If I Had Three Days, I'd Go See the Sea in Dalian!
On the morning of September 28, 2023, after the freshman military training drill, I, a first-time student studying away from home, welcomed my National Day holiday. Since the flight back home was expensive, I planned to spend a few days exploring cities around Shenyang. After browsing recommendations on Xiaohongshu and Douyin, I set my National Day destination on Dalian, a coastal city about 300 kilometers from Shenyang. With an idea, I acted immediately. I packed my bags and boarded a bullet train to Dalian that afternoon. The train ride from Shenyang to Dalian took about two hours. I chose Dalian Station because it's in the city center, making transportation convenient. On the train, I booked a hotel—the Bainianhui Four Seasons Hotel near Xinghai Square. It was convenient, close to Xinghai Square, and cost just over 300 yuan per night, perfect for a broke college student like me. So, I arrived in Dalian around 4 p.m. Since the train station wasn't far from Russian风情街, I found a supermarket near the exit, paid 10 yuan to store my luggage, saving time by not having to go to the hotel first.
Day 1: Shenyang ~ Dalian Station ~ Russian Street ~ Dalian Old Street ~ Xinghai Square ~ Hotel
Day 2: Hotel ~ Fisherman's Wharf ~ Bangchuidao (Rod Island) ~ Haizhiyun Park ~ Dalian Venice Water City ~ Hotel
Day 3: Hotel ~ Lianhua Mountain Observation Deck ~ Best Viewing Spot of Xinghai Bay Bridge ~ Dalian Station ~ Shenyang
After storing my luggage, I walked to Russian Street, not far from Dalian Station. On the way, I encountered the legendary tram. The tram in Dalian is like Hong Kong's trams—common transport for locals but special for tourists, as Dalian is the only city in mainland China where trams have never stopped running. The tram has been operating for a full 100 years. Walking along the vintage streets, hearing the occasional clang of the tram, felt like stepping back to Dalian a century ago, full of retro charm.
As I walked, an exotic atmosphere drifted in with the evening breeze, and I arrived at Russian Street. Dalian Russian Street is China's first old street preserving the Russian style from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was once a residential area for Russians in Dalian, and today it's a featured street selling Russian specialties, full of exotic vibes. Just then, during the photographers' favorite blue hour, I took out my camera and stood before the elegant Dalian Art Exhibition Hall, capturing my favorite photo of the trip. A perfect combination of time, place, and people made this photo one I still adore whenever I open it.
I walked along Russian Street, camera in hand, snapping pictures.
Suddenly, I caught a sour smell of fermented wheat. Following the unique aroma, I entered a Russian-style shop and ordered a fresh kvass. Compared to the bottled Wahaha kvass at 3.5 yuan, this fresh kvass had less fizz and a balanced sour-sweet taste. It was my first time trying fresh kvass, so I couldn't tell if it was authentic. If I ever get a chance to go to Russia, I must try real kvass. I'll come back and share with you what authentic Russian kvass tastes like.
Russian Street has many small shops selling Russian specialties.
I couldn't resist the neatly arranged chocolates in front of each shop. I carefully picked two: one dark chocolate and one white chocolate, each 15 yuan. They turned out quite good. The white chocolate with nuts was crispy and smooth, irresistible; the 90% dark chocolate was rich with a long aftertaste, a pleasant surprise.
There wasn't too much to see on Russian Street. After walking around for about 40 minutes, I finished my visit. I checked my watch—6:30 p.m., time for dinner. I opened Xiaohongshu and found a nearby food street—Dalian Old Street—to try some Dalian seafood. I know some might question why I'd go to such a touristy food street that's similar everywhere, not cheap, and risky. As an outsider and a freshman, unfamiliar with the area, it's hard to find authentic local food in a short time. So eating Dalian seafood at a food street seemed a decent choice. I found a seafood stall and ordered a sea urchin steamed egg, some garlic scallops, and a plate of fried rice to fill my stomach. It was pretty good. The meal cost 217 yuan for just me, and I was generally satisfied.
After eating, it was around 7 p.m. I went back to the station to pick up my luggage (since Dalian Old Street is close to the station, I went there after Russian Street and then retrieved my luggage). Then I headed to Xinghai Square, hoping to see its brilliant nightscape before the lights turned off at 10 p.m. It is said that Xinghai Square is still Asia's largest city square, a major project commemorating the return of Hong Kong to China, and one of Dalian's landmarks. I arrived a bit earlier than planned, around 8 p.m., just in time for the 8:30 light show. The light show at Xinghai Square mainly involved lights on surrounding buildings and the Xinghai Bay Bridge, with colorful beams, but the background music was plain. Personally, it didn't compare to the light show at Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, which is more thrilling with its music. But objectively, it's better than nothing, and worth a visit.
With the end of the light show, my first day in Dalian was complete. I returned to the hotel to rest, recharging for the next day.
Dalian's old city is like a peninsula, and attractions are mainly along the coast. To maximize efficiency, I planned a route starting from my hotel near Xinghai Square, heading to Fisherman's Wharf, Bangchuidao, Haizhiyun Park, Venice Water City, and then back to the hotel without backtracking.
In the morning, I had an iced Americano and a bagel at a café in my hotel, waking up my tired body. A new day and unknown journey began! First stop: Dalian Fisherman's Wharf. According to information, Fisherman's Wharf is located within Tiger Beach Fishing Port on Binhai Road in Zhongshan District, east of Tiger Beach Ocean Park, with Binhai Road to the north, the Yellow Sea to the south, natural hills on both sides, covering nearly 60,000 square meters. It's a comprehensive commercial area with sightseeing, entertainment, culture, dining, shopping, and vacation. As online sources say, it's a commercial attraction with many European-style buildings in red, blue, pink, and other dopamine colors, giving a strong Mediterranean seaside vibe. There are also beautifully decorated tea shops and coffee shops. Find a cozy spot, sit down with a fragrant coffee or tasty milk tea, and enjoy the stunning scenery where the sea meets the sky, listening to waves crashing against rocks—it's a moment all your own.
Following the coastal road, I arrived at Bangchuidao (Rod Island), a famous bathing beach in Dalian. Entering the scenic area, I walked about 20 minutes through a shady path to reach the beach. The path was lined with dense woods and some Western European style buildings, with sea breezes blowing—it was very pleasant.
At the beach, the iconic Bangchuidao came into view, attracting countless visitors. At the entrance, there's a big stone with Chairman Mao's inscription "Bangchuidao." Across the sea, about 400 meters away, stands a small solitary island that looks like a rod used for pounding clothes in ancient times, hence the name "Bangchuidao."
Standing on the beach, I watched the island, occasionally a tour boat passing by, leaving glittering ripples on the sea—quite beautiful. The island itself is small; after taking some photos for two minutes, I walked along the beach. Unlike other beaches, this one was covered with lots of pebbles, polished by seawater and sunlight, showing various colors—very pretty, but difficult to walk on because they were so slippery. I walked quite a while until I reached a reef at the end of the beach, where a fisherman was fishing on a nearby rock. I wished him a good catch (not empty-handed). The path ahead became impassable, so I turned back and headed to the next spot.
Next was Haizhiyun Park, right next to Bangchuidao. Haizhiyun literally means "the rhythm of the sea," a park related to the sea. The park is large with many slopes. To save energy, I bought a full round-trip shuttle ticket right at the entrance. Since I'm a student, it only cost 40 yuan, half the normal price, saving me enough for a meal! Great!
In Haizhiyun Park, I chose to visit Sunrise Square and Strange Slope. Sunrise Square is at the park's highest point, a great spot for watching sunrise. There's also a path leading directly to the Dawn Beach. It was the National Day holiday, so Dawn Beach was crowded. After a quick look, I found the scenery similar to Bangchuidao, so I left after taking a commemorative photo.
People often say "uphill is not tiring, downhill is tiring," but at Strange Slope, it's the opposite: a plastic bottle thrown from the top rolls back up. As for walking, it's said that downhill feels uphill and vice versa—you'll have to try it yourself.
Walking down that slope was not easy, but then the Haizhiyun trip ended. I heard that watching sunset at Dalian's Venice Water City is extremely romantic. Checking my watch, it was 3:30 p.m. I didn't rest because I wanted to reach Venice Water City before sunset to see the sun gradually disappear over the horizon, ending my second day perfectly. Around 5 p.m., I arrived as hoped. Even across the road, I could feel a strong Italian atmosphere.
Venice Water City is by the sea, with flocks of seagulls circling above—a spectacular sight. It's a good idea to bring some sausage to feed them.
"Gondola," derived from the Greek word kondyle, meaning a light, fast boat. The gondola is a distinctive Venetian narrow boat, with a history of over a thousand years, used by Venetians for transport. As night fell, European-style buildings and brilliant lights reflected in the clear water, and you, riding a gondola, slowly gliding through such beauty, felt like being in a dream, extremely relaxed and leisurely. Leaning on the railing by the canal, enjoying the evening breeze, watching boats come and go, my heart was incredibly calm.
That day happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival. Though alone away from home, back at the hotel, I enjoyed mooncakes sent by my family. Eating mooncakes wasn't just about the cakes themselves, but also about nostalgia and longing.
On the last day, I planned to first go to Lianhua Mountain Observation Deck for a panoramic view, then hike down to the best viewing spot of Xinghai Bay Bridge, and finally head back. As the old saying goes, "The early bird catches the worm." I left my luggage at the hotel front desk and set off light.
Walking up the mountain path felt like stepping into a Miyazaki movie. Beautiful scenery always ignites inner passion for exploration. I climbed... climbed for half an hour and reached the top.
As the poet Du Fu said, "When I reach the top, I see all other mountains are small." Standing atop Lianhua Mountain, I had a panoramic view of Dalian's beautiful coastal scenery. At that moment, I truly grasped the meaning of those words. Descending, I arrived at the best viewing spot of Xinghai Bay Bridge. "A bridge flies across north and south, turning a natural barrier into a thoroughfare." The Xinghai Bay Bridge, backed by Xinghai Square and facing the Yellow Sea, is an important sea-crossing passage connecting Shahekou District and Xigang District. Standing at the best viewpoint, I was deeply awed by this national engineering marvel. The sight was truly magnificent.
With such beautiful scenery, I wanted a photo to remember, but selfies couldn't capture it fully, and passersby weren't skilled photographers. Just when I was frustrated, a wild photographer passed by shouting, "Photos! Photos! Ten yuan each!" I saw the professional camera on his shoulder and thought he must be good. I grabbed him and, against the magnificent backdrop, took my most satisfying "life photo." Looking at a photo of myself facing the sea, lost in thought, I was very pleased. Ten yuan, a great deal!
I had visited the main attractions, eaten seafood, taken photos—my Dalian trip ended. First solo trip, many gains, and also some shortcomings. Travel isn't just about sightseeing; it's about experiencing different cultures, learning history, and broadening knowledge. As they say, "Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles." As a college student, besides studying, I look forward to my next trip! This is my first travel blog, with many shortcomings. Hope for your kind advice! Thanks for reading! See you next time!
