to admire the wonderful work of nature along the seaside. Definitely stop at Dinosaur Leisure Park. The mountain was carved by nature as a dinosaur drinking water in the sea. While enjoying the beautiful scenery, you can dine at the sidewalk seafood booth.

If you are still energetic, have fun in the Discoveryland Theme Park (on operation from April to October). With splendid amusement facilities, you can linger there until it close in 9 pm.

Or you go to Tang Dynasty Hot Spring club, stay there for one night and have a hot spring spa next day.

Or if you love playing golf, you can have a good time at Jinshi Golf Club for the whole day.

Day 3

Driving for about 40 minutes from downtown Dalian, you arrive at Dalian's Lushunkou District.

When going through Lushun South Road, you can have a glance at Dalian's software industrial belt, a most dynamic industry for this city. Also, if it is the cherry blossom season (only about seven to 16 days in early spring), do drop in the cherry blossom park at Longwangtang.

Located at the southernmost tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, Lushun has the reputation of “half the modern history of China”. Since the end of the 19th century, it started to be an important military port.

As the main battle field of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 and the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, it has many War relics and historic sites, such as Russia-Japan Prison, Dongjiguan Hill, and 203 Highland.

Climb the Baiyu Hill and the white tower, which was built after the Russo-Japanese War by the Japanese invaders to commemorate their causalities, to have a bird's eye view of Lushun.

Then, you can go to Laotieshan, a National Natural Preserve. Every spring and fall, millions of migrating birds fly over the hill. There is a famous lighthouse built in 1893. Standing at the promontory rock in front of the main peak, you can see the natural division between the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea.

Other options for two or three-day trip:

In summer, travel to Bingyu Provincial Tourism Resort in Zhuanghe. With beautiful mountain, river, and fancy cave and rock, this place is of comparable beauty with Guilin in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

In winter, enjoy hot spring spa and skiing in Pulandian, Wafangdian, or Lushun.