Excursions
Dalian is well placed for some enjoyable 3 days trips to see nearby cities and cultural sights. From March till November we will run a monthly excursion to enable you see more of the country and provide you with wider experiences in China.
Our excursions are as follows:
Beijing:
Take the overnight sleeper train to Beijing leaving at 8pm and arriving at 7am the next morning. Then straight to the 3 star 'Super 8' hotel located not far from the centre and have a couple of hours to relax and recover. In the afternoon we visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden Palace and Mao's Mausoleum. Saturday is spent on a day trip to the Great Wall then back for a Beijing duck feast. Sunday morning we head over to the Summer Palace and Fragrant Hills then an afternoon flight back to Dalian.
Total cost: Approximately US $250 (including all transport, hotel, entry tickets and Beijing duck feast).
Qingdao:
For this trip the company will hire one or two 14 person minibuses, depending on demand. We start by taking the overnight ferry (4 person sleeper cabin) to Yantai arriving at 7:30 am. Then make the 3.5 hour drive to Qingdao to check into hotel. After a couple of hours recovery time we take an afternoon trip to 'Tsingdao' beer museum for some research on the history of China's most famous beer. At the end of the tour there is a beer tasting session after which we go out to sample the Qingdao nightlife. Saturday is a day trip to nearby Laotian mountain with an evening trip to have a traditional foot massage. Sunday morning, weather permitting, we sail around the same waters that will be used for the 2008 Olympics sailing events. We then drive back, taking the late afternoon speed ferry back to Dalian.
Total cost: US Approximately US $220.
TaiShan and Qufu:
This trip allows you to ascend China's most famous mountain and visit the hometown of its most famous sage. Leaving Friday morning to take the speed boat to Yantai we go on by train to Jinan, the capital of Shandong, where we stop for a late lunch and tour of the spring parks for which the city is famous. Then it's on by minibus to Tai-Shan. (3 hours). The first half of the ascent is made by bus which leaves the remaining 600m to be covered by foot. Saturday morning it's up to watch the sunrise at 6am followed by descent by gondola and car. In the afternoon it's a 30 min drive over to Qufu to look around the home of Confucius. Sunday morning after exploring more of the town, it is time for the train back to Yantai (6-7 hours) and ferry to Dalian.
This trip does require a bit more stamina for the mountain ascent and longer travel times.
Total cost: US Approx US $230.
Dandong:
Lying on the North Korean border Dandong thrives on the views of North Korea across the Yalu Jiang River. For this trip it's a 5 hour bus ride to Dandong. The next day spent ia looking around the town and taking a speed boat trip up and down the river. We also pop into the museum to commemorate the Korean War which offers the Chinese perspective on the events of the time. That evening we take the one hour bus ride to the Phoenix Emperor Mountain and spend the next morning and afternoon looking at the various temples, monasteries and pagodas from the Tang, Ming and Qing Dynasties.
In the late afternoon it's back to Dandong and back on the train again to head back to Dalian.
Total cost: Approximately US $180.