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Dalhousie (New Brunswick)

Dalhousie is a town of 3,500 people (2011) on the Acadian Coast of New Brunswick. The town is at the mouth of the Restigouche River on the Bay of Chaleur, known for its snowfall in the winters and as a secret summer paradise. Tourists are surprised at the long stretches of natural beaches and scenic vistas.

Understand
Until 2008, the economy was dominated by the forestry industry, namely a large pulp and paper mill spanning the waterfront along the Restigouche River. When the mill closed, the economy of the town faced uncertainty during the post-industrial adjustment. Hundreds of people were left without work in the local economy and some were forced to move. This was followed by the closure of a chemical processing plant on the western edge of the town, the railway spur into the town, and a generating station. While there are several smaller employers, the largest employer in the town is a nursing home.

It was named after the 9th Earl of Dalhousie, who was then the governor of Upper Canada and Lower Canada.

Dalhousie is the most northern point in New Brunswick, and thus is in the Maritime provinces. It is in the Restigouche River valley at the tongue of the river where it discharges into Chaleur Bay. The valley lies in a hilly region, part of the Appalachian mountain range, although the Dalhousie town site is on a hill side several decameters above sea level with some development to its south on a low ridge of approximately 260 metres elevation. The town is surrounded by salt and fresh water bodies, which are home to many species of wildlife, unique birds, and fish. The area is rich in natural resources.

History
The Eel River Bar First Nation, adjacent to Dalhousie, is home to many Micmac natives, who were the original residents of the region. Dalhousie was settled by Europeans beginning in 1800. Some Acadians displaced in the Great Upheaval also settled in Dalhousie, and there is still a very close balance between anglophones and francophones.

In 1825 the Great Miramichi Fire raged through central New Brunswick and into Maine, destroying the forests that were the mainstay of the province's economy. Lumbermen looked north to the great pine stands of the Nipisiguit and the Restigouche.

Dalhousie, at the mouth of the Restigouche, began to grow. Soon it was a booming town. Lumber and fishing were the main interests, although agriculture was more important in the early days than it is today.

Dalhousie was the leading town of the area until the arrival of the railway following confederation. With steep hills at its back, the Intercolonial Railway (ICR) bypassed the town while its nearby rival, Campbellton, surged ahead. That would be the situation until the late 1920s, when Dalhousie was picked as the site of a giant paper mill. The International Paper Company built what was then one of the largest newsprint mills in the world. From 1929 on, the mill dominated life in Dalhousie.

By car
Dalhousie is on the Highway 11 arterial highway. Dalhousie faces Miguasha, Quebec on the Gaspé Peninsula to the north. The city of Campbellton lies 20 km (12 mi) upriver to the west and the city of Bathurst is approximately 80 km (50 mi) southeast along the shore of Chaleur Bay.

By bus

 * Operates a route between Campbellton and Moncton including stops in Dalhousie, Bathurst, Miramichi, and Moncton Airport.
 * Travel to Dalhousie from the following destinations involving same day transfers is as follows:
 * From Edmundston, Fredericton, Halifax, and Saint John with a transfer in Moncton.
 * From Charlottetown with transfers in Amherst and Moncton.
 * From Antigonish, North Sydney, Sydney with transfers in Truro and Moncton.

By train

 * Operates The Ocean route between Halifax and Montreal, including stops in Moncton and Sainte-Foy (near Quebec City). Operates three trips per direction per week. A shuttle between train stations in Sainte-Foy and in Quebec City is available for The Ocean trains, but must be reserved in advance. Charlo station is located 12 km southeast of Dalhousie.

By plane

More scheduled air service is available at the Bathurst Airport.

Do
Winter activities include snowmobiling, skiing, snow-shoeing. Summertime includes salmon fishing on the world famous Restigouche River and its tributaries.

Eat
As of 2019, many of the restaurants that used to feed the town have closed down, so you can't be too picky here.

title: Dalhousie (New Brunswick)


text:
Dali

Dali (大理; Dàlǐ) is a city in Yunnan Province in China famous for its old town and handicrafts.

Understand
Dali is a popular tourist destination for domestic Chinese tourists, one of the string of towns described in Yunnan tourist trail leading up to the beautiful Tiger Leaping Gorge. It is a medium-sized city of 650,000 but its tourist draw is the "Old Town." (大理古城). Like many Chinese tourist destinations, the old town, which has architecture that dates back to the Ming dynasty, has been extensively renovated, rebuilt and modernized, including newly constructed city walls and gates. You can still see the remnants of the old wall in the form of long mounds that surround the old city, but Dali is no longer a walled city by any means. The old town section of Dali is sandwiched between two multi-lane highways. While it lacks the authentic rustic charm of other old Chinese cities (e.g. Pingyao or even Lijiang) and much of the old town has been renovated and is devoted to tacky knick-knack stores for Chinese tourists, it does sit in the shadow of a beautiful mountain range, the Cangshan and is close to the large Erhai lake. There is an expensive cable car (¥90) that you can take to reach the top and there are some hiking paths that offer beautiful views of Lake Erhai.

But do not expect to find a small ancient city in the beautiful mountains of Yunnan; this is not what you will get. Dali is very spread-out and it takes almost an hour by bus #8 to get from the train station in the modern part of town to the old town. In addition to the popular old town and various traditional villages scattered around the lake, Dali now has an urban core filled with modern buildings, 20-story residential towers, and a Wal-Mart. You can also see factories belching emissions on the other side of Lake Erhai.

History
In 738 the Nanzhao Kingdom was established; the original capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom was located in Weishan (within Dali Prefecture) and later moved to sites around Erhai Lake. The territory conquered was quite substantial; covered a large area of Yunnan and northern Burma, and parts of what are now Sichuan and Guizhou. The kingdom survived almost 200 years and had 13 kings before collapsing. After several decades of chaos the Kingdom of Dali emerged in 937.

The Kingdom of Dali established by Duan Siping in 937 was controlled by the Duan clan and survived until it was conquered by the Mongols about 300 years later. The Kingdom retained a close alliance with the Song Dynasty, and was one of the major transit points for the introduction of Buddhism throughout the rest of China. By 1000, Dali was one of the 13 largest cities in the world.

The rulers of the original Nanzhao Kingdom were probably precursors to the modern Yi peoples, while the Kingdom of Dali rulers were precursors to the modern Bai minority.

Many local people in Dali have the surname Duan to this day (rare in other parts of China). These historical events are romanticized in the Martial Arts literature of Hong Kong author Jin Yong (read by every Chinese school kid), giving Dali a fame nationwide. The Dali Kingdom had a military alliance with the Song Dynasty against the aggressive Tibetan Empire which made regular incursions into its territories.

A huge memorial stele to the Pacification of Kingdom of Dali was built during the Ming Dynasty and remains standing at the end of Sanyue Street past the city's West Gate. Entrance is free. The Mongols destroyed the old capital and palace of the Kingdom of Dali, just to the south of the Three Pagodas. Almost all records of the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms were burnt or destroyed, leaving much unknown about these periods. In addition, the Mongols brutally displaced many of the inhabitants of the prefecture, with the result that Bai minority people were forced as far east as Hunan Province. Many ethnic Han also moved into the Kunming area during this period.

The old Dali City was rebuilt in the early 1400s by the Ming Dynasty. What you see in Dali Old Town today is the rebuilt Ming town. Since then, the fortunes of Dali have declined and its importance as a cultural and economic centre in the Yunnan area have been overtaken by Kunming, the provincial capital.

1856-1872 Dali was the headquarters of the Panthay Rebellion led by Du Wenxiu. That rebellion commenced as an uprising against local oppressive rulers by the Hui Muslim minority and ended as open rebellion against the Qing Dynasty. The Palace of Du Wenxiu is on Fuxing Road and serves as the local museum (the museum exhibition on the rebellion paints it as a patriot workers revolt which it was not). The rebellion was brutally crushed by the Qing and hundreds of thousands of Yunnan Muslims were killed in revenge.

By bus
Buses from Kunming West Bus Station take about 4½ hours and cost around ¥100 for an ordinary bus (as of March 2019) and around ¥130 for an express luxury bus, and will bring you to Xiaguan (Dali New City). Some buses go to Dali, too, so check with the driver. There are three different bus stations in Xiaguan. From nearby the bus station you should be able to take bus 12 (¥2 as of March 2019) and then transfer to bus 8 (¥3 as of March 2019) or bus 4 (¥2), 45 minutes (approx. 18 km) to Dali Old Town 13 km to the north (Bus 4 also runs through the town). It's also possible to catch a white mini-bus on Jianshe Lu that run between Xiaguan and Dali, there's usually a white sign displayed inside the front wind shield that reads (大理<->下关) in Chinese. The cost for the mini-bus is ¥3 per person. Taxi fare between Xiaguan and Dali should be around ¥40.

If the expressway is closed or under construction the bus may take the more scenic route akin to the notorious "road of death" in Bolivia, though paved.

Buses coming south from Lijiang are about ¥60-80 and stop outside the old town, from where it is possible to get a taxi or walk to the main guesthouses. You can save about ¥20 on the Lijiang bus by hailing one on the highway east of the old town.

There is a bus service to Xiaguan from Jinghong, Xishuangbanna prefecture, which has buses running at 17:00 and 21:30, possibly earlier too. The ticket price is ¥195 and the journey was about 17 hours. The bus used on this route is a sleeper bus so you get a fairly comfortably bed and a blanket. This service may be useful for people who have arrived in China from northern Laos, e.g. Luang Namtha.

By train
Bullet trains leave from Kunming South train station and Central train station (short stop) to Dali train station (in Dali New City) every 30 minutes, and take two hours to reach Dali, running at speeds of up to 200 km/h. Tickets cost around ¥155 (as of October 2023). The number of slow train connecting Kunming to Dali is getting very rare, and night trains have been canceled. Once you've arrived at the train station, take bus 8 to the old town for ¥3 (2019) from just outside the station, taking about an hour and terminating near the North Gate. Another bus route named Chongsheng Tree Pagodas (崇圣寺三塔 in Chinese characters) also goes to old town, passing by West Gate. Another option is the Dali Shuttle Bus, which costs ¥5 (2019), takes about 45 minutes, and is more comfortable than the public bus; it drops you about 700 meters from the old town's South Gate.

There are also 8 trains daily from Lijiang to Dali and back. The ride takes nearly 2 hours. Cost is ¥34 for hard seat (as of March 2019). Your carriages might be hard sleeper cars, but you are not allowed to lay down as the sleeper is shared for four passengers.

By plane
There are no airport busses. Taxis are waiting but cannot always be trusted to take you to the guesthouse or hotel you want to go to as they get commission at a lot of hotels. Better book an airport pick-up with the hotel you booked. Depending on the time of year you can get discounted tickets (around ¥400 one way Dali-Kunming) but you will need to book well ahead. Full price is ¥750 (¥680 + 70 airport tax, Nov 2009). From major Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou) it is possible to book a flight to Dali but always with a stopover in Kunming. Best discounts apply to tickets booked 15 days or more in advance.

Or, you can go to Kunming Wujiaba International Airport by plane. It is in the southeast of Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province. (It is one of the most important and the busiest international airports of China.) You can then take the Airport Shuttle bus from Kunming airport. They operate 06:30-22:00 (Beijing time).

Get around
Dali Old Town is small enough to get around on foot, and being laid out in a grid format it is relatively easy to navigate. The major landmarks are the South and North Gates with Fuxing Road running between them, and Yangren Street (Westerner's Street) lined with cafés and tourist shops. City maps are readily available for around ¥5 but tend not to follow the usual north-at-the-top standard because the natural orientation of someone in Dali is to look towards the huge looming Cangs Mountain which run north-south next to the city. As you look at the mountains and face west, the lake is at your back, or east. This method of orientation makes even more sense when you realize that the entire town gently slopes from the mountains to the lake, making those two landmarks a natural way to find your bearings.

Bikes are available at many guesthouses and rental huts around town and cost ¥5-40 per day. Bikes vary greatly in quality so shop around for the best deal. The Chinese brands Merida and Giant are among the better ones to consider.

Electric scooters and electric micro cars (smaller than a Smart) seem to be license-less, hence available for renting, no driving license required. E-scooters go for different rates depending on the range of the battery, ranging from ¥30 to just bike around the vicinity of the old city to ¥80 for enough battery to comfortably ride all the way around Erhai Lake. The e-car seems to go for about ¥140, and has a range of 100 km.

The e-taxis in Dali Old Town generally cost ¥5 for under 3 km (though most drivers will ask for ¥10). For other locations outside the old town, all prices are negotiable. A taxi to Dali New City will cost around ¥40.

In addition to the Old Town, Dali is a Prefecture of over 10,000 km2. A whole range of destinations exist within the Prefecture that are perfect for the adventurous traveller. All are relatively easily accessible from either Dali Old Town or Dali New City, the major city 13 km to the south. A lot of useful information is available from the cafes within the old town on day trips around the prefecture.

By bus
Xiaguan Northern Bus Station

Old Town

 * Foreigner Street (洋人街) In the ancient city of Dali," the road" in the beginning of Yunnan people against Yuan Shikai proclaimed himself Emperor, named after the war of asylum. The road east-west, 1000 meters long, 7 meters wide, green stone pavement. Dali of Foreigner's Street is on the road in the West Dali section.
 * City Wall: Take a walk in Dali Old Town's city wall for an elevated view on the town. Access from the Southern Gate.
 * Wuhua-Tower (五华楼): Climb the stairs to the old gate-looking tower for a nice view. It's in the center of the pedestrian street of Dali Old Town. Entry free of charge. The tower is in accessible (as of March 2019).

Cangshan Mountains
There are two accessible "peaks" of mountain you can choose: First, the 2500-m altitude that hosts Gantong Temple, Zhongho Temple and "Cloud Traveler's Path" that lies between the two temples. To reach here, you have options of:
 * 1) taking a cable car from the city (near Guan Yin Temple) to get to Gantong Temple; or riding a horse to Zhongho Temple from Dali Tianlongbabu TV City; or walking up (1½ hours) to the somewhat middle of Cloud Traveler's path from Dali Tianlongbabu TV City; or
 * 2) riding a horse or walking up (1½ hours) to Zhongho temple from the city (from the gate across Ren Min Lu street).

Second, the 3700-m altitude that hosts Horse Washing Pool. To reach here, you can use the cable car from Dali Tianlongbabu TV City or use cable car in direction of Gantong Temple and walk the Cloud Traveler's Path for around 3 km until you find a chairlift service and then take chairlift to Horse Washing Pool.

As the cable car to get to Horse Washing Pond is really pricey (¥285 for return as of January 2014), the most economical (yet still fascinating) hike to the mountain is to hike to and walk the Cloud Traveler's Path with the following route options:

 * The northern route of 6 km of path offers one of the sharpest cliff views of the entire Dali valley, and on a clear day you can see Jizu Mountain well beyond Erhai lake. At the bend in the main valley it also offers a path up the mountains for 2 km which ends at a mountain pool where you can take a swim on a warm day.
 * The southern route winds down for 11 km through a few valleys to Gantong temple. This hike will lead you to most of the sights mentioned below and will take 4–5 hours. You can even turn this into an 8 hour hike if you continue southwards Xiaguan along good paths (with several early exit points down the mountain) and enjoy the spectacular view.
 * A suggested route would be to hike to Zhonghe Temple (by walking or riding horse), take the northern path for 3 km enjoying the clearest view of the entire valley, then head back south past Zhonghe Temple towards Gantong Temple. You can buy refreshments at the temple, so take a break, then keep walking the full 11 km until you reach Gangtong. If you are not up to the full walk, you can exit the mountain about 3 km past Zhonghe Temple down a well made stairway behind Dali Tianlongbabu TV City. If you are planning to get down using cable car at Gantong Temple, make sure you reach there before 16:30 (the cable car service closes at 17:00 but they may close earlier than that), otherwise there is a path to climb down (even though the map on your ticket only shows that the only way to get down is by cable car) to get back to city for about 1–2 hours hike down.

Entrance to the Mountain Park costs ¥30 and the cable car from/to Gantong Temple: ¥80 round trip or ¥50 one way. A taxi to/from Gantong temple (about 8 km south of the old town) is ¥30. If you are particularly dedicated, you can gain an access (also ¥30) to the mountain by taking a longer route behind the One Pagoda (follow the stone road) and up the stairway behind the Dali Tianlongbabu TV City.

Other sights
For a route around Erhai Lake that stops in several old towns, parks, and traditional temples, see Around Erhai Lake by electric scooter.

Buy
Dali has a number of famous local products. Any part of the city that gets a good number of tourists will have plenty of souvenirs, and probably hats (the sun is strong due to the altitude) and fruit. As ever, be prepared to bargain when shopping in Dali. See Yangshuo for advice on prices in Chinese tourist towns.

 * Marble - Dali is famous for marble; the Chinese word for marble is Dalishi or Dali stone. Products included vases, ashtrays, carved animals and equipment for the game of Go. Some of this is just touristy trash, but much of it is exquisite. Larger items are heavy enough to be a little difficult to carry or a problem for airline luggage allowance.
 * The marble stone can also be cut and polished revealing pictures on the surface. These are known as chushi and can be bought framed. They make beautiful wall decorations; many people mistake them for traditional Chinese paintings. Cheaper chushi, generally the white and grey type, cost ¥60 or more each. More expensive and coloured stone with clear mountain landscapes can be priced at ¥10,000 or more.

 * Tie-dye - The local tie-dye fashioned from dye and wax is also popular and cheap. One of the main production places is the Bai village Zhoucheng, about 40 minutes ride from Dali, which also has a nice daily small afternoon market and some nice old Bai houses.
 * Embroidery - You can also purchase beautiful embroidery made by ethnic minorities, generally Miao minority from Guizhou Province, at a number of shops. The items include baby carriers, clothing or decorative patches that were attached to traditional costume.
 * Teahouse - Dali has great teahouses. Relax in a teahouse regularly, buy a little tea and you will be welcome to come back at any time, with friends, usually for free. Sample new teas and as long as you buy something every so often, you will be welcomed again and again.
 * Antiques - There are many antique shops very close to each other on Yù'ěr Lù (玉洱路). Start at the intersection of Yěyú Lù (叶榆路) and walk west. It can be very interesting to browse. Even if you're not a collector you may be tempted to buy something when you see how badly some of these treasures are being handled and stored.
 * Rose products: roses are a big specialty here, and if you head out into the countryside you may spot rose farms. You can buy rose pastries (鲜花饼), rose juice, rose alcohol, rose jewelry, rose skincare products...you get the idea. Products made from other flowers, from peach blossom to osmanthus, can be found too.

If you are looking for light bites or other daily needs with fair price without paying the "tourist price", check out the 'Si Fang Jie' supermarket, they have three branches in Dali Old Town (Fuxing Street, Yu'er Rd, and near North Gate). Alternatively, you may check 'Da Chang Sheng' supermarket at the junction of PingDeng Rd and Yu'er Rd.

Eat
There are lots of local specialties, especially Bai cuisine (Bai people are the local ethnic group). Bai restaurants are plentiful, especially in the northern part of the old city. Try shuǐxìng yánghuā 水性杨花, an underwater plant whose name is also an idiom meaning "promiscuous"; shùhuā 树花, or "tree flower", a bitter tree fungus; or shùpí 树皮, literally "bark" but actually an even more bitter tree fungus.

Another local specialty is roses, which find their way into juice and pastries.

Try rǔshān 乳扇 the local "Fried cheese" that is a crispy snack often wound around bamboo skewers. Available at restaurants or sometime street stalls.

Xizhou's famous dish is bābā 粑粑, a slightly oily, slightly chewy, slightly flaky thick pancake-like pastry, which you can get sweet or savory.

A bowl of noodle ranged between ¥10-15 (slightly more expensive than Kunming) (as of March 2019). Chinese meal served catering for four people along with beer expect to pay ¥80. Western meals average around ¥25, including a bottle of the local beer. Breakfast prix fixe menus are served everywhere and average around ¥25 including coffee.

Fruit stands and corner stores abound. Try to get a feel for prices before buying if you want to avoid paying exorbitant prices. You can buy apples for ¥4/jin (a half kilo), a bottle of water for ¥2 (as of March 2019).

Western

 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.

Splurge
Dali Wall Hump Garden (驼峰厨房-点苍虹鳟). 53 Hong Long Jing. At the top of Hong Long Jing (waterfall street), right before the Hong Long Jing gate on the right. This newly opened restaurant specializing in Rainbow trout is set in a beautiful garden built over the remains of the original Dali wall. Dali's rainbow trout is considered the best in China, and spring water carried down from the mountains is used for every step of the cooking process.

Drink
A 500 ml bottle of Dali Beer will cost you around ¥10-12 in a bar and about ¥4-5 from a grocer. A large selection of beer is on offer but some are coloured green and require an acquired taste. But for the price, there is no excuse not to sample the lot.

Sleep
Dali has some of the cheapest accommodation options available in all China. Lots of accommodation to chose from. Expect to pay ¥15-30 for a dorm bed, ¥40 and above for rooms, ¥60-300 for a double room with private shower and toilet.

Splurge

 * Linden Centre: in Xizhou, 20 km north of Dali. Lovely Bai architecture; very nice hosts and lovely surroundings. Very tasteful. ¥700 (incl breakfast).
 * Linden Centre: in Xizhou, 20 km north of Dali. Lovely Bai architecture; very nice hosts and lovely surroundings. Very tasteful. ¥700 (incl breakfast).

Connect
The old town has free WiFi. Use the network "DaliTravel".

Stay safe
There are a few scams and petty crime targeting tourists in Dali. Watch your belongings carefully to protect from pickpockets and theft, though perhaps the major risk you take if staying in cheap accommodation is theft by other foreign travellers. Overall Dali is a very safe place with little crime directed at tourists.

If you are planning to hike up the Cang mountains, travel in a group both to protect yourself from robbery and as back up in case of accident. Stay on the paths and don't take any risks climbing no matter how experienced you are, as fatal accidents do happen!

Drugs disguised as strange artifacts are usually sold by women in traditional Bai costume, who will then lead you to their homes. Marijuana is still widespread, of course, but it is no longer tolerated in public. It is not uncommon to see marijuana growing in the wild. Women may also offer you "opium", but it is just worthless garbage, possibly sesame oil pressed with some unknown substance. It is no longer easy to purchase marijuana in Dali.

Don't get your shoes fixed by men approaching you on the corner of Fu Xing Rd and Foreigner St. Even if a price is agreed, they will add a couple of extra stitches and charge ridiculously inflated prices (¥200-300). You're in a difficult position to argue because they have your shoes! Just go to a regular established shoe shop (there are several towards the east end of Renmin Rd) where you can get your shoes repaired well for less than ¥10.

Go next
Most of the hostels and travel agents can organise bus tickets anywhere in Yunnan. They can also arrange flights farther afield.

Many travelers from Kunming continue on from Dali to Lijiang (either by bus or by train). Consider taking a bus to the Old Southern Silk Road town of Shaxi, which is about half way between Dali and Lijiang. The town has been well preserved and still holds much of its traditional character. The valley around it is littered with Qing and Ming Dynasty homes, bridges, theatres and temples. It is also the main jumping off point to visit the beautiful grottos at Shibaoshan. After your visit to Shaxi it is easy to continue your journey. Direct buses are now available from Shaxi to Lijiang.

There are also bus services to Shangrila. Most of these buses depart from the Dali North Bus Terminal, though a few a buses depart from the Dali Old Town Bus Terminal.

If you prefer to take the train to Shangri-la, you will need to change trains in Lijiang.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Dali


text:
Dalian

 * It should not be confused with Dalyan in Turkey.

Dalian  (大连; Dàlián) is the second largest city in Liaoning Province, Dongbei (North East), China, the largest port in northern China, and a major destination for Chinese tourists. At the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, the main part of the city is on its own sub-peninsula, with the port to the north of the town centre and natural coastline dotted with beaches to the east and south.

Districts

Dalian in fact encompasses 6 districts, 3 county-level cities and one county. Visitors are likely to spend time in only 5 of the city's 8 districts (and none of the sub-cities). Among the 5 are the following; these 4 districts are the only ones locally called "Dalian":

The wider Dalian administrative area encompasses 2 further districts, 3 county-level cities (北三市 Běisānshì three northern cities) and one county. Jinzhou District and Lushunkou District are the other 2 districts. Changhai County, a small group of islands east of the Liaodong Peninsula, is the only county Dalian administrates. Wafangdian, Pulandian, and Zhuanghe represent the 3 county-level cities within the municipal territory of Dalian. Pulandian is the future home of the municipal government headquarters, with the center of control no longer in Xigang District as the China's central government's plans to continue to develop the districts north of Dalian's city center.

There are numerous sub-districts within each district, which would equate to "neighborhoods", but these are far too numerous and specific to be of much help to travellers.

Understand

Dalian, as a city, is young by Chinese standards, dating from 1898, though smaller settlements had long existed in the area. Like Hong Kong, Shanghai and Qingdao, Dalian's development stemmed from colonial occupation, in this case by Russia. Under Russian rule Dalian, or Dalny as it was known, became the southern tip of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the main port of the eastern Russian Empire. Following the Russian defeat in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904–5, the city was transferred to Japanese control and renamed Dairen. The Soviet Union took the city back from Japan following the defeat of the latter in World War II in 1945, before handing it over to the newly formed Communist regime in 1950 (though the city was jointly run with the Soviet Union until 1955), who renamed it to Luda City. There followed a period of relative stagnation until the city (once again named Dalian) was opened up to foreign investment in 1984. This sparked the first period of redevelopment of the city, the second period coming with the appointment of Bo Xilai as mayor. Under Bo's stewardship, the city became a model example of redevelopment, with extensive redevelopment of its infrastructure and open spaces and a new focus on tourism and commerce and away from heavy industry.

Dalian is less reliant on heavy industry than its Northeast counterparts, and its heavy industry there is mostly relegated to the development zone far outside the city center. This, combined with the city's many parks and green hills, wide thoroughfares and army of street cleaners, makes Dalian a more pleasant city to visit and live in than most Chinese cities of comparable size. Though most of the tourist industry in the city is targeted at the domestic, rather than the international market, overseas tourists should still find enjoyment in the city. The large number of foreign businesses in the city and foreign students and teachers at the city's many universities ensure that there are plenty of companies (from upmarket hotels to bars and coffee houses) which cater to those who do not call China their native home. The city has a population of around 6,000,000.

Dalian is perhaps most abuzz when it hosts the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the Champions (summer Davos).

When to go
The city is best visited in spring, when Dalian begins to shed its drab winter coat and cherries begin to appear on the trees, waiting to be plucked. Autumn is also very enjoyable, mainly because the temperatures are a tad cooler and the humidity is far less evident. During the summer school holidays (early July-late August) the city attracts large numbers of domestic tourists, making long-distance transport tickets and hotel rooms harder to find and some sights more expensive; however, this is maybe the time Dalian becomes most attractive. Labour Day (one week around 1 May) and National Day (one week around 1 Oct) holidays see similar, though smaller influxes, so it may be preferable to schedule visits outside these times. Although the cherries are long gone and wintry gusts have settled in, the Chinese New Year (lasting weeks, beginning in January or February depending on the lunar calendar) may be an enjoyable time to visit the city if crowds are not your thing, as Dalian's short history prevents many from calling the city their home town, and therefore the city has a quiet feel during these winter weeks (sometimes disturbed by firecrackers). The city is among the top ten cities in China in term of air quality, however in early winter (especially November) air pollution can be terrifying, as the central heat system of the city relies on coal burning. With heavy fog and smog in November, the city seems to be less attractive during those days. Consider using N95 masks during your visit if you intend to go at that time.

Talk
Mandarin is the main language of Dalian, and most Dalianese speak a fairly standard version of the dialect, though the local variety (known as Dalian-hua and related to the Shandong dialect) can sometimes be hard to follow for those unfamiliar with it. As in the rest of China, English is increasingly spoken, but still not understood by most Dalianese, and you should expect a strong accent. Outside of the more expensive hotels and businesses that cater to overseas customers, a grasp of basic Mandarin phrases (at least) is advisable. If you need to have a conversation in English, try to find someone who looks like a student or aged from 15 to 25. They can usually have easy conversations with you in English and some of then can speak really fluently.

By plane

The airport is served directly by Dalian metro line 2, which connects to Zhongshan Square and the harbor. A regular airport bus also departs after every flight lands and runs to the main train station (it also stops at the smaller Shahekou train station so be careful not to get off too soon), and to Renmin Lu.

If you take a taxi instead, be sure to hail one from the official taxi queue on the east side (ground level), just a few feet from any of the glass doors on the ground floor. Failing to use one of these could prove problematic (unless venturing further outside of the downtown area, where most drivers waiting in the queue will resist driving to).

Tickets for outbound flights can be booked in advance from the airport ticket office on Zhongshan Lu, just opposite Xiwang Square.

By train

Any unofficial way to book a ticket is not recommended. Book tickets from stations as possible to avoid invalid tickets. Trying to board a train with invalid tickets may cause a fine or even a prosecution. Online ticketing is much easier and more possibly to get a ticket when people travels a lot (in summer, several days before Spring Festival or other holidays) if you understand Chinese or have a Chinese friend.

By bus
Long-distance buses are available and serve most destinations in the vicinity of Dalian. A popular long-distance bus station is on Jianshe Jie, just to the south of the train station along Changjiang Lu. Smaller stations, serving mainly local cities, are next to the passenger ferry terminal, another about 1.5 km west of the train station at the intersection of Anshan Lu and Xinkai Lu (běi gǎng qiáo station (北岗桥汽车站)), and in Heishijiao in Shahekou District.

By boat
Ferry services run from the passenger ferry terminal (大连港客运站 Dàlián Gǎng Kèyùn Zhàn) on the eastern side of Zhongshan District (along Gangwan Jie) to cities along the Yellow Sea and to Incheon in South Korea. A fast ferry runs to Yantai and has transport options of 3, 12 or 6 hours. Tickets can be purchased either from the ferry terminal or from a kiosk at the train station. On long haul domestic ferries (excluding fast ferries) first class berths typically offer a two-bed room with a shower, second class offers a four-bed room with a wash basin while lower classes may offer only a bunk in a large, shared area, a hard seat, or no reserved place at all.

By taxi
Taxis are plentiful in Dalian and flagging one down is rarely a problem except in the more remote parts of the city (where high car ownership exists or large numbers of those who would have trouble paying a taxi fare)--or in rush hour. Rates start at ¥10 (¥13 after 22:00) for the first 3 km and ¥2 for each additional kilometre. For idle time, tack on ¥0.3/minute. Round all taxi fares to the nearest whole number as drivers do not accept any coinage less than ¥1 (e.g., ¥11.60 would round up to ¥12). Drivers range in mood, some acting quite gruff and excessively aggressive while some are keenly interested in where you originate from or other small talk. On the good side, they are less likely to take needlessly long routes compared to other tourist cities in China as Dalian is a relatively small city with a limited number of major highways and thoroughfares. Drivers don't understand basic English, so be prepared ahead of time to ensure accurate drop-off. If a driver is looking to pick up additional passengers along your route, encourage him or her to keep on driving unless you're comfortable with what might ensue. Especially during rush hour, when taxis are heavily sought after, it's quite common for drivers to pick up additional passengers if heading in the same direction as those in the taxi.

As anywhere in China, during bad weather (e.g., heavy rain, snow, etc.), some taxi drivers may decide to go off the meter (illegal but not enforced) or only accept far-away destinations. Plan your trip beforehand if there's bad weather.

The city has a lot of illegal taxis, both drivers and vehicles (even vehicles that are painted and have meters may be operating illegally). These drivers may be hesitant to go on routes which might be more heavily patrolled. The driver may use the meter, thus charging you an accurate fare, but they will often avoid giving a receipt. The best way to avoid running into any issues is to use taxis which have a blue or white light on top of the car: this is the highest colour ratings afforded to a Dalian taxi driver. Conversely, yellow is the lowest rating while all other coloured-lights are somewhere in between.

Many taxi drivers smoke and play their radios, and you can tell them to stop smoking or turn the radio off. Some may also hesitate to start the meter so be sure you let them know to start it if you think they've forgotten or up to their tricks. Few use the air conditioner in the summer, except for perhaps during the hottest parts of day. The nicest thing about the taxis and size of Dalian is that ¥20 can go a long ways in getting around. Ask for a receipt after journey.

Taxi drivers in China don't expect a tip and the fare should be the exact amount, but most drivers round it up to ¥1. So you usually pay slightly more, but not too much (less than ¥1). If you really mind that, just talk to the driver. No one will be angry.

On foot
Being a fairly compact city, it's easy to break up taxi or bus rides with a short walk. In the morning, it's not uncommon for the streets to be slick due to the pollution and dust mixing with the dew, so take caution. Additionally, some surfaces consist of shiny tile which make for beautiful viewing but can be incredibly slippery when wet or during the winter when snow may be hiding the slick surface underneath. Lastly, the pavements may have pits or missing utility covers, along with low-hanging clothes lines draped in front of businesses or homes, so be on the lookout at night when it can be harder to see these hangups. Controlled crosswalks and pedestrian tunnels (along with a few pedestrian bridges) make it easy to cross major intersections. It is advised to keep your head on a swivel when going to cross a street—autos typically do not yield even when the crosswalk signal is green for pedestrians.

By bus
Buses are the main form of public transport in Dalian and most services run very frequently. Roadside signs at the queues are available in Chinese and English (often translated, which is nice for knowing what some of the words mean but impractical when needing to reference a spot). The official website is completely in Chinese, so it's not so easy to find your way. Some practical ways:

 * Using a translating software and the official site. However the website requires you to know the Chinese name of your destination stop instead of your destination.
 * Using a translating software and Chinese map software (Baidu, Tencent, etc.). Due to the policy of Baidu, none of the map services are offering English services since they have cores provided by Baidu.
 * Gaode Maps (高德地图) provide English services of the way finding function, but without stops well-translated. You have to use a smartphone with IOS system and keep your system language in Chinese. To translate stops better you will need another translation software.Unofficial map of Dalian bus route 2003 with English.jpg
 * Using unofficial local English services. A variety local platforms with single bus route search are set up by bus fans. However they do not feature route planning. This is usually useful when you are travelling to other districts where bus stands do not feature English, or when you are planning to ride a bus whose route has a very complicated fare policy i.e. bus 2003 to Lushun. The local services update quite frequently (sometimes more frequently than the official website). You may also send a message to the account, and hope that an account operator is online.
 * Ask someone. This can be your best choice when you know your destination well or you are checking whether you are on the right bus, but asking long and complicated questions can be considered slightly rude and bothering by locals.

The typical wait between buses is about five minutes. Seats are generally hard and, even with very frequent services, buses on major routes can still get crowded at peak times. Although fitted to do so, most operate with air conditioning or heating systems off, although in extreme heat (higher than 25 ℃) or cold (lower than -10 ℃) the driver turns them on. Services start early in the morning (anywhere from 04:30-08:00) and usually finish around 22:00, although some services finish earlier or later depending on the popularity of the line. Fare is ¥1-2. You should get on most of the buses using the front doors, however some of them requires you to get on using the rear ones. Just follow your fellow passengers and everything will be fine.

Bus routes that may be of use to visitors include #2 (from Qingniwaqiao station to Tiger Beach), #4 (from Olympic Square to Tiger Beach), #5 (from Zhongshan Lu near Qingniwa to Jingsha beach via Fujiazhuang), #13 (from the west side of Victory Square to Haizhiyun via Donggang area and ferry terminal), #16 (from Conference Center near Donggang to Heishijiao) and #22 (from the railway station to Lingshui area via Xinghai Square). Ticket prices for all these routes, as with most buses in Dalian, are ¥1 regardless of distance and exact change must be given.

In addition to the regular public buses there is also an air-conditioned tourist bus line. Bus #K901 runs from the Foreign Languages University to the south-western edge of Dalian via Zhongshan Square, the Railway station, Xinghai Square and Heishijiao. Tickets are ¥2 regardless of the distance.

Of particular interest to tourists is a bus to Binhai Road for ¥10 (round-tour bus,08:00-16:00). It starts from near the railway station and covers the Conference & Exhibition Centre, Dalian Seashell Museum, Forest Zoo, FuJiazhuang beach, Yan Woling, Birdsong Forest, Tiger Beach Paradise, Harbour Square and Zhongshan Square. There is a bus every 40 min and throughout the day you can travel in this bus, or just stay aboard for a 90-min journey.

By tram

Dalian has a few trams and trolleybuses, a legacy from the years of Japanese occupation, and which add character to the city in addition to being a practical means of transportation. The occasional hilly street with a tram scooting along past colonial buildings combine to give Dalian a look unique in China. There are two main tram routes: #201 runs largely west–east from Xinggong Street near the Shahekou Railway Station to the Haizhiyun (Rhythm of the Sea) Park on the coast. #202 runs from the High Tech Zone (near Xiaoping Island) to the Jinhui shopping area where the #201 starts. The #203 line was merged into the #201 route. As a result, note the destination sign on the tram before boarding, as the express and other special trams will skip some stops. Fare is ¥1, although an additional ¥1 may be asked for once passing certain stops (for example, boarding the #201 west of the train station requires ¥1 and then another ¥1 to continue riding east of the train station). When using a Mingzhu Card, you should swipe your card two times in total. When you are getting off with your card swiped only once, do swipe your card on the machine manually. Or if you have swiped your card twice (once you board and once the conductor asks you to), do not swipe out or it can lead to an error, causing a wrong fare deduction.

When getting on the modern trams, use the middle two sets of doors and get off from the other ones. However you may be asked to board a heritage tram using the front and rear doors. Just like the buses, do as your fellow passengers do.

Trolleybus #101 from Dalian Railway Station to Malan Square is actually considered a "busy bus route". See "By bus" for further information.

By metro
Metro line 1 and 2 provide frequent services in the city. Line 1 goes from Yaojia station in the northern suburbs to Hekou in the south, and line 2 travels from Airport to Haizhiyvn in the east. Line 12 is a former fast rail line and provide suburban services south to Lvshun district or Lvshun new port, but do not take line 12 to central Lvshun as the station is really distant. Fares are from ¥2 to ¥11 based upon the distance.

Locally known as "fast rail" (快轨), Metro line 3 provides effective transportation for those travellers going to Ganjingzi or even further to Jinzhou. When considering traffic jam, Metro line 3 is a quick and convenient way to get to Northern districts. Fare is based upon the distance with the furthest distances having a ¥8 fare. Most trains during peak hours terminates at.

Notes for getting around

 * A Mingzhu ("pearl" in Chinese) card (明珠卡) is available to pay the fare for metro/bus/tram/trolley bus trips and gets a 5 to 20 percent discount. You can get or recharge a card at vending machines at metro or fast rail stations, but some cards can't be refunded.
 * Do not consider riding a bike a good way to discover the city unless you have a great strength. The city is located in a hilly area with a great amount of slopes, which may ruin a nice and relaxing trip inside the city.

See

 * 星海广场 №1 - panoramio.jpgSquares – Within China, Dalian is renowned for its squares and green places, with a large number scattered throughout the city, each with its own distinct character. Zhongshan Square (Zhongshan District) hosts the city's financial centre and some fine old Japanese buildings, Renmin Square (Xigang District) is the seat of the city government and boasts an impressive fountain while Xinghai Square (Shahekou District) is the largest square in Asia and home to a wide range of tourist attractions.
 * Old colonial buildings (老殖民建筑) - Though a young city, Dalian's status as a former colony of both Russia and Japan offers an eclectic mix of architectural styles for history buffs. Many of the older buildings in central Dalian were demolished during periodic bouts of renovation, but pockets of history remain with Russian Street (Xigang District) and Lüshun offering perhaps the best concentration of old buildings. You may also discover some in the central area or on a deserted street.
 * Dalian Forest Zoo (大连森林动物园) - Dalian has a wide range of tourist attractions, but most of them are geared for the local market. To overseas visitors it would seem more of a tourist trap rather than attractions. The Forest Zoo (Xigang District) is one of the few that does stand up to international expectations, with large exhibits and a good variety of species. The zoo, set in the hillsides south of the city centre, is split into two sections on opposite sides of a mountain as well as offering an indoor rainforest (plant species only) and various performances showcasing animal talent. The zoo's pandas, both great and red, are probably its main attraction but rhinos, tigers, lions and polar bears are also some of the larger varieties one can see. Several primate species and birds are also found on the premises.

 * Cherry blossoms – Late April is a good time to visit the village of Long Wangtang (龙王塘) (Lüshunkou District) to view its cherry blossoms. The 3,000 cherry trees were planted by Japanese colonists back in 1920s after the completion of Long Wangtang water dam. The Art Nouveau-style dam itself is another interest to visit. Also night blossoms in the 203 heights area are an impressive scene, but a bit further (30-min ride on metro line 12 and another 20 minutes on a shuttle bus).
 * Golden Pebble Beach - in Jinzhou District northeast of Dalian about 50 km (30 mi) from downtown, Golden Pebble Beach (金石滩 Jīnshítān), named after the unique rock formations of the area, is a tourist destination which has at its heart Dalian's best beach courtesy of specially imported sand. Surrounded by tourist attractions that could perhaps be best described as traps rather than attractions, it's the beach that's most likely to reward visitors. Swimming isn't too popular because of the temperature and cleanliness of the water but most just spend time on the beach grilling and walking around. Some of the other attractions include the kung fu museum, which doubles as a school for aspiring Jet Lis, and Kingdom of Discovery, Dalian's small theme park. Outside of the main tourist areas there are a lot of the beach-side shops and stalls which shut down during bad weather, so it's best to check the forecast before venturing out.
 * Xiangshui Temple (Jinzhou District) One of the few truly ancient sites in and around Dalian, the Daoist Xiangshui Temple (响水寺 Xiǎngshuǐ Sì) was first constructed during the Tang Dynasty around a thousand years ago, though much of the current temple stems from renovations during the Qing Dynasty. The temple is built around a large cavern, the waterfalls inside give the temple its name ("Water-sounds Temple") and is part of a wider network of temples in the Big Black Mountain (大黑山 Dàhēishān) area.
 * Lüshun - Formerly known as Port Arthur, is a historically significant city on the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, about 40 km (25 mi) south west of the city centre. Due to the presence of sensitive naval facilities, foreigners used to be barred from significant areas of the city. Travel restrictions were finally removed on 21 November 2009.
 * Xiangshui Temple (Jinzhou District) One of the few truly ancient sites in and around Dalian, the Daoist Xiangshui Temple (响水寺 Xiǎngshuǐ Sì) was first constructed during the Tang Dynasty around a thousand years ago, though much of the current temple stems from renovations during the Qing Dynasty. The temple is built around a large cavern, the waterfalls inside give the temple its name ("Water-sounds Temple") and is part of a wider network of temples in the Big Black Mountain (大黑山 Dàhēishān) area.
 * Lüshun - Formerly known as Port Arthur, is a historically significant city on the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, about 40 km (25 mi) south west of the city centre. Due to the presence of sensitive naval facilities, foreigners used to be barred from significant areas of the city. Travel restrictions were finally removed on 21 November 2009.

There are a number of attractions around the city that, though they are within the Dalian administrative area, are far enough away from the centre to warrant devoting a full day to.

 * Bingyu Valley - Billed as "Dalian's Guilin" Bingyu Valley (冰峪沟 Bīngyù Gōu), this is a twisting river valley, winding though steep cliffs, in a relatively unspoiled countryside just outside Zhuanghe City and about 250 km (155 mi) north of Dalian. Entry costs ¥100 but is well worth as there is hiking, boat rides (which cost extra) and enjoying a bit of nature. There are also a number of Buddhist and Taoist temples to explore along the river. It's theoretically possible to visit the valley in a day, but it's perhaps better to stay overnight. The local hotel costs ¥300 for a double room, or you can stay in a local farmer's house for as little as ¥10 (definitely an experience worth having, provided you have someone in your party with a good standard of Mandarin).
 * Changshan islands and Guanglu island (长山群岛/广鹿岛, chángshānqǔndǎo/guǎnglùdǎo) are two distant islands on the Huanghai sea which is a great attraction to local people. Visitors can enjoy the traditional living methods on the island as well as the breath-taking views. you can take a ferry at the port at Pikou which is around 60 kilometres from the city, or book a flight from Zhoushuizi Airport. Few people on the islands can understand English, so you had better go there with a Chinese friend or someone who understands Chinese.
 * Changxing Island (长兴岛) In the west of Changxing Island of Bohai Sea, the two bridge connected the island and the mainland. Changxing island resort was a sightseeing, entertainment, leisure, sports in the integration of tourism resorts.

Do

 * Relax on one of the city's beaches – There are a number of beaches clustered along the southern and eastern sides of the Dalian Peninsula, the largest of which are Xinghai Beach (星海海滨 Xīnghǎi Hǎibīn), Fujiazhuang Beach (傅家庄海滨 Fùjiāzhuāng Hǎibīn) and Bangchuidao Beach. (棒棰岛海滨 Bàngchuídǎo Hǎibīn). Of these beaches Xinghai Beach is almost invariably overcrowded and Bangchuidao beach is hard to get to and expensive (it is in an exclusive luxury resort) making Fujiazhuang Beach the best bet for anyone wanting to take a dip or simply sunbathe.
 * Travel along Binhai Road – Running along the southern edge of the Dalian peninsula Binhai Road is a pretty, winding coastal road similar to the corniche of the French Riviera. The road is split into three main sections, Binhai West Road {滨海西路 Bīnhǎi Xī Lù} from Xinghai Square to Fujiazhuang, Binhai Middle Road {滨海中路 Bīnhǎi Zhōng Lù} from Fujiazhuang to Tiger Beach, and Binhai South Road {滨海南路 Bīnhǎi Nán Lù} and Binhai North Road {滨海北路 Bīnhǎi Běi Lù} from Tiger Beach to Donghai Beach. It's possible to walk along the entire 35 km (22 mi) stretch in a day, but for those feeling less adventurous the Fujiazuang-Tiger Beach and Tiger Beach-Donghai Beach stretches also make for a rewarding walk. A taxi journey is a less taxing means of seeing the road.
 * Entertainment – Dalian offers a range of entertainment options, with theatres and concert halls in Zhongshan District for those interested in high culture, including local and international performances. There are dozens of KTV bars and a few bars/hotels offer live music. For those interested in the silver screen, there's a cluster of cinemas in the centre of town around Youhao Square, but these mainly cater to local audiences and so English-language screenings are extremely rare. Those who aren't fluent in Mandarin would be better off going to the Warner-Wanda cinema on the north side of Olympic Square (Xigang District), Ownar Cineplex in the He Ping shopping centre north of Xinghai Square (Shahekou District) or theater at Roosevelt Shopping center. Finally, those visiting during the football season (March–November) should make the effort to catch a game at the People's Stadium, Xigang District, given football's role as a fundamental part of Dalian's identity. Typical of northern Chinese cities, the nightlife comes to an end rather early and the city feels asleep around 22:00 and the formal bar closing time is 02:00.

Learn
Dalian has a large number of universities, a number of which offer undergraduate and graduate courses in a variety of majors for foreign students, as well as Chinese classes of varying levels of proficiency. The universities below all offer courses for overseas students.

 * Dalian Medical University (大连医科大学)
 * Dalian University (大连大学)
 * Dalian Jiaotong University (大连交通大学)
 * Dalian Medical University (大连医科大学)
 * Dalian University (大连大学)
 * Dalian Jiaotong University (大连交通大学)
 * Dalian University (大连大学)
 * Dalian Jiaotong University (大连交通大学)

Buy
Cash is king. Chinese yuan (or renminbi) can be exchanged for at the airport, most 3-star and up hotels, and pretty much any bank. There may be restrictions to foreigners exchanging currency at some banks without the ID of a Chinese national, or limited amounts may only be permitted. Informal exchange personnel often spend time in the lobbies of large banks, with a black purse under arm, and typically offer a better exchange rate than the bank itself. Keep in mind these are not members working for the bank, and while there is a security guards in all lobbies of banks, so if you ever feel you're not getting a square deal, you may begin to bargain with others or attempt to exchange directly with the bank itself. While Unionpay is accepted at several establishments, those hailing from outside of China won't find the brand too helpful. Major credit cards are accepted few places other than 4- and 5-star hotels.

There are many souvenir stalls around the main tourist sights in Dalian. The typical local souvenirs are Russian-themed items (remnants of a bygone era when Moscow laid claim to Dalian and much of Northeast China) and dried seafood, neither of which are of particular interest to foreign travellers (the first would be a strange thing to bring back from China and the second would violate customs regulations). There are plenty of other shopping areas that would be of more interest. Some general Chinese souvenirs include jade sculptures, shadow boxes with shell mosaics, calligraphy scrolls, Peking Opera masks, etc. Day to day essentials are also available in these shopping areas. As with the rest of China, bargaining is pretty much mandatory outside of department stores and supermarkets (although you can also bargain on some department stores like the knock-off MyKals). Wechat payment and Alipay are available in almost every shop, supermarket, and mall. Really convenient if you have an account that you don't look for your cash everywhere but only scan the code on/by your phone.

If you go shopping in a supermarket or just want some snacks in a convenience store you should keep in mind that staff in China are good at mathsand may give you the change in other ways. For example, if you have to pay ¥191 in the supermarket, the cashier may ask for an extra ¥1. Then he/she will give a ¥10 note back. (Usually happens when there's a lack of change in the supermarket.) Or if you spend ¥19.6 in a store, the worker may give you something that is worth ¥0.4 (usually candy) and no change will be given. This situation happens everywhere but not so frequently nowadays. If you meet one of those situations, just trust the cashier. However, you should always check if the amount of change you get back is right.

Eat
The local cuisine of Dalian is influenced by Dongbei regional style of cooking (which has a not wholly unjustified reputation for being big on portions and relatively low on flavour) and the city's proximity to the sea. Buns, pancakes and dumplings are staples rather than rice or noodles. The city also has a very good reputation for seafood dishes which are well worth trying. Overseas travellers should be aware, however, that in China seafood has different connotations than elsewhere, literally seafood refers to anything edible from the sea. Fish dishes invariably contain plenty of small bones that must be navigated around or crunched through (the local method). Additionally, due to its relation and storied history with Korean and Japanese empires, Dalian has many restaurants serving this kind of fare.

The range and number of restaurants is huge, and the listings provided should be considered as merely scratching the surface of what is available. Individual exploration of the restaurants is recommended. Reservations are generally not necessary, so phone numbers have only been provided for those restaurants where tables may need reserving. Those wanting to stick to the familiar will find a large number of western and Japanese and Korean restaurants available, and international fast food chains are well represented.

For good eats, try the recommendations in Zhongshan District and in Xigang District.

Travelers on a budget will be spoiled for choice in Dalian, with low cost restaurants on literally every street corner (particularly in the more residential areas outside of the main city center). It would be impossible to begin to list them all, so only a couple of options available near the center have been listed in the district articles. The quality of the restaurants can be highly variable. A good rule of thumb when searching for a decent place to eat is, if the decor looks shabby but the place is packed the food is almost always good. Ordering can be tricky for non-Chinese speakers as English menus are incredibly rare in cheaper restaurants, and English speaking staff are even more rare. Try the roadside snack stalls which offer pancakes, rolls, skewers of barbecued meat and candied fruits starting at ¥1. These may cause some upset stomachs or bouts of diarrhea.

As with budget restaurants there are plenty of mid-range restaurants to choose from in Dalian (differentiated from budget restaurants usually by being larger and having better decor), so experimentation is the key. The restaurants listed in the various district articles are just a couple of particularly noteworthy examples. The same caveats as for budget restaurants apply as regards language, though quality is less variable.

The more expensive end of the restaurant market in Dalian is generally a seafood restaurant boasting fresh, usually local cuisine or the more authentic Japanese restaurants (as opposed to those which have been adapted for local taste preferences). English menus and English speaking staff are most common in the western-themed restaurants, but even mid-priced restaurants may have English or pictures available.

There are a number of restaurants which serve seafood. Typically those downtown or in Xinghai Square have the best seafood, notably Wanbao and Zihan Fan Dian.

Wechat payment and Alipay are available in almost every restaurant.

You don't need to tip the waiters, as they don't ask for tips or the tip has been included in the bill as a "service fee". Larger restaurants sometimes put a service fee up to 20% in the bill.

Drink
Dalian offers a wide variety of bars and nightclubs catering to a mixture of locals, foreign business people and the teaching crowd. The city lacks a bona fide bar street such as Beijing's Sanlitun or Shanghai's Maoming Lu with bars fairly liberally scattered across the city centre as well as near large universities. There are three main clusters of bars that those wishing to bar hop could concentrate on, however, the first and most centralized along a side street off Wuwu Lu near Sanba Square, the second along Changjiang Lu north of the Shangri-la Hotel and the third along Gaoerji Lu south of People's Square. KTV, or karaoke, is a large part of Chinese culture. There are a variety of such, some catering more to family or group get togethers and some for business outings. Typically the former are based in larger buildings and have little shops inside where drinks and snacks can be purchased, while the latter tend have a row of standing waitresses or mistresses lined up at the front door or shortly upon entering the singing room.

Another good place to go for drinks for those on the cheap are the night markets that spring up during the summer. These offer very cheap draught beer (¥1-3 for a large glass) and barbecued meat, tofu, vegetables and bread in an informal outdoor setting; some may not even have chairs. This isn't recommended for those who are staying in Dalian a short time or those whom haven't spent a few weeks in China getting their immune system ready unless you're not worried about having any diarrhea issues. Many of the locals don't even eat at these types of places. Those looking for non-alcoholic drinks, there are plenty of coffee shops and tea houses around the city.

Chain coffee shops include Starbucks, SPR and Amici Coffee, all of which offer Wi-Fi (SPR and Amici a food menu as well). Details are in district articles.

Sleep
Budget accommodation options in Dalian, as in the rest of China, are fairly limited for overseas travelers as most of the really inexpensive hotels do not accept foreigners. The best bet for non-Chinese visitors looking for a bargain are youth hostels or university guest houses. Some universities offer foreign student dormitories to travelers during school holidays. Some (for example Liaoning Normal and DUT) also have hotels on campus which offer rooms year-round. (See the Learn section for contact details). Mid-range 3 or 4 star Chinese-run hotels typically offer clean, decent sized rooms, good quality restaurants and but English-staff is spotty. There's an abundance of such hotels around the city, with a handful standing out from the rest of the pack. There's a great vaierty of choices, mostly Chinese runned like Homeinn, Jinjiang inn, Hanting, 7days, Greenhotel and some international operated (usually higher prices but better conditions) like Super8 and Holiday inn express (which is rare in China, the price is also a little bit higher but a good choice). Splurge hotels are dominated by larger international chains, nearly all downtown. These hotels tend to be very well run and offer all the amenities that could possibly be expected. Expect to pay international rates, rather than national, for these 4- or 5-star locations.

Most room prices in China are the room prices of a day. Use Chinese platforms like Baidu or Ctrip for more information and lower prices for accommodation. Or you can phone some of the hotels to get information.

Some youth hostels do not host foreigners (see discussion page).

Most accommodation options can be found in Zhongshan District.

Connect
The area code for Dalian landlines is 0411 (the area code is not needed if dialing locally and you have to dial)+86-411 from abroad with the area code of China. Almost all hotels have at least a perfunctory business centre offering Internet access, although usually at a higher price than at an Internet café but most of the splurge hotels offer it for free.

For international calls the best places to go are the phone bars (often labelled 电话吧 (diànhuà ba)), generally found around residential areas. To make a call simply walk in, choose a vacant phone and when finished indicate which phone you used to the cashier: typically the phones have a number written above them. Prices can be highly variable, but a reasonably long call shouldn't come to more than ¥50. (This is not an easy choice as phone bars are becoming less and less popular in China.) A more expensive, and possibly more convenient, option is to ask to use the phone in hotel lobbies.

Mobile phones, and mobile phone stores, are plentiful in Dalian. If you have an international roaming plan then you should be able to use your phone to call within Dalian, though this can be very expensive. For those staying for longer than a week or two it may be cheaper to buy a local SIM card, and expect to pay around ¥50-100. The three main operators, China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, operate on different standards. Select one of the three operators based on what type of phone you have. China Mobile and China Unicom are GSM, whilst China Telecom is CDMA.

Internet cafés, as in most Chinese cities, are plentiful and on nearly every street corner, especially in residential areas and around universities. Just look for the characters 网吧 (wǎng ba) on shop fronts. In the town center they're less numerous, though there are a few around the railway station and Victory Square. Expect to pay ¥1-5 for an hour. Foreigners are not allowed in Internet cafes without a special ID card which only Chinese Nationals can obtain. Wi-Fi is available in coffee shops such as Amici and Starbucks are scattered throughout the city.

China Post offices are scattered around the city, with the two main branches just west of the railway station and on Zhongshan Square. These branches, as with most larger post offices in the city, offer Western Union wiring facilities, though the branch next to the railway station is the only one which can receive funds.

Like most parts in China, a Internet firewall has blocked the internet connection to most foreign websites unless you have a VPN access, so do not even think of using your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or even Google Maps CAN'T provide good enough services. Use local services instead like Baidu. Wikipedia and Wikivoyage can be accessed freely.

Most hotels provide free Wi-Fi services for customers. But the firewall is still a problem as the hotel Wi-Fi aren't considered a "Private Network".

Stay safe
Crime, particularly street crime, is low in Dalian as it is in most of China. That said, the people in northeastern China are on average more aggressive than their southern counterparts and fights do happen. (Most often when alcohol is involved.) While foreigners are unlikely to be targeted, one would be wise to avoid any heated exchanges. Additionally pickpockets do operate, so care should be taken with valuables especially in busy shopping areas or on crowded buses or trains.

Do be careful with traffic in Dalian. Nowadays, most people in Dalian know basic traffic rules, and some drivers may wait for you in front of a crossing. However, crossing the roads can be dangerous as not many drivers will let you go before them. You had better wait at all traffic lights, but when there are no lights, do as the locals do. Buttons at the crossings are usually not connected to wires so don't even expect to change the lights by pushing them and just wait.

Health-wise Dalian's relatively low levels of pollution mean health problems from bad air are less of an issue than in other Chinese cities. The water, while drinkable, is made so via the addition of hefty amounts of chemicals, and pipes are seldom kept in the best condition so boiling is pretty much mandatory. Bottled water is usually a safer bet—locals either boil tap water or buy filtered water. Tap water should be fine for brushing teeth and washing with, however. With inspections and strict rules on food safety, most restaurants should be OK. Even still, however, nice restaurants are known to sell outdated seafood from time to time. Avoid any restaurants that seem strangely quiet (customers tend not to return to places that leave them on the toilet for a week). All the legal restaurants in Dalian are rated by the department of food safety. A level means great, B level means good and C level means OK. No signs showing the food safety level means the restaurant failed the inspection or the restaurant is illegal, So check the sign first before you eat. You had better choose the restaurants with a B level or higher. It's always a good idea to pack a few diarrhea tablets before leaving, just in case. Hospitals are liberally scattered throughout the city with the Friendship Hospital on Wuwu Lu (+86 0411 8271 8822) and the first affiliated hospital of Dalian Medical University (Also known as "Fuyi" in Chinese) are the most likely to have English speaking staff. China's hyper-capitalist health-care system means that payment in cash is required before any treatment is dished out, so make sure to bring a few hundred yuan with you should you need medical attention.

Emergency phone numbers If you encounter a really complex situation, call 110 first.
 * 110 for police
 * 112 for traffic police (emergency only)
 * 119 for fire services
 * 120 for medical assistance or an ambulance

Cope
Though credit and debit cards are gradually becoming more widely accepted at department stores and supermarkets most stores and all attractions still operate on a cash-only basis and only the very largest or most expensive shops accept foreign credit cards. It's generally best to ensure that you have a decent amount of cash on hand when going out. ATMs are at virtually all bank branches, and most of the large banks now accept foreign debit or credit cards. Bank of China branches all have the ability to take cards from foreign banks, and most offer English instructions. For more advanced financial transactions (converting currency or travellers checks, for instance) the best places to go are the Bank of China branch on the north side of Zhongshan Square and the HSBC branch on Renmin Lu just east of the Shangri-la hotel.

Worship

 * Mosque, Beijing Jie (near Diyi Dongxue).
 * Mosque, Beijing Jie (near Diyi Dongxue).
 * Mosque, Beijing Jie (near Diyi Dongxue).

Consular office

 * 🇯🇵 Japan

Go next

 * Shenyang
 * Anshan
 * Liaoyang
 * Dandong

title: Dalian


text:
Dalian/Ganjingzi

Ganjingzi (甘井子区 gānjǐngzǐ qū) is a district in Dalian. It is by far the largest district, running from the Heishijiao University and high tech area in the south to the edge of the Dalian development zone in the north and to Yingchenzi in the west. For all the district's size, however, Dalian International Airport is the location travellers are most likely to visit.

By light rail
The district has 4 stops, starting closest to downtown area: Jinjia Jie, Quanshui, Houyuan, and Dalian Wan.

title: Dalian/Ganjingzi


text:
Dalian/Shahekou

Shahekou District (沙河口区 shāhékǒu qū) is a mostly residential district to the south and east of the center of Dalian. The district's residential nature means the number of attractions are limited, with the area around Xinghai Square the most likely to draw visitors. Hotels are equally limited, though the large number of universities in the district means that those on a budget may well find themselves sleeping here.

Get in

The easiest way to get to the various destinations in Shahekou from the airport, train station or ferry terminal is to first head to the Xinghai Square area then change if necessary. From the airport catch bus #710 to Jiefang Square or Taiyuan Jie and from the train station or ferry terminal take bus #16 to the Xinghai Square Exhibition Centre. The only exception to this rule is for those staying at Liaoning Normal University in which trolley bus #101 runs to the university from the train station (those arriving at the ferry terminal will need to catch buses #13 or #16 and transfer at the train station) while the airport is a relatively short taxi ride away.

Get around
Most parts of Shahekou (or at least those parts of interest to tourists) can be easily reached from Xinghai Square. Tram #202 serves both the Xi'an Lu shopping area (heading north) and the Natural History Museum and Maritime University (heading south). To get to the University of Technology catch bus #23.

See

Eat
The Xinghai area has a number of decent quality restaurants offering a wide variety of regional Chinese cooking styles (look for ones that have their catch fresh on ice). Restaurants are easy to find throughout the district, with clusters of cheap restaurants around the universities and more upscale restaurants around Xi'an Lu. Korean restaurants tend to be found near the main universities while there's a few Japanese restaurants around Xi'an Lu. While most of these restaurants are decent, few are of high enough quality to warrant a special trip. About the only restaurants worth going out of the way for are found around Xinghai Square.

 * Xinghai Square restaurants – Encircling Xinghai square are restaurants featuring a range of cuisines, mainly seafood (as the water is just a few meters away) but also Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Western styles. Prices vary but expect to pay at least ¥150 each.

Bars
Bars can be found around the universities and mainly cater to overseas students, as Chinese students can face stiff penalties if found drunk. The university bars tend to be small, unimaginative and not particularly cheap.

Sleep
Hotels in Shahekou tend to be limited to cheaper guest houses and may be suitable for budget-minded, although the stay may not be particularly memorable. There are few luxury hotels, typically in or around Xinghai Square. The budget places tend to be found near the universities, both along Huanghe Lu and around the southwest border with Gaijingzi district.

title: Dalian/Shahekou


text:
Dalian/Xigang

Xigang District (西岗区; Xīgǎngqū), the smallest of Dalian's four districts, takes up the western half of the city centre and is the home of most of the city government. As with government districts in most cities there is not a huge amount for tourists to do in the central part of Xigang aside from gawking at the centres of power, though the stadium, and the nearby bar area, do provide alternative attractions. The southern half of the district offers more for visitors, with the forest zoo for panda watchers and Fujiazhuang beach for sun lovers. Bargain hunters may find a trip to the central market rewarding, provided their haggling skills are up to scratch.

Get in

For those arriving by air, all three airport buses stop in central Xigang. The express shuttle stops at the municipal government (just north of People's Square), bus 701 stops at the stadium, while bus 710 stops at People's Square. Those arriving at the central train station, meanwhile, can catch bus 16 or 22 to People's Square and the stadium. Those arriving by boat, bus 16 also stops just in front of the passenger ferry terminal.

Get around

Getting around in the central part of the district is little trouble given that most of the areas of interest are clustered around People's Square and the Stadium which are no more than 10 minutes walk from one another. To get to the central market catch bus 16 or 22 from the stadium or People's Square to Qingniwaqiao, head to the railway station and walk through the pedestrian tunnel on the left hand side. The Forest Zoo can be reached by catching bus 4 (terminating at Tiger Beach) from the stadium. To get to Fujiazhuang Beach head to Qingniwaqiao then take bus 5.

See

Buy

 * Dalian central market – North of the train station, this is the best place to go for bargains. There are many different halls offering pretty much everything under the sun, but the main hall is the most useful to visitors, with foodstuffs on the ground floor, clothes and bags on the next couple of floors and trinkets and souvenirs on the next floor up. If you are willing to haggle hard, goods can be purchased here for a fraction of the price you would pay elsewhere.

Eat
The range of restaurants is nowhere near as comprehensive in Xigang as it is in Zhongshan District, with the only standout example being the Tapas Spanish restaurant near Russian Street. In the more residential areas there's still the usual range of cheap, hole in the wall and mid-range Chinese restaurants, however.

title: Dalian/Xigang


text:
Dalian/Zhongshan

Zhongshan District (中山区; Zhōngshānqū), at the eastern edge of Dalian, encompasses the main business and commercial centre of Dalian and many of the most scenic parts of the southern coastline. As a result visitors to the city tend to spend most of their time here, a fact reflected in the wide range of hotels and restaurants found in the district. The downside of this popularity is that hotels, restaurants and shops tend to be more expensive than in other parts of the city. That being said for those who can afford it, or take advantage of the few lower budget options available, Zhongshan District makes for an excellent base for exploring Dalian.

Get in
Central Zhongshan District is very well served when it comes to transportation connections, with both the central train station and passenger ferry terminal lying within its borders. For those arriving by plane, the airport express shuttle and public buses #701 and #702 all stop at the central train station. The main light-rail train station is located in the district, just north of the train station. Tram #201 has several stops in the district.

Get around
Most of the attractions in central Zhongshan District lie within comfortable walking distance of each other. Alternatively, tram 201 takes in much of the central area, and traveling past pretty parks and colonial houses in a 1930s tram car is one of Dalian's more unique experiences. Further afield the Tiger Beach area can be reached via bus 2, departing next to Zhongshan Hotel in Qingniwaqiao, or bus 30, which departs from Zhongshan Square. To get to Donghai Beach take bus 13 from Dalian Railway Station.

Traditional Chinese opera venues
For those interested in traditional musical performances, Dalian offers a couple of optionsː

Budget
Food courts and sidewalk vendors offer the cheapest fare (and the resulting quality shows, often times re-using ingredients or using artificial ingredients). When walking around shopping malls, most of the food courts are underground levels. Foreign fast food chains can be found but the city lacks the variety found in larger cities.

Over the bridge noodles (过桥米线; guòqiáo mǐxiàn) is a dish native to Yunnan province in where raw ingredients (typically a variety of meats, vegetables and quail eggs) are dropped along with rice noodles into a large bowl of boiling hot chicken stock at the table. A thin layer of oil on the top of the soup allows the ingredients to cook inside the soup (the name derives from a legend that a scholar's wife found that any food she took to her husband on the other side of a large bridge went cold before she reached him, so she invented a way of keeping it hot). A dish from the southwest may seem a strange thing to seek out in the Northeast, but guòqiáo mǐxiàn are incredibly popular, with restaurants all over town serving it. Probably the best is located on a side road off the eastern edge of Labour Park, near the Peking Opera House (head east along the road parallel to and south of the street the opera house is on until you find a small restaurant with a couple of seats out the front with a board running along the wall which acts as the restaurant's loyalty scheme, 6th bowl is free). The combination of ingredients are listed on the wall. Busy from 1PM-2PM on weekdays during the school year. ¥6-10.

Splurge
The most expensive restaurants in the city tend to offer seafood or Japanese cuisine. Meals vary in price, but expect to pay ¥200 or more for meals at the high quality establishments.

title: Dalian/Zhongshan