Three Days, Two Nights in Qingdao: A Carefree Laoshan Escape to the Sea’s Immortal Mountain

“I once dined on purple clouds on Laoshan by the Eastern Sea.”

In early summer, the blazing sun already scorches – find a place by mountains and sea, lush and green, quiet and cool. That’s Qingdao’s Laoshan Mountain in summer, an immortal-like summer retreat. Today, join me, Orange, on a three-day, two-night journey to discover the sea’s immortal mountain and the carefree life on Laoshan.

DAY 1: Taiqing Tour – A Day of History & Intangible Heritage

The Taiqing Scenic Area sits at the southeastern tip of the Laoshan Scenic Area, nestled among mountains. It’s named after the famous Taiqing Palace. Surrounded by hills on three sides and facing the sea, it’s home to a rich variety of plants, with ancient trees standing lush and strong. Stone inscriptions from various dynasties dot the palace and its surroundings, telling stories of those who came before.

“Sea’s Immortal Mountain, Carefree Life”

While visiting Taiqing Palace, I happened upon the launch ceremony of the 2024 “5.19 China Tourism Day” series of events. The ceremony showcased themed travel routes around Laoshan. On site, people enjoyed tai chi and Chinese-style performances.

Stepping into the “Sea’s Immortal Mountain, Good Market Happening” cultural creative market, you could experience China-chic intangible heritage crafts, follow “Li Bai” to check in at the Taiqing study, watch “Xiangyu” and “Jiangxue” (legendary figures) leisurely sip tea, and join “Pu Songling” in hands-on heritage crafts.

Vivid, lifelike fish rubbings made from fresh fish, the intangible heritage Wanggezhuang giant steamed buns, a tea and world elegant gathering, incense and rubbing experiences, a folk singer strumming by the camping area... Plus NPCs dressed as Li Bai, Pu Songling, Xiangyu, and Jiangxue from Laoshan tales popping up for interactive quizzes and blessing sachet gifts. Laoshan’s new China-chic cultural vibe is thick.

Taiqing Palace’s vegetarian hall, simple and serene, tucked away in a quiet corner. Walking in feels like stepping into another dimension – the noise of the outside world shut out, leaving only inner peace and reverence. Savor the light, original flavors of vegetarian food and realize the truth of life: unnecessary to chase flashy luxury; inner calm and contentment matter most.

Taiqing Scenic Area: A Cultural Journey

The afternoon sun blazed, but stepping into Taiqing Palace felt like time travel. Shaded by millennia-old trees, it was refreshingly cool. Ancient halls and golden light intertwined, sacred and solemn. Incense smoke lingered; mystery and antiquity pervaded every corner.

I had a spiritual chat with Laoshan’s oldest tree, a “three-in-one” millennium-old cypress towering into the sky. In the Year of the Dragon, I touched the Dragon Tree; near Fengxian Bridge, I found the Longtou Elm – “touch the old dragon’s head, no worries for a lifetime.”

Then I followed the Pu Songling NPC to the spirit wall from Strange Tales of a Chinese Studio where the Laoshan Taoist priest walked through, and sought the peony and camellia trees from the story "Xiangyu."

Here, one can forget the world’s clamor and immerse in this mysterious, tranquil land, as if sensing the profound legacy and cultural atmosphere left by ancient times. Taiqing Palace is not just an ancient temple, it’s a witness to history and a carrier of culture.

Board the Taiqing Cruise, see Laoshan from the sea

Slowly stepping onto the deck, I felt the gentle sea breeze on my face. The boat glided off, ripples spreading, the sea glittering in the distance. As we sailed away, the outline of Taiqing Palace embraced by three sides of mountains gradually emerged. Rolling peaks hugged the sea, majestic and ancient, mysterious. Every scene from the sea was poetic, like a painting.

Accommodation: Shanhaijian • Xiehou Meisu

To encounter Qinghai, you must sleep within the scenery. The garden-style guesthouse ‘Shanhaijian • Xiehou Meisu’ lets you gaze at the sea by day and listen to the mountain whispers at night. Thirty-five individually styled high-end rooms offer views of mountain and sea. A place where sweet dreams and memories stay.

The homestay’s garden restaurant serves a delicious seafood feast: crispy Laoshan-style deep-fried shrimp, stunningly presented dragon-shaped hairtail with tender flesh, and a soup so good you can’t stop drinking... Fresh ingredients, excellent flavors. A gem where beauty and taste coexist.

DAY 2: Yangkou Scenic Area + Qingshan Fishing Village – Most Beautiful Coastal Highway

Leaving the guesthouse, mountain on the left, sea on the right. Words can’t capture the beauty. Mountain and sea embrace, the air is fresh, and human heritage meets natural wonder – a perfect one-day route.

Continuing along the coastal highway, we reached Yangkou Scenic Area. Even the journey lifted the spirits. Inside, the scenery stunned. A cable car ride revealed clusters of precipitous peaks, each vying in splendor. On a 20,000-square-meter cliff face carved with 36 versions of the Chinese character “shou” (longevity) is Shouzi Peak; vividly shaped rocks Peach Peak, Lion Peak, Sheep Rock... Steep peaks and bizarre stones everywhere.

Mitian Cave – a deep, precipitous, majestic wonder hole formed by stacked boulders in a cliff. The entrance is squeezed between two rock faces. Inside, it’s low and winding; you have to bend, and at narrow points, only one person can squeeze through sideways – perfect for adventurers.

Climbing through the cave, you reach Tianyuan, a platform overlooking the sea and mountains, as if inside a landscape painting. Sunlight crowns the summit with a golden halo, truly ethereal.

Wanggezhuang Giant Steamed Buns – Intangible Heritage Bun-Making Experience

Wanggezhuang giant steamed buns have over 500 years of history and are a representative intangible heritage of Qingdao. Handmade with traditional methods, the key is Laoshan spring water and specially supplied flour, which give the buns their fine, soft texture and high quality.

Under the patient hands-on guidance of the master, I tried making heritage buns. Traditional fruitwood open-flame steaming filled the room with fragrance. The texture was soft and fluffy, leaving a lingering aftertaste. Beyond classic buns, there are “scholar buns” symbolizing academic success, fruit-shaped buns, peach buns... Lifelike dragon and phoenix intertwined – can you tell they’re made of dough? These festive buns, whether for home or as gifts, bring delightful surprises.

Xiaoyangchun Tea House – Tasting Laoshan Tea

Laoshan green tea is grown in the Laoshan district of Qingdao, Shandong. Since 1959, when tea from the south was successfully introduced to the north, a uniquely flavored Laoshan green tea emerged.

Exploring the way of tea at Xiaoyangchun. Amid pavilions, terraces, and waterside structures in an ancient-style Chinese courtyard, I learned about Laoshan tea. Donning a bamboo hat, carrying a basket, and slinging a small picking basket over my shoulder, I transformed into a little tea picker, plucking tender buds into the basket amidst rolling greenery – stealing a half-day of leisure.

Here, you can also try traditional hand-frying tea. Under expert guidance, make your own one-of-a-kind clear tea. From mountain dwelling to picking, frying, and tasting, it’s a one-stop new life experience.

Accommodation: Youjian Qingliu Bay

A charming guesthouse with a balcony overlooking the sea, a garden hugged by flowers, and rooms each with their own character. The courtyard has 3–4 rooms, perfect for multi-family trips or party getaways. The thoughtful hostess even prepared seasonal snacks and fruit. Here, you feel as relaxed as at home.

DAY 3: Perfect Summer Escape

People often say, “If you haven’t visited Beijiushui, you haven’t truly seen Laoshan.” While many Laoshan sights shine by the sea, the Nine Waters area is known for its perilous peaks, deep valleys, crystal-clear streams – a gallery of flowing water praised as “Nine Waters, Bright Ripples.” Easy-going and lush with oxygen-rich forests and emerald pools, the Jiushui area is simply an ideal summer refuge.

All along the way, it’s cool and lush. Strange rocks, bamboo groves, waterfalls, pools... As you walk slowly, body and mind feel healed.

“Though Mount Tai is high, it can’t match East Sea’s Laoshan.” Laoshan, with its beautiful scenery and striking, jagged rocks, attracts many famous painters to sketch. They observe and interpret Laoshan from different angles, expressing distinct mountain-and-sea landscapes through their own ink language.

Towering peaks, dazzling sights, and shady groves – it’s truly a case of “a new scene every five steps, a different world every ten.” When tired, sit by the pool, sip a pot of Laoshan tea, watch bamboo leaves rustle in the wind, and listen to the burbling stream.

Lunch – Authentic Farmhouse Feast

At the foot of the Jiushui area, surrounded by green hills, a farmhouse restaurant serves rustic dishes. Crispy fried river shrimp, Laoshan-style mushroom stir-fry with pork, fresh locust-flower pancakes, stunning braised wild goose, crunchy fried bee pupae – all tasted for the first time. Golden scrambled mountain eggs, Jiushui’s free-range chicken soup, oil-splashed reservoir fish... Generous portions, all authentic Laoshan specialties. Enjoying summer breezes, feasting on mountain delicacies, picking the owner’s naturally grown cherries – this is the happy life!

Why Not Café

Tucked at the foot of the Jiushui area, a serendipitous gem of a coffee shop. Its courtyard atmosphere feels like stepping into a French garden. The front is the shop, the back a guesthouse; there’s nearby parking – friendly for self-driving travelers. In early summer heat, with a gentle breeze, sit under the pavilion, sip rich coffee, eat ice cream, and watch clouds drift from a deck chair – a lazy, pleasant afternoon.

Laoshan not only offers stunning natural scenery but also carries rich historical and cultural significance. Green mountains, blue sea, Taoist temples, tea fields – Laoshan has dramatic peaks, crystal waters, deep valleys, mysterious caves, and temples all around. Wandering through its landscapes, three days and two nights let me feel nature’s awe-inspiring craft and human culinary culture. This summer, come to Laoshan to escape the heat and experience a distinctive journey of mountain and sea.