China Guide,Brief Introduction to Qingdao

Located in the southeast part of Shandong Province, Qingdao is a beautiful seaside city on the southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula. As bordering on the Yellow Sea and the Jiaozhou Bay, it is an important city for international trade.

Qingdao has a total coastline (including its islands) of 870 kilometers, 730 kilometers of which are continental coastline, accounting for one fourth of the total length in Shandong. There are numerous capes and coves along the tortuous coastline. Qingdao has 7 urban districts and 5 county-level cities under its jurisdiction with a total area of 10,654 square kilometers and a population of over 7 million. The urban area measures 1,102 square kilometers and urban residents total 1.6 million.

The red roofs, green trees, blue sea, and azure sky make Qingdao bright and colorful. The city is sometimes known as the Switzerland of the Orient. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Qingdao attracts many tourists with its charming seascape. Major scenic spots there include the Eight Passes Villas, the Zhan Bridge, Mt. Laoshan, The Small Qingdao Island, Just walking on the sand and listening to the surf breaking on the beach becomes enjoyable. In summer if you come here, do not miss the Luxun Park and Qingdao Beahces, where you can enjoy a leisurely and relaxed time. Another option is that you can go further eastward, and visit the beautiful Shilaoren National Holiday Resort.

As Qingdao offers food with distinctive flavors, especially seafood, so take this chance to enjoy the delicious seafood. Also, its mineral water, wine, and excellent Tsingtao Beer are world-famous. Among the local arts and crafts, shell carvings are especially popular with tourists. To enhance the tourism industry, Qingdao now sponsors the Qingdao International Beer Festival, the Qingdao International Sea Festival, Beach Culture Festival, the Sea Affection Festival, and the Summer of Qingdao Festival, etc.

Qingdao will hold the Sailing Competition in the Olympic Games in 2008. This great event also brings a great opportunity for this charming city to build its bright future.