Beautiful Coastal City Dalian: A New Year Full of Atmosphere

Dalian, this beautiful coastal city, is known as the 'Little Paris of the East'. At the end of 2023, I came to Dalian for a romantic and artistic four-day New Year trip.

Chasing the Sunset at Sea

After arriving in Dalian, I first headed to Silver Beach. Silver Beach is located in the southeastern part of Dalian and is one of the top ten most beautiful beaches in China. Standing on the beach and looking into the distance, you can see several fishing boats drifting on the sea, adding a touch of liveliness to the seascape. The winter sea breeze was still biting, but the azure sea and drifting fishing boats made me feel as if I were in a romantic oil painting.

After walking on the beach for a while, listening to the sound of the waves, I felt very happy and relaxed. I thought it would be perfect if there were a snow scene added!

As time passed, the sun gradually set to the west, and I found a good spot to watch the sunset. The sky slowly turned orange-red, and the sea and beach were bathed in a golden glow. I witnessed a stunning scene. The sun slowly sank, and we strolled on the beach, feeling the waves lap at our feet. There were quite a few tourists visiting this spot!

Another great place to enjoy the sunset over the sea is the Xinghai Cross-Sea Bridge viewing point. The Xinghai Cross-Sea Bridge is the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world, stretching 25.4 kilometers. The bridge spans the Bohai Bay, connecting the city center of Dalian with Jinshitan, and is an important transportation hub linking the east and west sides of Dalian.

Many people were also watching the sunset from the viewing platform, with the busy trains on the bridge and the natural scenery complementing each other. As time passed, the sun gradually sank into the sea, and the sky became even more colorful and splendid. In the afterglow of the sunset, I felt the wonder and beauty of nature, feeling very joyful, and it made me cherish the wonderful moments of each day even more.

Must Try the Sea Urchin Dumplings

After watching the sunset, we went to Dalian's famous sea urchin dumpling restaurant, Xiding Sea Urchin Dumplings. We were lucky to get a seat right away. It's best to make a reservation in advance, otherwise we might have had to wait a long time just a bit later.

The ambiance of this place is really upscale, clean and tidy, with spacious and comfortable seats, making the overall dining experience excellent.

Sea urchin dumplings are Xiding's signature dish. They were fresh and delicious, with every bite full of rich sea urchin flavor. It was absolutely worth it in life! We also had to try the seafood dumplings, and I recommend the abalone dumplings and the sauerkraut and oil-dreg dumplings, which were juicy and tasty.

Other dishes were also distinctive. We ordered a combination including shrimp soup with rice, Sichuan peppercorn chicken, spinach stir-fried with seaweed, boneless meat, white clams, and more. Every bite left us satisfied and happy. The food came quickly, the service was attentive, and the restaurant had an open kitchen and sanitation measures, allowing customers to dine with confidence.

Experiencing Russian Flair

The Russian Style Street is located in the center of Dalian, an old street full of exotic charm. As one of the most famous Russian-style architectural districts in China, it attracts countless tourists to experience the strong foreign atmosphere.

On both sides of the street are Russian-style buildings, and there are Russian-style shops, restaurants, and bars everywhere. Colorful onion domes, blue doors and windows—each building has its own character, making you feel as if you were in a small Russian town.

We wandered along the street, soaking in the strong Russian ambiance. The small shops along the street were also very distinctive, with stores selling Russian nesting dolls, pewter ware, amber, and other souvenirs, as well as restaurants serving Russian specialties.

Overall, the Russian Style Street was a very pleasant travel experience, allowing you to feel the collision and fusion of different cultures. It's a must-visit in Dalian. From now until the Chinese New Year in February, the Russian Style Street is hosting an immersive tour activity called 'A Date with Russian Street,' and during the Spring Festival period, there will be special performances like decorated parade vehicles at regular times every day.

At the entrance of the Russian Style Street is the Dalian Art Museum. The Dalian Art Museum is also a historic old building with an artistic architectural style.

The exhibitions inside are wonderful, allowing you to feel a strong artistic atmosphere. If you like art, you might want to visit the Dalian Art Museum for a culturally rich trip.

Artistic Pedestrian Street

Nanshan Style Street is located in the Nanshan area of Dalian, a street mainly focused on Japanese-style tourism. Dalian Nanshan Style Street features various villas of different styles, with dignified and exquisite buildings echoing the old ones that have weathered many years, giving a strong Japanese feel.

On both sides of the street are Japanese restaurants, hotels, flower shops, bookstores, cafes, etc. It is also one of Dalian's characteristic attractions, attracting many domestic and international tourists every year.

In winter, with snow scenery, it looks particularly artistic and beautiful. During the New Year period, bars and some restaurants are open until the early morning.

Romantic Photo Spot Must Be Here

Fisherman's Wharf has a nostalgic, leisurely feel with a touch of sentimental human charm. The scenery here is pleasant, the environment is beautiful, and it's a great place for leisure, entertainment, and sightseeing.

The most distinctive feature of Tiger Beach Fisherman's Wharf is its European-style buildings and strong European atmosphere. The architecture here incorporates styles from many countries, such as the UK, France, and Russia, making you feel like you're in a European town.

You can also try various water activities, such as sailing, speedboats, jet skis, etc., to experience excitement and fun on the sea. Alternatively, you can enjoy the sea views, take photos, browse small shops, and spend a pleasant afternoon.

A good photo spot is opposite at Tiger Beach Ocean Park, where you can look out at the Fisherman's Wharf buildings from the coast, with seagulls circling over the sea from time to time. The sea in winter is calm and mysterious.

The night view at Tiger Beach Fisherman's Wharf is also very beautiful, with twinkling lights creating a romantic atmosphere. Come for the New Year! On February 12, 13, 14, 23, and 24, Tiger Beach Ocean Park will hold small fireworks displays, each lasting 8 minutes, giving you a strong New Year atmosphere.

Strong New Year Atmosphere

In the evening, we watched the Donggang New Year's Eve Light Show. The Donggang New Year's Eve Light Show is the highlight of Dalian's New Year's Eve every year.

The Donggang New Year's Eve Light Show and the Xinghai Bay New Year's Eve Light Show are a visual feast. On that night, besides the Donggang New Year's Eve event, iconic spots and buildings like the TV Tower, Xinghai Bay, and the Nord Building also started their dreamy New Year's Eve light shows simultaneously. We saw a very romantic light show at Donggang and Xinghai Bay: 'Shining Brilliant 2023' and 'Chasing Dreams Future 2024'.

On the iconic buildings, the New Year countdown digital lights were displayed, and the midnight bell was struck, giving full ceremony to the New Year celebration!

During the New Year period, the must-see is the Light Tram (201 Vintage Tram). This vintage tram attracted a lot of attention, with LED colored lights wrapping the exteriors of several 201 trams, giving Dalian's century-old streetcars a dreamy look.

On New Year's Eve, there were many tourists trying to board the tram. Inside, it was also decorated with lights and lanterns, looking especially beautiful, becoming a moving light scene in the city. There was also a Light Bus, a double-decker bus wrapped in colored lights, shuttling around the outer ring of Xinghai Square. The parade runs from the New Year holiday to the Lantern Festival.

A Chinese-style New Year celebration wouldn't be complete without a lantern festival. Traditional culture, festival customs, delicious food, and beautiful scenery are also part of Dalian's Spring Festival activities. The new year is the Year of the Dragon, and many lanterns were shaped like dragons, vivid and lovely, making citizens and tourists fully feel the festive atmosphere.

We arrived at Zhongshan Square in the evening. Zhongshan Square is located in the center of Dalian and is the city's central square. The surrounding lights were twinkling, and the streets, buildings, and trees were all decorated with lanterns and colorful lights, giving a beautiful and strong New Year atmosphere—very romantic!

I think Dalian is truly a city of museums! There are many museums with different themes, all worth visiting. Due to limited time, I only visited the Dalian Museum, the Natural Museum, the Shell Museum, and the World Music Museum.

The Dalian Museum is a national first-class museum, showcasing the history and culture of Dalian. The first floor of the Dalian Museum features 'The Art of Time,' with vintage clocks that are very appealing.

The second floor of the museum has an exhibition on modern history, comprehensively introducing Dalian's urban history and development since 1840. It allows you to deeply understand this city. If you are interested in Dalian's history and culture, you must come and see it.

There is also a special shadow puppetry art exhibition, where you can feel the craftsmanship of the artisans.

The Dalian Natural Museum is a comprehensive natural science museum that collects, researches, and displays specimens of geology, paleontology, animals, and plants.

The museum currently has 12 exhibition halls, including Earth, Dinosaurs, Marine Life, Northeast Forest Animals, Wetlands, Species Diversity, and Western Liaoning Fossil specimens.

The museum houses nearly 200,000 specimens, including over 6,000 precious ones. Among them, marine biological specimens and 'Jehol Biota' fossil specimens are the museum's collection highlights. The black right whale specimen weighing 66.7 tons is unique in China and rare in Asia.

The Dalian Natural Museum is a great place to visit, helping you increase your knowledge of natural science, understand the Earth, nature, and experience the wonders of nature.

The Dalian Shell Museum is the shell museum with the most exhibits in Asia, showcasing rare seashells from around the world. The museum's architectural style, display content, and functional facilities reflect Dalian's urban style and taste, and it is also part of the city's image and marine culture.

Nearly ten thousand kinds of delicate, cute, and strange shells dazzled the eyes. The museum's exterior is also striking, designed with a shell concept, very interesting.

For shell enthusiasts or visitors with children, the Dalian Shell Museum is a great choice, offering a lot of knowledge.

The Dalian World Music Museum is China's first museum integrating Chinese and Western music culture. It collects over 4,000 precious musical instruments from more than 70 countries and regions, mainly including ancient Chinese instruments, Western instruments, ethnic instruments, and folk instruments from around the world.

Multiple exhibition areas fully present the development history of world music culture and sound recording and playback equipment. The exhibitions tell the history and evolution of world music through scene restoration, multimedia interaction, and other methods.

The Dalian World Music Museum is a fantastic museum. If you love music and culture, you might consider visiting it. I believe you will gain something unique.

Come to Dalian for the New Year, travel through time in museums, see millennium-old national treasures, enjoy exhibitions from ancient and modern China and abroad, and collect museum stamps.

Busy Shopping and Food District

Dalian Xi'an Road Commercial Area is one of the important commercial areas in Dalian, gathering many well-known shopping malls and stores. It's a great place for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

The night market street on Xi'an Road is also very lively, with many food stalls and snacks, such as pot-sticker potatoes, oyster omelets, menzi (a local starch dish), pot helmets, hot dry noodles, takoyaki, pan-fried buns, beef soup, rice noodles, grilled squid, etc.

The night market street is also clean and novel, making it a nice place for leisure and entertainment. If you plan to visit the Xi'an Road commercial area and night market, it's recommended to plan your itinerary in advance to better experience the local food and culture.

Since I was in Dalian, I had to go skiing to fully enjoy it! Dalian Linhai Ski Resort is currently a relatively large ski resort in southern Liaoning.

The resort has comprehensive service facilities such as a ski equipment hall, standard guest rooms, rest areas, and coach guidance, meeting various needs of visitors.

Dalian Linhai Ski Resort has beginner, intermediate, and advanced slopes. The beginner slope is wide, suitable for beginners. The intermediate slope is steeper, so beginners should not challenge it lightly. The advanced slope has a comfortable gradient and is the longest in Dalian, suitable for various carving skiers to practice.

If you like skiing, you can consider experiencing Dalian Linhai Ski Resort. Skiing is a high-risk sport, so be sure to pay attention to safety and follow the resort's rules and instructions.

Warmth at the Shangri-La Hotel

During this Dalian trip, I stayed at the Shangri-La Hotel Dalian for several days. The hotel is located in the financial and business center of Dalian, with a great location and convenient transportation.

The architectural style is elegant, blending Chinese and Japanese design elements. The interior is luxurious and comfortable, offering various types of guest rooms and suites.

The Chinese, Western, and Japanese restaurants are all headed by famous chefs, offering Shangri-La-quality dishes and local seafood specialties. I mainly had the buffet breakfast at the first-floor restaurant, which was rich in variety and very satisfying.

New Year Trip Itinerary Recommendation

DAY 1 Arrive in Dalian – Silver Beach – Xinghai Cross-Sea Bridge (sunset viewing) – Xiding Sea Urchin Dumplings (Xinghai Branch)

DAY 2 Russian Style Street – Dalian Art Museum – Zhongshan Square – Nanshan Style Street – Tiger Beach Fisherman's Wharf – Donggang New Year's Eve Light Show

DAY 3 Museum Tour (Dalian Museum, Natural Museum, Shell Museum, Music Museum) – Xi'an Road Commercial Area

DAY 4 Linhai Ski Resort – Return