Half Sea, Half Ice and Snow: Dalian So Romantic That Even Snowflakes Are Heart-Shaped
If you ask me which of the 209 cities I've visited I regret not going to the most, I would definitely answer: Dalian.
My connection with Dalian began nine years ago, when I had just started college. I had a long-time online friend who later sent me a giant Totoro plush that took up half of my 1.2-meter bed.
Then came Cat Huohuo, a world-famous hand-painted artist and a wildly popular travel blogger—the kind of friend you feel a bond with at first meeting and a lifelong tie after meeting again.
Then there were friends I met while traveling in Mauritius and a bunch of friends I played Honor of Kings with. Every time I unmuted and was surrounded by a group of Dalian locals, it was so fun, hahaha.
That's probably fate. So when I first went to Dalian, I surprisingly felt a warm sense of coming home.
This trip lasted five days and four nights. For an inland city, that's quite a long time, but for me, it still felt too short.
It's ridiculous—when I posted on Moments, a bunch of Dalian friends commented asking me to write a guide! Haha! So here it is! A complete guide to five days and four nights in Dalian—eating, drinking, having fun, and exploring every nook and cranny. Get ready to bookmark it!
Day 1:
Dalian Modern Museum – Dalian Natural History Museum – Black Stone Reef
Qiankuli Seafood Buffet – Xinghai Bay Bridge Night View
Yifang Castle – People's Square – Zhongshan Square – Donggang
Dalian Railway Station – Route 201 Tram – Xi'an Road Pedestrian Street
Laotie Mountain – Baiyu Mountain – Military Port – Jiguan Mountain
Japanese-Russian Prison – Tahewan Happy Snow World
Dalian Laohutan Ocean Park – Yānwōlǐng Scenic Area
Fujiazhuang Park – Lianhua Mountain – North Bridge
Flying is highly recommended. It's so convenient to fly from Beijing to Dalian—just one hour and 30 minutes, and we even landed half an hour early. Round-trip tickets are around 600+ RMB, very affordable!!
The high-speed train takes about three hours because it goes around the sea, so it's a bit more expensive than the plane ticket. But if your home has a convenient high-speed rail station, it's also a good option.
Dalian has a subway, so transportation is convenient, and the drivers are very nice. There might be traffic jams during evening rush hour—does every Dalian resident own a car?
[Encountering the Black Right Whale at Black Stone Reef]
I have never loved a museum this much. You must visit the Dalian Natural History Museum—this is what the deep sea looks like!
And you, you are a fish.
As soon as I entered the Dalian Natural History Museum, I was almost moved to tears. The 66.7-ton black right whale specimen is enormous! And right before my eyes was my favorite—the killer whale. Although I had encountered one before on the coast of Vancouver, seeing it this close up was still breathtaking!
The museum is filled with countless specimens, like a journey 20,000 leagues under the sea. Besides my favorite ocean exhibition hall, which includes marine mammals, bony fish, cartilaginous fish, marine invertebrates, and seaweed, there are also the Kenneth Behring Hall, Earth Hall, Paleontology Hall, and Wetland and Forest Animal Hall. The dinosaur fossils are like works of art from cosmic time.
I remember a friend who worked in a zoo once said: “My greatest wish is to be unemployed, because that would mean ecological balance, where animals in nature coexist peacefully with humans.”
I recommend adults or children who love the ocean to come and explore the underwater world.
Right next to the Natural History Museum is Black Stone Reef. The reefs here are different from others—they are completely black, appearing and disappearing with the tide like a mysterious mirage. At this moment, they are scattered all over the bay, giving it a bit of an Iceland feel.
Many people come here to stroll, watch the sea, feel the sea breeze, and pick up seashells, enjoying the leisure of life.
Walking on the reefs, I suddenly realized that we often look forward to some overseas destination but forget the scenery right in front of us. The cold, black reefs are a coastal karst landform, once a magnificent “stone forest” on the sea.
This feeling is like a whale heading to the sea.
To understand a city, go to the Dalian Museum.
In the afternoon, visit the Dalian Museum, where you can interpret the entire city's development and history. Look through the “Modern Dalian” exhibition, with sculptures and paintings. The comprehensive and integrated exhibition is a window for Dalian to the world.
The preserved cultural relics and collections more truthfully show Dalian's progress from being passive to thriving. I walked slowly, looked carefully, and read the annotations to see the exhibits. Each exhibit hides a piece of its history.
The restored scenes make you feel as if you can hear the lively hustle and bustle of the streets in that era—photo studios, pawnshops, Yi Ji Pen Store, barbershops...
[If You Can't Go to Prague Square, Come to Zhongshan Square to Feed Pigeons]
This is a square surrounded by banks, with ten streets radiating in all directions.
Pick any street and walk along it—you'll pass the Yamato Hotel, Dalian City Hall, Yokohama Specie Bank, Qing Dynasty Bank...
The buildings you pass—Renaissance, Gothic, Romanesque—all deeply let you feel the beauty of architecture.
Each building has weathered a hundred years of wind and rain, left behind by time, quietly telling history...
When you're tired of walking, go to the central square to feed the pigeons. The pigeons here seem to have social anxiety disorder? No, they're all super friendly, landing on your shoulders, hands, and even children's hats without any hesitation, hahaha. The last time I saw pigeons this lively was in a small Hungarian town. They're adorable.
Not far away is People's Square. At 8:30 in the morning, traffic flows through here. Everyone's face is full of vitality. A beam of sunlight hits you, and your mood instantly lifts.
[Yifang Castle: A Dream from a Girl's Fairy Tale]
This is a hotel on a mountain, facing the sea with spring blossoms. At sunrise and sunset, the sea glistens and reflects the castle, like a scene from a fairy tale. The interior design is also full of European court style, with pleasant colors. The boutique clothing stores and restaurants make you feel like you're in an 18th-century European palace.
You absolutely must go to the fifth-floor sky garden of the castle! It's like the spot where a Disney princess would admire the view. You can see the sea blending with the sky and feel the joy of the castle. Whether you wear a white dress, retro style, or trendy clothes, you can take photos with a different vibe.
[Take Tram Route 201 Through Time and Space]
Dalian's trams were established in 1909. To this day, with the preservation of Routes 201 and 202, Dalian is the only city that has never interrupted its tram history. Time flies, and the female drivers still spend their days with the ringing trams.
At sunset, light shines through the windows, and for a moment I felt dazed, as if I were truly in that era, with the people of Dalian constantly learning and progressing.
On the tram, I met a lovely grandmother with a cute little red hat. She told me she knitted it herself and earnestly explained how to cast on and increase stitches each round. Although I was confused, I immediately felt the warmth and freedom of the Dalian people.
Starting from Dalian Railway Station, we took the Route 201 tram to tour Dalian. We got off at Minsheng Street to go to Zhongshan Square, or we could ride to the terminal and go to Xi'an Road to eat and shop.
At the Xi'an Road night market, I saw many young people and couples. From intangible cultural heritage sugar figures to crispy pork belly, eel sushi, and candied hawthorn, this one-stop food paradise definitely satisfies your taste buds. Remember to go to that crispy pork belly stall—the young guy singing there is super, super, super good! Ahhh!
[At Laotie Mountain, the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea Divide Deeply]
To see the most famous boundary between the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, you must come to Laotie Mountain in Lüshun. Dalian not only preserves its cultural heritage but also guards the laws of nature.
It takes about an hour to walk through the entire scenic area, just going up and down the steps. There's almost no shelter around, so as you climb the mountain, you see the clear boundary between the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. Because of the seafloor trench movement, the Yellow Sea is a clear blue, while the Bohai Sea is slightly turbid and yellowish, forming a distinct dividing line.
At the very bottom, you reach the southernmost tip of the Liaodong Peninsula.
By the sea, I saw a beam of Tyndall light. I sat on the ground and waited for a boat to come. Twenty minutes later, it finally came, and I took this photo of a boat between the sky and the sea. Nature is full of vitality, the sky and sea are boundless. Although humans are small, they have carved out generations of life. Born from the sea, accompanied by the sea for life.
[Baiyu Mountain: Remembering a Tower]
Many people say that when you come to Lüshun, you can see half of modern history. Baiyu Mountain is a crucial part of that history. Legend has it that Li Hongzhang casually gave the name while accompanying Prince Chun, the father of Emperor Guangxu, on an inspection.
During the Sino-Japanese War, the forts on the mountain were destroyed along with the Beiyang Fleet, followed by the Lüshun Massacre, and one of the “Seven Sons” left the motherland's embrace. The Baiyu Tower was built by the Japanese to boast of their military exploits and comfort the souls of the dead. It was built by exploiting over 20,000 Chinese laborers, and this tower has become the most direct evidence of the invasion of China!
The white doves under the tower are peaceful and cooing, reminding the nation not to forget. Their forceful flight inspires the nation to move forward.
[Japanese-Russian Prison: A Historic Site I Walked Through Alone]
I felt I should say or do something for this place. This is the Japanese-Russian Prison in Lüshun, Dalian.
A radial prison
A dark cell with only a small hole
A room for torture and interrogation
A rack where you had to take off your prison uniform to protect against the wind
A clinic that only treated the invaders
The path our ancestors walked
Halfway through taking photos here, I fell behind, and eventually I walked the entire site alone. To be honest, I was a bit scared. I felt extremely oppressed, tense, and heavy. But by the end, I felt more grief and indignation.
Countless Chinese, Korean, and Japanese international fighters were slaughtered here. The dark cells were prepared for those with a rebellious spirit. Now we grow up in peace. Cherishing life and respecting life is the greatest tribute to our ancestors.
[Lianhua Mountain, Fujiazhuang, North Bridge: The Best Sunset]
“From sunrise to sunset,
Every ray of sunlight in Dalian is full of vitality.”
That was my first impression of Dalian. Every morning there is a rising sun, every sunset there are colorful clouds. Reaching out to touch the sunlight, my fingertips and the back of my hand feel its warmth.
We climbed Lianhua Mountain, the highest peak in Dalian city. The wind made the prayer plaques on the wall clatter like wooden wind chimes.
The observation deck looks like a conical spiral, white against the blue sky, standing between the mountains and the sea.
After descending, we walked along the beach at Fujiazhuang Park. We saw a family of three and an aunt walking a little dog. If you come here, you don't have to think about anything—just walking can help you forget many unhappinesses.
After experiencing the historical memorial sites in the morning, my mood was hard to recover. Thankfully, luck was on our side. The most surprising thing was that we saw a beautiful, beautiful sunset at North Bridge.
At that moment, it felt like a long exhale. We should remember history, but we should also run forward. The future is always bright.
[Tahewan Happy Snow World: Half Sea, Half Ice and Snow]
Half sea, half ice and snow.
Dalian is so romantic that even snow blocks are shaped like hearts.
The Tahewan Snow World is clearly a playground for little kids, but Huohuo and I played there and laughed until our abs hurt! When we played on the snow spinner, we pushed and kicked each other; we also rode snowmobiles and the snow banana boat as if in a speed and passion movie.
On the coast of the ice and snow world, there are snow runs. The sea is super blue, so clear and clean! Perfect for taking photos~~
For girls who like taking photos, I suggest wearing a thick down jacket for winter snow photos, because wearing something too thin will clash with the environment, creating a visual conflict. Wearing a soft, puffy down jacket or overalls gives the best vibe!
You can also make a snowball as a prop, so you won't be nervous about where to put your hands during photos. Of course, if you're strong enough, you can lift a big snow brick bigger than your head like I did.
[Ski Resort: A Tutorial for Ski Beginners to Take Portraits]
Maybe you can't carve or switch edges, but that's okay. Go practice at Linhai Ski Resort! To be honest, the staff and instructors—both guys and girls—are so good-looking!!
The ski resort has a total of seven runs: beginner, intermediate, advanced, children's tubing, and teaching runs.
There are also magic carpets, large T-bars, chairlifts, and snow walking stairs. It's the largest ski resort in southern Liaoning.
I've also posted a tutorial on how to take ski portraits before. The summary: you need to look cool and handsome~
1. Stand with the board and take a back view.
2. Hold the board from the side and back.
3. Stand the board upright, support with one leg, and lift your foot.
4. Sit on the ground with the board in the foreground.
Besides these attractions, Dalian has many other fun places. When spring comes, you can go to Laohutan to see sea lions, little penguins swimming, and beautiful jellyfish~
[Amble·Seaview Retro Apartment]
My favorite B&B from this trip. It has a rustic American wooden style. As soon as I entered, I saw many details carefully crafted by the owner: retro green-and-white tiles, delicate tableware on the long table, vintage film cameras and camera bags that have seen years—probably all bought from overseas. The wooden cabinets in the open kitchen—yeah, it's all about the West Coast, haha.
You can see Fisherman's Wharf from the room!!!
[Dalian Jinli Designer B&B]
This is another B&B I loved. Simple and pure white style, very much like a romantic drama~~ Many elements combining rattan, wood, and flower art.
The irregularly designed rooms are like young people unbound, refusing rigid freedom. The white-based color scheme with wood makes the mind calm.
[About the Must-Eat Restaurants]
I've racked my brains, never wasted a bite, and nearly overeaten to bring you this list of restaurants!
No. 1: Qiankuli
I don't know if the owner is a fan of Curry, but this place is incredible! No negative reviews allowed, but if you're unsatisfied, you can request a refund anytime! But it's impossible to be unsatisfied because it's so delicious!
Countless seafood: razor clams, crabs, crab legs, scallops, oysters, Arctic shrimp, mussels, crawfish, eel... and durian!!! Ahhh! The durian is so sweet, so fresh! Honestly, it can basically rival the durian I ate at a durian farm in Malaysia!
I saw two girls take a whole plate of crabs (about 40) and a whole plate of crawfish (about 60). I also discovered Dalian's specialty—shrimp monsters (hermit crabs). I never knew this thing was edible and even tasty!
No. 2: Enni
Their Korean food is really authentic. The spicy chicken feet, army stew, small wooden house barbecue, and spicy pork trotter shovel are all super delicious!
The sweet and spicy flavor from the marinated sauce is amazingly fresh and savory.
Finally, there's a family portrait painted by Huohuo, haha. The one with hair curlers in the middle is me, because I really did wear hair curlers, haha!
Also, Pinhai House. Their Dalian cuisine is so authentic. The small squid is especially fresh and delicious. The soft-fried shrimp, sea cucumber tofu, and mackerel dumplings! The plating is exquisite, and the portions are large without compromising quality.
Actually, five days were not enough to explore all of Dalian, especially to understand the cultural heritage of a city, which requires a lot of knowledge learning. If a brick, a car, or a sea breeze here could speak, they would tell a long history.
The Dalian people, who have experienced many hardships, have carved the resilience and bravery of ocean culture into their blood. Even after being torn apart, they still maintain a pure heart. I think this is probably one of the reasons why Dalian people love life—because they have experienced pain, they know the value of an embrace...
The moment I left Dalian, I realized that I had not only fallen in love with the sea and the ice and snow, but with the entire city.
