I Am a Person of the Sea: A 5-Day Autumn/Winter Road Trip through Qingdao, Yantai, and Weihai in Shandong
After drifting for over a decade, I settled down in Qingdao, ultimately choosing this city of mountains and sea to spend my life.
The ocean has countless moods, the mountains hold four seasons. In a city painted with the colors of mountains and sea, life feels richer, more emotional. No matter how busy our daily lives, we still often go to see the sea and hike. I love the quote from "Dear Chekhov": "In nature there is something magical and especially moving, something that compensates with its poetry for all life's inconveniences. Every day brings something new, and each day is more wonderful than the last."
If a seaside holiday still makes you think only of Hainan, then you definitely haven't visited these coastal cities in Shandong — Qingdao, Weihai, and Yantai. In summer, the 20-something-degree sea breeze blows away the heat and worries; autumn and winter have their own unique beauty. In November in Qingdao, autumn arrives slowly, with blue skies and yellow leaves carpeting the ground, the whole city colored like a painting. Weihai is sometimes melancholy, sometimes bright and clear, a little poem full of cinematic quality in my heart, while Yantai, from dawn to dusk, is a dream made reality. Romance is surely the antidote to the mundane, and the clear sunshine shared by all three cities brings peace to all internal struggles.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
— John Masefield
Qingdao: Day and Night at Third Sea Bathing Beach
Qingdao Shinan: Xiaomaidao Island
Qingdao: Guanxiangshan Park
Qingdao Laoshan: Qingshan Fishing Village
Qingdao Laoshan: Devil's Beach
Qingdao Laoshan: Huichang Pier
Weihai: Huoju 8th Street
Yantai Golden Beach: "The Lonely Whale" Sculpture
Yantai: Fisherman's Wharf and Whale Shark Museum
Day 1: Zhanqiao Pier, Cathedral, Old Town, Guangxingli, Badaguan, Xiaomaidao, Shangri-La
Day 2: Qingshan Fishing Village, Laoshan's Most Beautiful Mountain-Sea Highway, Huichang Pier
Day 1: Thousand-Mile Mountain-Sea Self-Drive Highway, Naxianghai, Jinshiwan, Yuehai Park, Hanlefang
Day 2: Binhai Park, Beishan Road, Huoju 8th Street
Yantai: Island Diary B&B, Golden Beach, Lonely Whale Sculpture, Fisherman's Wharf, Yangma Island
I want to say a hundred times: I love autumn in Qingdao!
"Every tree wears its autumn hue, every hill is bathed in the glow of sunset."
I love the clear blue sky, the sea drenched in sunlight, and this perfectly gentle temperature.
Where should you go first when visiting Qingdao? Without hesitation, I always vote for the old town.
If I had to give just one reason to fall in love with Qingdao, walking through the old town is enough. On sunny days it feels like Prague; on overcast days, like Lisbon. When you go up and down slopes and through alleys, then look up and see the sea, there's no need to pretend — this is Qingdao's unique romantic scenery.
Looking at Qingdao's architecture is like visiting a world architecture expo, where past and future intertwine and old buildings shine with new light in the river of time. When wandering the old town, remember to wear comfortable shoes. The flagstone roads and bumpy surfaces are tricky, there are many ups and downs, and climbing Xinhua Mountain, Guanxiang Mountain, and Guanhai Mountain requires good stamina. In the old town, following a set route is fine, but simply wandering is equally wonderful.
Refuse anxiety, and may your stroll be happy.
Old Town Wandering Route:
Start at Zhanqiao Pier → Cathedral → Guangxingli → Walk to Guanhai Mountain → Longhua Road → Guanxiang Mountain → Longjiang Road with its various shops → Corner Café on Huangxian Road → Daxue Road for the famous wall photo → Keep walking to Second Sea Bathing Beach
Century-Old Liyuan: Guangxingli
"Your family a handful of rice, my family a bowl of congee, cooking up life's pleasures, simmering neighbourhood feelings... The dreams of life bloom in the liyuan courtyards..." — Feng Dongping, "Liyuan," from Shibei District. Liyuan is a traditional Qingdao dwelling, formed in the 1920s–30s. Guangxingli is a standard liyuan-style building with over 120 years of history. Enter from 63 Haipo Road, and you see a square courtyard paved with bluestone slabs, green window frames red railings. Climb the bluestone stairs, and the century-old stone gleams with a deep patina.
Once, it served both commercial and residential purposes, with shops woven together, brimming with the bustle of everyday life. Now, the old noise and chaos are gone. Guangxingli and the surrounding old houses are undergoing comprehensive renovation and transformation. The old buildings have become modern and attractive, the Shangjieli Market gathers trendy stalls, young people pose for photos — Guangxingli has become a must-visit artsy, hipster spot in Qingdao.
[Visitor Info]
Address: 63 Haipo Road, Shibei District, Qingdao, Shandong
Getting there: The nearest metro station is Qingdao Station on Line 3, very close to the Catholic Church. Famous old town sights are walkable from here.
Photo tips: Besides Guangxingli itself, many old streets and buildings are hidden nearby — those looking for good photos should explore carefully.
Badaguan's Golden Autumn
If you're feeling anxious, go for a walk in Badaguan. Don't look at a map — just stride forward, wander aimlessly.
Eight beautiful streets make up Badaguan's autumn spectacle. You can distinguish each road by its trees: towering sycamores, delicate ginkgoes, dense cedars and dragon junipers... When the autumn wind blows, the 160 ginkgo trees on Juyongguan Road turn golden yellow. I've heard that the street cleaners purposefully don't sweep the leaves at this time. Heading to Badaguan to enjoy autumn has become the season's most popular thing to do — miss it and you'll have to wait a whole year.
Probably everyone feels this same urgency, so on weekends Badaguan is packed. People sit, lie, stand, tossing leaves — it's a whole city's photo festival. Over 200 buildings in various national styles are clustered here, a step to a pavilion, a turn to a tower, like a giant open-air museum, brushing past layers of history. Walk down to the sea, to Second Sea Bathing Beach. Waves roll in, someone sticks roses in the sand and writes romantic words. Girls chase the waves for photos, lying on the beach, gilded by the sunset's glow.
Zhanqiao Pier: A City's Memory
The scent of the sea hits you, Zhanqiao Pier blending into the blue waters. Every city has its landmarks. Since its birth in the late 19th century, Zhanqiao has always been seen as Qingdao's icon, with over a hundred years of history — even older than the city itself. A 440-metre-long corridor extends from land into the sea, ending at Huilan Pavilion. Iron chain railings and lotus-shaped street lamps line both sides, the pavilion roofed with colored glazed tiles and supported by 24 red-lacquered pillars.
Stroll along Zhanqiao this season, and look for the famous internet-famous "Uncle No. 23" to take a classic tourist photo. In a few more days, flocks of seagulls from Siberia will arrive in Qingdao to spend the winter.
Vast flocks of gulls beat their wings, shimmering in the light, hovering weightlessly over the sparkling sea, bathed in the warm white winter sun. Watching them, you feel a transparent peace in body and soul. Since 1994, Qingdao has run the "Keep the Seagulls" campaign, encouraging residents to love and feed the gulls.
Twenty-six years later, the gulls have grown from 2,000 to over 100,000. Every late autumn/early winter, the gulls fly thousands of miles to Qingdao. Their arrival adds even more warmth to this already beautiful city. Every winter, so many people feed the gulls on Zhanqiao that the birds turn up their beaks at ordinary bread and buns. Taxi drivers say: "If you bring this kind of thing, the seagulls won't want it. They'll only eat deep-fried dough sticks. People have really spoiled them."
Best Photo Spots with Qingdao Cathedral
How can you visit Qingdao without a photo with the cathedral?
St. Michael's Cathedral, the old town's landmark, instantly makes you feel like you're on a European street. It looks good from any angle!
Construction began in 1932, designed by German architect Bialucha in Gothic and Romanesque styles, completed in October 1934 — over two and a half years. The original blueprint called for a height of a hundred metres, but due to war, the finished St. Michael's stands 56 metres tall, a typically Gothic church built with a composite structure of stone and concrete, elegantly simple in form. Here are some classic spots for standout photos — may you have a good time.
Gorgeous Old Town Views from a Dilapidated Rooftop
In a small courtyard next to the 1907 Film Club, a timeworn little building hides. Round arched windows still carry the charm of an old villa, but overall it's crumbling. Tangled wires overhead, old furniture warped and stained, rubbish piled up. Walk up to the roof terrace, and there are potted vegetables planted — looks like someone still lives here. Standing on the terrace and looking around, St. Michael's Cathedral basks in the afternoon light. Seeing the old town from here must be the view through old Qingdao locals' eyes.
[Sight Info]
📍 Address: Inside the courtyard of the former Seamen's Club, 17 Hubei Road
🚇 Getting there: Metro Line 3, Qingdao Station Exit G, then 650m walk
👉🏻 Directions: Facing the 1907 Film Club, there's a small car park to the right. Walk in, and you'll see a grey building in the distance — go upstairs.
⚠️ Note: People still live in the building, so be quiet and don't disturb. The terrace is dilapidated, with many tangled wires — be careful when taking photos near the edge.
Rooftop Terrace at Manxin Hotel, Zhanqiao & Train Station
The hotel's large terrace is a treasure vantage point. Gaze out at red roofs, green trees, blue sea, and sky — in a second you're transported to Prague. You can even see the cathedral from your room.
Huzhou Road, Qingdao: The road right in front of the cathedral, with the whole church as backdrop. Cars and trees on both sides create a sense of depth.
It was a total impulse move: near the cathedral, I glanced at a map and thought, let's check out Guanxiangshan Park — I'd never been. Wow — that visit turned into the most beautiful old town sunset I've seen in half a year.
On the way to the park, climbing steps and slopes, I fully soaked up the old Qingdao lifestyle. This area hasn't changed in two or three decades. Kids out of school, adults cooking dinner, the smell of home-cooked meals drifting everywhere. At Guanxiangshan Park, local uncles practiced tai chi and played chess, schoolkids did their homework sprawled on the pavilion floor. The entire solar system is painted on the ground of the park — isn't it romantic to stroll across the planets? Climb to the park's highest point — ah, the sunset and glowing clouds over the old town truly touched my heart.
⛰️ Qingdao Guanxiangshan Park
📍 15 Guanxiang Er Road, Qingdao
📆 Open all year, all day; free admission
Qingdao, true to its name, really has islands galore!
Besides Lingshan Island, Xiaomaidao, and Xiaoqingdao, there's also Rabbit Island, Cow Island, Pig Island, Donkey Island, Dagong Island... about 120 in total.
Which is the most famous? Many would say in unison: Xiaomaidao.
This once neglected island somehow became an internet sensation. Word is that in early 2020, a nearby resident shot a video on Xiaomaidao that racked up tens of millions of views. Then waves of landscape-loving content creators swarmed, with videos from every angle at sunset and daytime skyrocketing, and Xiaomaidao truly exploded in popularity.
With no official rating, the masses turned it into a viral hit. Xiaomaidao has been blessed by internet traffic but also genuinely loved by many. In the evening, crowds lie on the grass waiting for sunset. The fiery sunset glow spreads, dyeing the whole sky magnificent hues that envelop the island and the sea. Street artists play guitars and sing, completely absorbed, so romantic. The red boardwalk lights up with small bulbs, the coastal vibe at its fullest. Someone suggested Xiaomaidao should be covered by health insurance because it cured their mental burnout.
Location: Xiaomaidao, Shinan District, Qingdao
Metro: Maidao Station (then a 20-minute walk)
Self-drive: Not recommended
Most Beautiful Mountain-Sea Highway & Qingshan Fishing Village
Early morning we headed to Laoshan, known as "the foremost mountain on the sea."
Driving along the most beautiful mountain-sea highway,
maybe all those vows of eternal love spoken earlier could finally come true.
Laoshan's Most Beautiful Highway
If you come to Qingdao, you absolutely must not miss Laoshan. It's the highest peak on China's coastline, surrounded on three sides by the sea, hailed as "the first famous mountain on the sea." Inside Laoshan there's a coastal highway, mountains on one side, sea on the other. You must bring your loved one here — with mountains and sea as witness, perhaps your promises of undying love will indeed come true. It's also the most thrilling mountain bus route in Qingdao, hugging sheer cliffs, twisting and turning hair-raisingly. Over 27 kilometres there are 608 bends, each stop a stunning, unspoiled beauty — the route takes in the entirety of Laoshan's scenery!
If you're not driving, you can hop on Bus 618, Qingdao's most beautiful winding mountain bus route, which snakes like a dragon through the hills — spectacular from above.
Step into the Traditional Village of Qingshan Fishing Village
Qingshan Fishing Village, a 600-year-old ancient settlement, backs onto Laoshan and is embraced by the sea — a secluded paradise, a real-life Shangri-La. For centuries, its residents have lived by farming, fishing, and tea-growing. In Episode 7 of "A Bite of China 3," titled "Life," the narration about Qingshan Village goes:
"The fishermen's labour is coming to an end. The summer fishing moratorium has brought them greater harvests. The richest catch now is Spanish mackerel. As soon as winter arrives, Qingshan Village becomes a world of wind-dried fish. 'Sweet drying' doesn't mean sugar and no salt, but simply air-drying without any seasoning. After five days, this semi-dried ingredient will be wrapped inside dumplings."
Address: Qingshan Fishing Village
Getting there: Self-drive: Between 6:00 and 19:00 daily, you must use the northern route; set navigation to Laoshan Scenic Area Yangkou Ticket Station → then Qingshan Fishing Village sign.
Before 6:00 am or after 19:00, you can take the southern route, directly navigating to Qingshan Fishing Village. At Yangkou Ticket Station you'll be stopped; call a restaurant or B&B in advance, give the shop name, explain your purpose, and they'll let you through. There are many parking spots along the way, all free. You can also take Bus 618 along the coast until Qingshan South.
Huichang Pier's Lonely Wooden Bridge
Before night falls, hurry to see the wooden bridge at Huichang Pier. Listen to the sound of the sea rolling in the dark. In previous autumns, it never felt this quiet. I think there's a different kind of time here.
In Laoshan, there's a place called Huichang Village. Named "Huichang" (meaning "meeting venue"), sure enough, many companies choose it for team-building activities. Along the shore there are party villas where groups can stay together. But Huichang Village is most famous for its crabs. The small temperature difference between winter and summer, suitable water temperature, and a constant salinity around 3% make this area the primary spawning ground for swimming crabs on the southern Shandong Peninsula.
I love it here because of this wooden bridge. In the cold wind, waves crash against it — lonely and beautiful. There was a man on the shore changing water in his fish tank. Seeing us photograph the bridge, he called us inside to sit and have some tea. The villa at the bridgehead is his home, and he built this bridge 25 years ago. After the once-popular wedding photography base was dismantled, the village became much quieter. The wooden bridge survived. When the tide rises, walking on it, waves churn beneath your feet; wearing a long dress, the wind swaying the hem makes for beautiful photos. At low tide, you can walk under the bridge and see the marks of time etched into it.
Qingdao Food & Accommodation Recommendations
What to eat in Qingdao? Of course, all kinds of fresh seafood are a must. Additionally, there are wild wontons, potstickers, giant buns and steamed bread — carb bombs! The main style is Shandong cuisine, but you can find inclusive dishes of all sorts.
Seafood dumplings are practically an edible business card for Qingdao. Every year, thousands of tonnes of Qingdao's seafood dumplings are sold nationwide. These dumplings are made with fresh fish like Spanish mackerel, yellow croaker, cuttlefish, shrimp, and other seafood fillings. The resulting dumplings look exquisite, thin-skinned and generously filled. One bite reveals a rich, fresh, delicate flavour.
Qingdao's "wild wonton" shops are actually BBQ joints open until the small hours. Wild wontons, braised big bones, and little skewers are all must-eats!
A famous snack, with a bouncy texture, blending sweet and savoury. Especially when you chew the lean meat clinging to the pig's trotter, that soft, springy skin is incredibly aromatic — worthy of being called "the best trotter under heaven."
We were lucky to eat at Qingshan Fishing Village this time. Laoshan's pine mushrooms are very famous. Here they stew a local young chicken together with the mushrooms; the resulting dish has tender chicken and a broth that's absolutely delicious.
Drinking Tsingtao Beer with Clams
Drinking Tsingtao beer and eating clams is the proper Qingdao way to travel! Clams cost 15 yuan for two jin at the pier. You can find a beer house to cook them for you or order in restaurants — it's never too expensive.
All Kinds of Strange Fish
In Qingshan Fishing Village we had skate — isn't that the devil fish that floats overhead in the aquarium? Really, life's experiences just keep expanding. The fish was extremely tender and boneless. Delicious!
Recommended Restaurants
Lv's Braised Little Seafood
Shangri-La, Shang Palace Restaurant
Qingshan Fishing Village, Laoshan: Xianghe Renjia
Accommodation: Qingdao Shangri-La
If it's your first time in Qingdao and you're with a family, don't hesitate — just choose Shangri-La. The service of this veteran five-star hotel is beyond doubt, and the best part is its location. Convenience store and MixC mall downstairs, 10 minutes' walk to May Fourth Square, and the metro right outside whisks you to Badaguan, Zhanqiao, and the old town. How convenient is staying downtown? I forgot to bring diapers for my child, ordered delivery, and it arrived in 10 minutes with no delivery fee.
Adorable Family Room Setup
Just let them know you're bringing kids, and you'll experience the joy of your child squealing when the door opens. Our themed family room was ocean-themed: handwritten card, welcome fruit platter, white chocolate printed with a family photo, children's bathrobes and toiletries, tent, toys, corner guards — every detail full of care.
Breakfast and dinner are five-star buffet spreads.
Thoughtfully, high chairs and children's tableware are provided. At breakfast they even served a special kids' airplane-themed meal ✈️.
After meals, you can play at the pool and gym; there's also a steam room and sauna.
Address: Qingdao Shangri-La, 9 Xianggang Zhong Road
Transport: Metro Line 2, Wusi Guangchang Station
Free parking for hotel guests.
[Weihai] A Poem for Winter Days
At Naxianghai in late autumn — yesterday a big cold snap. The once trendy spot was completely empty. Wooden coffee huts on the beach stood in the howling wind, full of lonely beauty. Soon, large numbers of swans from Siberia will arrive in Weihai to shelter from the cold. The Naxianghai Swan Lake Station exists because the marine environment in Weihai's Rongcheng is excellent, with plenty of eelgrass and mild winter temperatures. It's also because local people care for the swans that they return year after year.
A Cruise Ship Stranded by a Typhoon
Along the way we came across a huge cruise ship, said to be foreign, beached here by a typhoon. Its presence was incredible — like a scene from an apocalyptic movie. I wanted to explore it, look for hidden treasure. Location: about 200m east of Xiaowudui RV Camp.
Dreamlike Sea Grass Houses Along the Route
Driving along, we paused at two villages filled with sea grass houses. The distinctive feature along the road was the clusters of these houses, glowing in the sunlight, like something from a fairy tale under blue sky and white clouds. While flying the drone, an elderly man passed by and said that the sea grass used to build these houses (a type of seaweed) is becoming increasingly scarce. People no longer build such houses; those we see are all old ones.
📍 Chujiabo Village, G228, Rongcheng, Weihai
📍 Chenfengzhuang Village, Zhongwa Line, Rongcheng, Weihai
Jinshiwan's Fairy Tale World
When we reached Jinshiwan, the sun broke through the clouds and lit up the sea. Cute thatched cottages sit right by the shore. The wind was strong, waves crashing against the reefs. Spreading my arms wide in the wind felt like unfurling life's sails.
Jinshiwan Art Zone is located at China's easternmost tip — Rongcheng, Weihai. The coastline stretches about 3.5 km, covers over 750 mu, with a total floor area around 450,000 sq m. It's a comprehensive cultural park integrating culture, education, tourism, and property. The zone features standalone and townhouse villas, an art hotel, galleries, an education centre, an art trading centre, a five-star hotel, and a yacht club.
Transport: Take Rongcheng Bus 253 to Hekou stop, then walk; driving is better.
Admission: 40 yuan/person; open 08:00–18:00
Snapping Two Internet-Famous Roads in Weihai
The next day, the weather cleared. A seaside town in crystal-clear air is so beautiful — sky so blue, sea so blue, breeze so gentle. Walking along, I could almost hear my inner voice; the sunlight could touch the brightness and warmth in the soul.
We hit up two famous Weihai roads: 📍 Beishan Road 📍 Huoju 8th Street
A little road leading to the azure sea deserves all the praise. Walking back and forth on just one street, a bright happiness overflowed.
In Weihai, there's a perfect spot to deeply feel the local flavor — Haiyuan Park. Here, the park's carefully crafted beauty meets coastline sections that retain their original wildness. It boasts the unique four-island vista rare among central city seafronts, plus Heqing Pier and the WWI Chinese Labourers Museum, rich in cultural depth. In the evening we bought incredibly cheap seafood here — Qingdao prices can't compare. Mantis shrimp 15 yuan a jin, huge crabs 30. We bought some and found a restaurant to cook them, eating with pure joy!
The Bustling Vibe of Hanlefang
Hanlefang is China's first Korean culture-themed commercial park. As soon as you step in, the "Korean flavor" hits you. Wandering around, the buildings and shops are strongly Korean-style in architecture: magpies, haetae, taeguk drums, Hahoe masks, ornate gate paintings, carved beams... Korean trees like zelkova, bonsai pines, hibiscus, and azaleas complete the scene. Together with various guesthouses, it weaves a genuinely Korean world. Signboards and street signs are mostly bilingual in Chinese and Korean, and passersby often chat in Korean, giving you the illusion of being on a Korean street. Here, you can eat authentic Korean cuisine and buy Korean products at good prices.
"When a whale falls, all life thrives" — the solitary whale sculpture on Yantai's coast. Finally, I was about to see it. We set out at 5 a.m. to wait by the sea. Under the deep blue sky, all was silent as a dream. Dawn crept up, the breeze thinning the blue. Early winter's coastal light was crisp and cold. Life is impermanent; I just hoped to remain calm and fully live each moment. In the dim light, approaching it, I felt it enveloped by immense loneliness. But as the sun rose, radiating warmth over everything, day broke. Walking along the endless shoreline of Golden Beach, it was like a poem: "living in this precious world, strong sunlight, gentle waves." Life is impermanent; may we stay serene and savour every moment.
Name: The Lonely Whale (free)
Location: Yantai Golden Beach Coastal Park
Tip: Along the long coast there are wonderful sculptures and buildings the whole way — you can walk, shoot, and play for a good half day.
Fisherman's Wharf: Gentle Years
Leaving Golden Beach, after a hot breakfast, we rushed to Fisherman's Wharf. Now brilliant sunshine flooded the land. Fisherman's Wharf is Yantai's social media hotspot, especially after a batch of European-style photos went viral recently.
It's located beside Second Sea Bathing Beach on Binhai Middle Road. The architectural style reflects Victorian, Georgian, and other maritime influences, making it a comprehensive resort area and a national 4A scenic spot. There's the Haichang Whale Shark Aquarium, Haichang Yudaishan Hot Spring, food streets, seaside commercial streets... Spotting a large cluster of European buildings, we knew we'd arrived. Walking on the square, feeding pigeons, going down to the sea to watch locals dig oysters on the rocks, little fishing boats dotting the water.
Circling Fisherman's Wharf south to the southernmost point and then west, you connect with the original wooden boardwalk, the rustic path beautifying the coastline. We rested a while at the "Yue Jian Hai Tang" café, a café with a perfect lawn. The entire green area is an elevated grassy slope, very reminiscent of Xiaomaidao for photos. The lush lawn is dotted with photo setups, and a set of transparent tables and chairs facing the sea is simply too beautiful! When the lights come on at night, it's even more romantic.
[Sightseeing Tips]
Detailed Address: Fisherman's Wharf, 45 Binhai Middle Road, Laishan District, Yantai, Shandong
How to get there: Take high-speed train to Yantai Station, then taxi to Fisherman's Wharf for about 15 yuan.
Or take buses 7, 10, 17, 61 to "Second Sea Bathing Beach" stop. Multiple car parks inside the wharf are free.
📸 Fisherman's Wharf Photo Guide: Walk to the nearby road and use the crosswalk with the European buildings as backdrop. Pose with the cute European architecture — the cartoon fountain is especially adorable! Bring the kids to feed pigeons in the square for super loving family photos. The sea makes the best background; stroll the wooden boardwalk, let the sea breeze mess your hair. At night, photographing the seafood stalls also gives a holiday vibe.
At the end of our trip, we went to Yangma Island.
I think sunset must be the world's greatest romance.
From dawn to dusk, a song finishes.
In Chen Li's song, she sings: "Thank you for being so dazzling, a star in my ordinary days."
Legend says Emperor Qin Shihuang kept imperial horses here during his eastern inspection tour, hence the name Yangma Island (Horse-Raising Island).
Yangma Island lies in the Yellow Sea, 30 km east of Yantai and 9 km north of Muping District. It covers about 10 sq km, with beautiful scenery and a pleasant climate — no bitter cold in winter, no scorching heat in summer. An ideal spot for leisure, it's now a provincial-level tourist resort.
Photo-Worthy Spots:
A long wooden walkway stretching into the sea, its red colour contrasting with blue sky and water. The day we visited, the wind and waves were strong, the sea pounding the reefs — a true picture of "startling waves breaking on the shore."
A must-visit: a landmark sculpture of seven galloping horses, plus a straight boardwalk leading to two pavilions over the sea.
Not far from Qin Feng Cliff, a small tavern closed during the day is notable for a road sign reading "Huandao Road No. 1314."
A very noticeable little white building, which is both a B&B and a café.
Accessible only at low tide; the "cave" is actually just a tiny recess. Recommended to shoot with an ultra-wide lens.
Self-drive: Recommended for the island; there's a circular road with parking at each attraction.
Yantai Food & Accommodation
Yantai Island Diary
A multi-venue space: clinking glasses with the city, one toast to sunset, one to time.
We stayed at the Dawn B&B, part of Island Diary. The owner really understands the internet: they've gathered every imaginable social-media element. The space isn't huge, but you can take photos all day.
Dawn combines guest rooms, Western dining, coffee, and a bar, crafting a lifestyle for a century-old villa that awakens the pleasantness of a holiday. In your spare moments, it's a quiet place to relax.
If only the window didn't face a noisy street but an endless sea — that would be perfect. Leaning against the boundless ocean, this becomes a "hidden paradise" within the city. We went to Haichaku Tea House, a peaceful retreat tucked inside a century-old villa. Strawberry bear plushies dotted the little building's corners. We ordered a perfect autumn activity — tea brewing by a brazier, boiling water for tea, roasting chestnuts and persimmons — such fun! The overall style is a refreshing, new Chinese design, without heavy ornamentation, exuding a minimalist, exquisite beauty.
By the window, you could sit all day. The slogan at the door, "I really miss you here in Yantai," has become an internet-famous photo spot.
You can also drink coffee outdoors, in a camping-style seating area, watching the sea. The sunshine is good, and even in winter it's not too cold.
🏠 Address: Building 4, 111 Dama Road, Binhai Square, Yantai, Zhifu District, Shandong
