Poetic Mount Lao | Drunk on the Charm of a Mountain-and-Sea Town in Wanggezhuang
In Mount Lao, there's a place facing the Yellow Sea, nestled against the mountains, rich in tourism resources—simple yet not lacking unique charm, with scenery that makes visitors linger and forget to leave. That's Wanggezhuang, a small mountain-and-sea town where "specialties are everywhere and landscapes unfold at every turn."
Wanggezhuang Subdistrict lies at the eastern foot of Mount Lao, on the shores of Yangkou Bay, and is part of the Mount Lao Scenic Area. It boasts unparalleled natural endowments—mountains meet the sea, tea is fragrant and fish are plump. Green hills, tea gardens, villages, sandy beaches, fishing harbors, bays, and islets weave together into a grand yet tranquil picture of Wanggezhuang's beauty.
Photo by Liu Mingyuan, Special Photographer of Mount Lao
Stunning at first sight, enchanting upon revisiting—that's how this mountain-and-sea town, Wanggezhuang, makes you feel. It's an intoxicating joy, where your body and soul are both drunk with delight.
Photo by Laoshan Wendao
First Sip: The Scenery
Along Wanggezhuang's 52-kilometer coastline, every spot can be a blockbuster shot. Stroll among the mountains, sea, fields, islands, and bays, and quietly soak in the magnificent beauty of this small town.
Photo by Hua Ge
Photo by Laoshan Wendao
The allure of holistic tourism shines here: centered on the southern scenic areas of Mount Lao, it's surrounded by the most beautiful villages. Scenic area plus countryside—unlock a different way to play.
Photo by Liu Mingyuan, Special Photographer of Mount Lao
Photo by Mou Xiaoyu
· Most Beautiful Villages — Qingshan Fishing Village ·
Right next to the Taiqing Scenic Area, Qingshan Village is definitely Mount Lao's social-media hotspot. As a "National-Level Traditional Village," it has no shortage of beauty or food.
Photo by Wang Hua, Special Photographer of Mount Lao
Winding down the mountain road, a lovely village rushes into view. Red-tiled, stone-walled houses, built along the slope in a pleasing jumble, stand out strikingly against the blue sky and sea. On either side of the village are emerald tea terraces; behind it, soaring rocky peaks; in front, the azure sea. Together they form a beautifully layered, picturesque fishing-village tableau—a grand scroll of mountain, sea, and sky.
Photo by Liu Mingyuan, Special Photographer of Mount Lao
Photo by Wang Hua, Special Photographer of Mount Lao
· Most Beautiful Villages — Fanling Village ·
Fanling's unique location means clouds and mist visit frequently, often creating an ethereal, mystical atmosphere of boundless mist and haunting solitude. On a lucky clear day, the sunrise here rivals that at Shi Laoren.
The area around Fanling Community is dotted with scenic spots. The Dragon King Platform by the sea is said to be where the Dragon King mustered his troops. To the west, the Huayan Scenic Area is a renowned Buddhist site, and Huayan Temple is honored as one of Mount Lao's three great temples. Lion Rock, Tianbo Pool, Feiran Pavilion, Wanghai Gate—all are wonderful places to explore.
· Most Beautiful Villages — Xiaowang Village ·
Xiaowang Village sits at the eastern foot of Mount Lao, just north of Yangkou Scenic Area, covering about 12.2 square kilometers with a population of 3,100. Beautiful scenery, pleasant climate, easy access, and abundant produce—it's a "National Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Site" and a "Shandong Province Tourism-Featured Village," and in 2017 it was named one of China's Beautiful Leisure Villages.
With its thousand-acre tea gardens as a backdrop, Yangkou Scenic Area and Erlong Mountain Scenic Area as highlights, plus a rich array of farmhouse feasts, it's an unbeatable choice for eco-leisure travel in the Laoshan District.
Photo by Xu Kaili
Second Sip: The Flavors
Mount Lao tea is undoubtedly the star of Wanggezhuang. Almost every household grows tea there, accounting for 80% of the Laoshan District's tea acreage. Following age-old techniques over decades, the locals have carefully cultivated top-grade teas famed for their superb taste and quality.
The Wanggezhuang big steamed buns—made with special flour, mountain spring water, hand-kneaded, steamed in iron pots over wood fires—have even been featured on national media like "Focus Report." With creative new products nowadays, they're an absolute must-try internet-famous treat.
When you come to Wanggezhuang, a seafood feast is a given. When the fishing season opens, this is the place to buy seafood, making it one of Qingdao's premier culinary destinations. Mantis shrimp, octopus, pomfret, cage-raised prawns, plus local specialties like sand-shrimp paste and sun-dried salted fish—all are beloved by Qingdao locals.
Deep Immersion: The Lifestyle
Here you can experience a different kind of travel life: check in at the Mount Lao Scenic Area, Biao Mountain rural eco-tours, Wanggezhuang Market, Eryue'er Farm, Hejia Steamed Bun Street, Huichang Beach Combing... and many more trendy landmarks—you'll be having too much fun to go home.
You might also spend a few days living like a true Laoshan native. Stay overnight in this warmly human landscape of mountain and sea, savor the town's pleasant living environment, and try out distinctive B&Bs of different styles. Become neighbors with the villagers and lose yourself in a dreamlike life of fairy-tale seclusion.
The poetic life in the mountain-and-sea town of Wanggezhuang—are you drunk on it yet?
【Scenic Area Reminders】
1. The Mount Lao Scenic Area operates a real-name online reservation system for tickets—be sure to book before you go.
2. Mingxia Cave, Shangqing Palace, and Taiping Palace reopened on June 13; Mitian Cave, Taiqing Palace, Weizhu Temple, Huayan Temple, and other religious sites remain temporarily closed.
3. Visitors must apply for a Shandong e-Health Passcode in advance via the "Ai Shandong" app, the WeChat "Health Shandong Service Account," or Alipay's "Shandong e-Health Passcode." A green passcode (yellow or red codes are prohibited from entering) must be shown before passing any temperature checkpoints in the scenic area.
4. Please take personal protective measures (masks must be worn throughout) and cooperate with temperature screening. When queuing for temperature checks, ticket purchase, ticket inspection, or taking the cable car, keep a distance of at least 1.5 meters. Cable car cabins should in principle carry no more than 2 people, and chairlifts should carry 1 person (except for members of the same party who request to ride together).
5. Visitors must follow the scenic area's epidemic prevention, fire prevention, and safety management regulations. Do so in a civilized, orderly manner, avoid gathering, and comply with the on-site guidance of staff.
