Nicknamed China's Garden City, this coastal city has a beach-head that stretches over 100 km (60 miles), as well as lush forests and picturesque islands. Weihai is the place you go to relax and do many other fun activities, whether it is during summer or winter.
You can swim at an international beach, relax at some of the best city parks in China, bathe at the hot springs, learn about Chinese war culture and history, or see wild animals. Here are the best things to do while on a tour of Weihai...
1. Swim at the Weihai International Bathing Beach.
In addition to swimming, you can try out boat riding or ship cruises. Although overcrowded most of the time, this beach can hold up to 40,000 to 50,000 visitors at the same time.
You can walk along the beach and enjoy the natural beauty: gentle sand slopes and fine sand, grass on the dunes, stone inscriptions, two mountains on the west and east, and exuberant forests, or simply sit to sunbathe.
You can meet with travelers from all around the world and enjoy exchanging cultures or socializing with them in different ways. The most recommended season (peak season) is May to October.
- Admission: free
- Open: all day
- Bus 7 or 12 to Haiwan Hotel Bus Terminal
Another nearby famous beach in Shandong province, where you can enjoy bathing in water and sun as well as other sea entertainment activities, is the First Bathing Beach in Qingdao. It has beach huts, modern buildings, traditional villas, and beautiful scenes.
2. Cruise your way to Liugong Island (and other attractions).
Known as the birthplace of China's first navy, it is located at the mouth of Weihai Bay. The island offers a lot that interests tourists, but first take a sight-seeing ship that plies the island route. Tourists are allowed to stand at the rear of the ship in order to enjoy the beautiful views instead of sitting in the cabin.
Apart from sight-seeing the continuous ridges, mountain peaks, and dense trees among other natural beauty, you can learn a lot from the historical and cultural artifacts exhibited at the Liugong Island Museum, China Weapons Museum, and other places.
An example is learning the culture of Jiawu (the Sino-Japan War of 1894–1895). There are also remains of European-style buildings and remains of a Navy Academy, the Residence of Commander Ding, Iron Dock and Old Fort, and the Monument to the Soldiers.
Liugongdao Exposition
You also get to see the Liugongdao Exposition at the Island, whose main highlights are the colorful temple and the dragon tower. Among the few exhibits includes the whale exhibit (which exhibits stuffed whales and skeletons), and the British exhibition that exhibits history of the Island and its inhabitants during the 17th century. There is also a collection of vases and urns.
How to get there
- Getting there: Take a ship from 7 a.m to 4 p.m at peak season (May to October), and 7:30 a.m to 3 p.m off-peak hours. Peak season: 7:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m.
- Cost: 80 yuan per person
Cruise to Other Attractions
Apart from cruise tours to this Island, you can also take domestic ferries to Dalian and Weihai at the Qingdao Port Cruise Terminal.
You can also choose to go to Chengshantou and Hailu Island via ship at any day. This ship returns to the Weihai Tourist Quay at 6 p.m and the round-trip ticket will cost you about 100 yuan per person.
3. Take a hot bath at the Tianmu (or Tangbo) Hot Spring Holiday Resort.
Tianmu (or Tangbo) Hot Spring Holiday Resort features 66 outdoor, specifically-functioned, hot spring bath pools. These are conveniently positioned at the foot of Mount Tianmu, so you can take a hike and enjoy nature before or after bathing. The resort mostly focuses on traditional bathing ceremonies and cultural traditions.
This 4 A-level holiday resort provides a great environment for a vacation because it is surrounded by lakes and mountains with natural fantastic environment. You can stay in a lake-view villa and enjoy green food cuisine. The resort also has a gym, golf course, and tennis course where you can exercise.
- Location: Zhangjiachan village of Wendeng District, 20 minutes from Wendeng Bus Station
- Charges: 158 yuan per person. Children under 0.9 meters are free and those 1–1.3 meters tall are 60 yuan
Tangbo Hot Spring Resort
The only difference here is that children below 1 meter get a free entry although one adult can only bring two children for free. Those between 1-1.4 meters pay 60 RMB.
4. See wild animals in parks.
The Shendiaoshan Wild Animal Park
Surrounded by sea on the three sides, this scenic spot in Weihai hosts a wide range of animals in the Beast Zone, Rare Animal Zone, Bird Park, Panda Pavilion, African Animal Zone, and Marine Animal Zone.
It covers 15 hectares and the hills and ravines with thick woods provide nice breeding environments for wild animals. It is the largest reserve of its kind in China. In fact, there are over 300 species, with about 4,000 listed national first & second class protected animals. Tourists can see these animals from air, land, and sea.
- Location: Shendiaoshan Wild Animal Park is in the northeast of Xixiakou village of Chengshan town, Rongcheng City
Huanchui Tower Park
The park in Weihai is divided into historical and cultural exhibition area, and natural experience. It also features an appreciation, natural experience, and appreciation areas. It also comprises modern entertainment facilities, fitness area, and the Huancui Tower Square where you can relax and exercise.
It is also a place where to see different types of animals — animals under state protection from category 1 to category 3 are raised here. The park was built in 1931 but afterwards burnt by the Japanese puppet army but its rebuilding was finalized in 1980 and was opened to public in July 1981.
Inside the park is the renowned Huancui Tower.
- Location: At the foot of Naigu Mountain on the west side of Tongyi Road
5. Learn about marine culture at Weihai Marine Park.
Weihai Marine Park features an artificial lake, forest ecological park, a stone park, and amusement park. Other facilities include a seawater bathing place and the Jiulong Bay Tourist Resort. It has a variety of areas including the Whale Viewing Hall, Dolphins Performance Hall, Sea Lions Performance Hall, Transparent Under-Sea Tunnel for Shark Viewing, and "Wild Adventure in the North Pole Area".
In addition to relaxing and learning about white whales, sharks, dolphins, sea lions, sea otters, and other animals, you can taste sea foods and do shopping at the same place. It is a perfect place for taking children for entertainment.
- Address: East End of Haixing Road (Binhai Avenue), Economic and Technological Development Zone, Weihai City
- Fee: Free
- From Bliss International Hotel, turn right into Yellow Sea Road, then left into Binhai Avenue. Drive along for about 700 meters to the Marine Park. The whole distance is about 1.5 kilometers.
6. Hike at Xiangu Peak (and other scenic places).
Xiangu Peak is an interesting scenic spot at 'West Mountain of Wangdao', in downtown Weihai. The peak overlooks the sea and Liugong Island to the east and to the North is Weihai city. On the west, you see green mountains and Bohai Bay.
If you are yearning to go to a secluded, peaceful place where you can enjoy the beauty of Weihai from 375 meters above the ground, this is the place to be.
You will enjoy the jagged rocks of bizarre shapes that are found everywhere, and trees towering towards the sky.
Fine Jade and Famous Statues
This new scenic spot has fine jade statues of more than 2,600 tonnes altogether, more than 1,000 exquisitely carved jade statues, including 9 of the world's top jade statues that weigh more than 300 tonnes together. The main attractions include Yuxian Palace, Feitian Wall, Lingtong Jade Road, Ruyi Lake, Wangshou Square and Wuxing Gate.
How to Get There
- Location: near 'West Mountain of Wangdao', Huancui District
- From Yellow Sea Road, turn left to Daqing Road, then left at the roundabout and enter Shanghai Road, and turn right to enter Qingdao Middle Road, then left again into Xianguding Road. Xianguding Scenic Spot is at the end of Xianguding Road.
- Open: 7:30 a.m – 6.00 p.m
- Admission price: 80 yuan per person
Other Hiking Destinations
Kunyu Mountain, which is renowned for its religious and cultural heritage, is a good site for hiking, with its lush trees and clear streams. Mount Tai in Shandong itself towers 1,545 meters above its surroundings and is a good hiking destination.
Hiking and nature trail lovers can also consider other nearby destinations, such as the about-1,000-year-old Penglai Pavilion area in Penglai, Yantai.
7. See traditional performances at the Huaxia City Scenic Spot.
Rated as a national 4A class tourist attraction, Huaxia City Scenic Spot is surrounded by sea to its east and Longshan Mountain to the west.
The Oriental Cultural Zone, which spans about 1,801 hectares has several attractions, including the Three-Sided Avalokitesvara of the Holy Water Guanyin, a bronze casting weighing 78 tons, and the Huaxia Memorial Archway that measures 86 meters long and 21 meters high.
The spot also comprises Taiping Temple, which dates back 1,300 years, and King Yu Palace, which exhibits historical and cultural artifacts and hosts a number of traditional performances, such as acrobatics and horsemanship.
The spot won the "China Creative Industry Best Park/Area Award" (中国创意产业最佳园区奖) in 2011.
Residence of Xia Xian
The residence of Xia Xian — the ancestor of people surnamed Xia in Weihai in the Ming dynasty — is also hosted at this scenic spot.
How to Get There
- Address: 1 Huaxia Road, Economic and Technological Development Zone
8. See exhibitions at museums.
Weihai Wenhuamingju Museum
Not far from the beach, this makes a good place to learn Mingju culture. It exhibits various arts, celebrity pictures with descriptions.
- Location: 264200, Wenhua Center Road, Huanbi District
Other nearby Museums that are of interest to tourists include the Yantai Museum, a treasurehouse for carvings, and Changyu Wine Museum — a wine culture museum in Yantai.
9. Shop at the Aeon Shopping Center.
This shopping center provides a mix of Western and Eastern shopping options and offers. There are many products on offer here, including perfumes. The shopping complex has a nice supermarket where you can buy not only Chinese but also international brands such as Korean and Japanese.
- Location: Qingdao Middle Rd, Huancui
10. Cycle in a top city park or a national forest park.
Weihai ParkWeihai Park, in a city recently voted as one of the top cities in China, has expansive spaces and paths wide enough for cyclists, pedestrians, and runners.
You can also relax at the park after exercising. Wehai Park has some landscaped beauty to see: statues, sculptures, shrubs, and outstanding flowers.
- Location: near Weihai International Conference Center (58 Haibin Middle Road, Huancui)
Likou Mountain National Forest Park
Likou Mountain is also a nice place to try cycling, away from the busy city, and among fine scenery.
- Location: Wangjiatuan Village, Zhangcun Town in Huancui District 环翠区张村镇王家疃村
- Nearby, there is also the Qi State "Great Wall" in Zibo, built in 685 BC by the Kingdom of Qi.
11. Relax, jog, and walk in the parks.
Joyous Huaxia Amusement Park
Located at the foot of a hill and beside a river park, it covers an area of about 10 hectares and has several themed areas: the Fairy Kingdom area, which is a kids section; the grand climax Carnival and the Carefree Forest, which are both family zones; and Cartoon Street, which is a youngster zone.
China Town Amusement Park
This park is the largest multi-functional amusement park spanning 10 hectares. It is a nice place to try rides.
- Address: 1 Huaxia Road, Weihai Economic Technological Development Zone
Tashan Park
Although a bit small and thus not adequate for a walk, it is a good place to relax.
- Location: along Tashan West Road, Huancui, about 2.7 kilometers from central Weihai
Wehai Water Park
Facing the ocean, the clean park offers beautiful scenery and fresh air, and is a nice place to relax
- Address: Gongyuan Road, Huanbi District, 21 kilometers from central Weihai
Discover China and Weihai with China Highlights
We can design your tour from scratch to fit your bespoke requirements and budget.
Alternatively, we suggest the following itineraries:
- Our 6-day Shangdong tour can be customized to include your favorite things to do in Weihai.
- Our 11-day Classic Wonders tour takes you to major China highlights, but can be customized to include Shandong highlights in Weihai
