From Wikitravel

Dalian is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — consider printing them all.

Dalian (大连; Dàlián) [1] is the second largest city in Liaoning Province, Dongbei (North East), China and the largest port in northern China as well as a major destination for Chinese tourists. Located at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, the main part of the city is located 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.

[edit] 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 Chinese government resumed control following the Second World War (though the city was jointly run with Russia until 1955) and in 1950 was again renamed by the newly formed Communist regime, this time 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 most Chinese cities, especially in north east China, and what heavy industry there is is mostly located in 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, make 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 international, market, overseas tourists should still find plenty to do in the city, and the large number of foreign businesses in the city and foreign students and teachers at the city's many universities ensure that there's plenty of companies (from upmarket hotels to bars and coffee houses) that cater to those who do not call China their native home. Currently, the city has a population of around, 6,300,000.

[edit] 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 well known but still not understood by most Dalianese, and outside of the more expensive hotels and businesses that cater to overseas customers, a grasp of basic Mandarin phrases (at least) is advisable.

[edit] When to go

Climate	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Daily highs (°C)	-1	0	6	14	20	24	27	27	24	18	9	2
Nightly lows (°C)	-8	-6	-1	6	12	16	21	21	17	10	2	-5
Precipitation (cm)	1	1	1	3	4	6	17	14	8	3	2	1

The city is best visited in summer or autumn, any time between June and October, though during the summer school holidays (early July-late August) the city attracts large numbers of Chinese tourists making long distance transport tickets and hotel rooms harder to find and some sights more expensive. The Labour Day (one week around May 1), National Day (one week around October 1) and Chinese New Year (four weeks during late January/early February) holidays see similar, though smaller, influxes and so it may be preferable to schedule visits outside these times.

[edit] Districts

Dalian city is divided into 4 main districts:

• Zhongshan District (中山区 zhōngshān qū), home of Dalian's financial and commercial center.

• Xigang District (西岗区 xīgǎng qū), Dalian's government district.

• Shahekou District (沙河口区 shāhékǒu qū), mainly a residential area, though Xinghai Square and the many universities in the district may attract visitors.

• Ganjingzi District (甘井子区 gānjǐngzǐ qū) 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 its size, however, Dalian International Airport is the only location within the district most travellers are likely to visit.

The wider Dalian administrative area encompasses 6 further districts Jinzhou District, Lushunkou District, Wanfangdian District, Pulandian District, Zhuanghe District and Changhai County (spread over a group of islands to the east of the Liaodong Peninsula). Of these districts only Lushunkou, Jinzhou and Zhuanghe are likely to be of much interest to visitors.

• Jinzhou District (金州区 jīnzhōu qū) lies immediately north of Dalian city. The main attractions in the district are the Golden Pebble Beach (east of the Dalian Development Zone) and Xiangshui Temple.

• Lushunkou District (旅顺口区 lǚshùnkǒu qū) occupies the very southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, with the historically significant city of Lushun (formerly Port Arthur) at its center.

• Zhuganghe District (庄河市 zhuānghé shì) well north east of Dalian city is a mostly rural district with the impressive Bingyu Valley its main, or rather only, attraction.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By air

Dalian International Airport (大连周水子国际机场 dàlián zhōushuǐzǐ guójìjīchǎng), (IATA: DLC), +86 411 8665 2071, [2], to the north-west of the town centre, offers direct flights to Beijing, Changchun, Changsha, Chaoyang, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Guilin, Haikou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hefei, Hong Kong, Jinan, Kunming, Luoyang, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Qiqihar, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Ürümqi, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xian, and Yanji.

Daily international flights are available to Tokyo, Seoul and Hong Kong and regular direct flights to Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Osaka, Sendai, and Toyama in Japan, Pusan in South Korea, and Pyongyang in North Korea. Most other major international destinations can be reached through flights via Beijing or Shanghai.

Air China, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airlines provide international flights and most major Chinese domestic carriers also serve the airport. A regular airport bus 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) as well as Renmin Lu. Tickets cost 5 RMB. Public buses #701 and #710 also run from the airport to the train station, #701 terminating at Zhongshan Square and #710 going on to the harbour, Sanba Square and Erqi Square. Both buses cost 1 RMB. Tickets for outward flights can be booked in advance from the airport ticket office on Zhongshan Lu, just opposite Xiwang (Hope) Square in the centre of town.

[edit] By train

Dalian Central Train Station (大连火车站 dàlián huǒchēzhàn) +86 411 8260 3331 is located next to Shengli (Victory) Square in the town centre. Direct trains serve most cities in Dongbei as well as Beijing and Tianjin, but longer journeys usually involve a change at Beijing. A special daily express train also runs to Shenyang. Tickets can be booked up to 7 days in advance from the station, though this requires a degree of Chinese proficiency (or access to someone with Chinese proficiency) as well as a tolerance for Chinese queuing habits. Local travel agents and major hotels should also be able to book tickets in advance, often further than is possible from the station, for an extra charge. For further details on train travel in China, including details on the various classes available, see the main China article.

[edit] By bus

Long distance buses are available, and serve most destinations in the vicinity of Dalian. The main long distance bus station is located on Jianshe Jie, outside the northern entrance of the main train station, while smaller stations, serving mainly local cities, are located next to the passenger ferry terminal, to the west of the city centre at the intersection of Anshan Lu and Xinkan Lu (běi gǎng qiáo station (北岗桥汽车站)) and in Heishijiao, next to Xinghai square.

[edit] By boat

Ferry services run from the passenger ferry terminal (大连港客运站 dàlián gǎng kèyùn zhàn) in the centre of Dalian (Gangwan Jie, east end of Renmin Lu) to cities along the Bohai Sea as well as to Incheon in South Korea. A fast ferry runs to Yantai and takes around three and a half hours. Previous services to Shanghai and Qingdao no longer operate. 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.

[edit] Get around

[edit] By bus

Buses [3] are the main form of public transport in Dalian and most services run very frequently; the typical wait between buses is only about 5 minutes. Seats are generally hard, however, and even with very frequent services, buses on major routes can still get crowded at peak times. Most routes offer no air conditioning or heating systems in the buses which can make for uncomfortable journeys in the height of winter or summer. Services start early in the morning (anywhere from 4:30AM-6:30AM) and usually finish around 11PM, though some services finish earlier. Fare is 1RMB.

The main place to catch buses from the centre of town is at the Qingniwa area (青泥洼桥 qīngníwā qiáo) which has two main stations, one just in front of and slightly west of the train station and the other beside Zhongshan Hotel between Qingniwa pedestrian street and Jiefang Lu. Most buses also pass through People's Square and/or Zhongshan Square, but the stops are more spread out in both places and so finding the right stop can be difficult. Bus routes that may be of use to visitors include #2 (from Qiniwa 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 the ferry terminal), #16 (from Zhongshan Lu near Qingniwa to the Xinghai conference centre) and #22 (from the railway station to Xinghai Square). Ticket prices for all these routes, as with most buses in Dalian, are 1 RMB regardless of distance and exact change must be given.

In addition to the regular public buses there are also three air-conditioned tourist buses. #801 runs a circular route from the railway station and takes in People's Square, Xinghai Square, Fujiazhaung Beach, Tiger Beach, Labour Park and Zhongshan Square along the way. The entire journey takes about an hour and costs 20 RMB, though earlier stops cost less (the minimum being 5 RMB). #801B runs from the ferry terminal to Heishijiao via Zhongshan Square, the railway station, People's Square and Xinghai Square while #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 for both buses are 2 RMB.

[edit] By tram

Dalian has a number of 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 hilly streets, trams and colonial buildings combine to give Dalian an almost San Franciscan feel in places. There are three tram routes, #201 runs from the central railway station to Shahekou Railway station, #202 runs from the Xi'an Lu shopping area to Heishijiao and beyond via Xinghai Square and #203 runs from the railway station along to Donghai Beach via Russian Street. Tickets for all trams cost 1 RMB, with the exception of the modern trams on route #202 which cost 2 RMB.

[edit] By taxi

Taxis are plentiful in Dalian and flagging one down is rarely a problem except in the remotest parts of the city. Rates start at 8 RMB for the first 3 kilometres and 2.0 RMB for each additional kilometre, after 10 though rates rise to 10RMB for the first 3 kilometres and 2.6 RMB for each additional kilometre. Drivers are usually friendly and willing to help out foreigners, and are less likely to take needless long routes caompared to other tourist cities in China. Very few understand English, however, so either a knowledge of Mandarin or written directions to the destination is a must.

[edit] By rail

Though there are a number of small urban and suburban rail stations in Dalian they are unlikely to be much use as they tend not to be in useful locations for tourists and services are more costly and less frequent than buses. The light rail line is of use to tourists and business travellers, however, as it is by far the most convenient way to get to the Dalian Economic Development Zone and Golden Pebble beach resort. Taking a taxi from the Economic Development Zone to downtown can be 60-80RMB; using the light rail, however, is just 4RMB. The cars are air conditioned and the waiting stations are sheltered from rain or snow.

[edit][add listing] See

• Squares - 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 - 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) offering perhaps the best concentration of old buildings.

• Forest Zoo - Dalian has a wide range of tourist attractions, but most of them are geared for the local market and to overseas visitors would seem more traps than attractions. The Forest Zoo (Xigang District) is one of the few that does stand up to international expectations, albeit only just. The zoo, set in the hillsides south of the city centre, plays host to a wide variety of animals in enclosures that are modern and spacious by Chinese standards (though not up to the standard of better western zoos). The zoo's pandas, both great and red, are probably its main attraction.

• Cherry blossoms - every late April is a good time to visit Long Wangtang(龙王塘), a village around 20mins drive from Dalian city, to watch its cherry blossoms. The approx. 3,000 cherry trees were planted by Japanese colonists back in 1920s after the completion of Long Wangtang water dam. The nouveau-style dam itself is another interest to visit.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Relax on one of the city's beaches. There's 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 (located as it is within 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 ride offers 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, both local and international. 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), or the Ownar Cineplex in the He Ping shopping centre north of Xinghai Square (Shahekou District). 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.

[edit] 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 course for overseas students, see their websites for details on available courses and requirements.

• Dalian Foreign Languages University (大连外国语学院 dàlián wàiguóyǔ xuéyuàn) 94 Yan'an Lu, +86 411 8280 1297 (scs@dlufl.edu.cn) [4]

• Liaoning Normal University (辽宁师范大学 liáoníng shīfàn dàxué) 850 Huanghe Lu, +86 411 8425 8562 (robertd@mail.dlptt.ln.cn) [5]

• Dalian Maritime University (大连海事大学 dàlián hǎishì dàxué) 1 Linghai Lu, +86 411 8472 9210 (pengxuefei@hotmail.com) [6]

You can try to stay at the International Maritime Training Centre Hotel DMU. It is located on the Dalian Maritime University Campus. Tel: +86-411-84729710; Fax: +86-411-84729350. Registration: +86-411-84729345, 84729346, 84727951. The hotel has english speaking stuff on reception. Rates start from 150 RMB for a room.

• Dalian University of Technology (大连理工大学 dàlián lǐgōng dàxué) +86 411 8470 8897 (dutsice@dlut.edu.cn) [7]

[edit][add listing] Buy

There's a large number of souvenir stalls around the main tourist sights in Dalian, however the typical local souvenirs are Russian-themed items and dried seafood, neither of which are particularly of interest to foreign travellers (the first would be a strange thing to bring back from China and the second would violate customs regulations). There's plenty of other shopping areas that would be of more interest, however, either for general Chinese souvenirs (jade sculptures, shadow boxes with shell mosaics, calligraphy scrolls, Peking Opera masks and so on) or for day to day essentials. As with the rest of China haggling is pretty much mandatory outside of department stores and supermarkets.

[edit][add listing] 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 flavours, with buns, pancakes and dumplings as staples rather than rice or noodles) and the city 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; in China seafood literally means anything that is edible from the sea. Those unwilling to try sea slugs or fish heads should take care when ordering. Fish dishes invariably contain plenty of small bones that must be navigated around or crunched through (the local method).

The range and number of restaurants is huge, and the listings provided should be considered as merely scratched the surface of what is on offer. Individual exploration of the restaurants available 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.

[edit] Budget

Travellers on a budget will be spoiled for choice in Dalian, with low cost restaurants on literally every street corner especially in the more residential areas outside of the main city centre. It would be impossible to even begin to list them all, so only a couple of options available near the centre 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 rarer. Those with no Mandarin ability and no access to someone with Mandarin ability can either point at other customers' dishes, or try the roadside snack stalls which offer pancakes, rolls, skewers of barbecued meat and candied fruits for around 1-2 RMB.

[edit] Mid-range

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.

[edit] Splurge

The more expensive end of the restaurant market in Dalian is generally occupied by non-Chinese, mainly western, Japanese and Korean, restaurants though there are also a few Chinese restaurants with particularly high reputations in this price bracket. English menus and English speaking staff are more likely in these restaurants, especially western ones, but there are still no guarantees.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Dalian offers a wide selection of bars and nightclubs catering to a mixture of locals and foreign businessmen, teachers and students. Most of them, especially in the centre are aimed at the Japanese businessman market and are so perhaps best avoided unless overpriced drinks, karaoke and women of dubious virtue are your thing. Dalian lacks a bona fide bar street along the lines of Beijing's Sanlitun or Shanghai's Maoming Lu with bars fairly liberally scattered across the city centre (as well as near major 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 behind the Shagri-la Hotel and the third along Gaoerji Lu behind People's Square.

Another good place to go for drinks are the night markets that spring up during the summer, which offer very cheap draught beer (1-3 RMB for a large glass) and barbecued meat, tofu, vegetables and breads in an informal outdoor setting. Those looking for non-alcoholic drinks, meanwhile, can check out the many coffee shops and teahouses around the city.

The Dalian beer festival (a product of Dalian's long running semi-feud with Qingdao), held in Xinghai Square every year around late July/early August, is worth checking out if you're in the city at the time.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

Budget accommodation options in Dalian, as in the rest of China, are fairly limited for overseas travellers as most of the really cheap hotels are unable to accept foreigners. There are some "budget" properties located in Zhongshan District and also in Xigang District . The best bet for non-Chinese looking for a bargain is to try youth hostels or university guest houses.

• Universities - Other than the youth hostels the only real budget option available for non-Chinese are the many universities around Dalian, which offer foreign student dormitories to travellers during school holidays. Some (for example Liaoning Normal University and the Dalian University of Technology) also have hotels on campus which offer rooms all year round. See the Learn section for contact details.

[edit] Mid-range

The mid-range market in Dalian mainly consists of 3 or 4 star Chinese-run hotels which typically offer clean, decent sized rooms, good quality restaurants and possibly the odd English-speaking member of staff. There's an abundance of such hotels around the city, with a handful standing out from the rest of the pack. There are some "Mid-range" properties located in Zhongshan District and also in Xigang District .

[edit] Splurge

The top end of the hotel market in Dalian is dominated by large hotels run by larger international chains. As a result these hotels tend to be very well run and offer all the amenities that could possibly be expected. On the downside the prices tend to be set to an international, rather than national, benchmark and so the jump in price from 4 star to 5 star can be dramatic. Most of the "Splurge" properties are located in Zhongshan District.

[edit] Contact

The local dialing code for Dalian from within China is 0411 (outside of China +86 411). The main local telephone operator is China Netcom [8]. Internet access at home is increasingly widespread, and most people living in the city should be able to get a broadband connection if one is not already present, while almost all hotels have at least a perfunctory business center offering Internet access (though usually at a far higher price than at an Internet café).

There are a handful of public phones, as in standalone phones, in Dalian. These are few and far between, however, and to use them you need to purchase an IC card which can't be used for anything else. More practical, and cheap, are the phones that can be found at convenience stores or kiosks. To use these simply indicate you wish to use one, dial the number and then hand over the money (usually less than 1 RMB for short local calls) to the shop assistant at the end. Not all such phones will allow you to dial outside of Dalian, however, and very few accept international calls (those that do will have the letters IDD on the telephone sign outside the shop/kiosk).

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 RMB. A more expensive, though possibly more convenient option is to ask to use the phone in hotel lobbies. Remember to dial 00 + the country code when making international calls.

Calling cards (known as IP cards) are plentiful and, as in the rest of China, offer the cheapest way of calling overseas. Be aware, however, that not all brands of cards offer English instructions, so those not fluent in Mandarin would be best sticking to the two main brands (China Netcom and China Telecom).

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 (expect to pay around 50-100 RMB). The two main operators, China Mobile and China Unicom, operate on different standards so which one you need to go for will depend on your phone. As a rule of thumb China Unicom, which operates via CDMA, is best for many American phones while those with phones from other countries will generally be better off with China Mobile, which uses the GSM standard.

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 RMB for an hour.

Post offices are scattered around the city, with the two main branches located just east 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.

[edit] Stay safe

Crime, especially street crime, is low in Dalian as it is in most of China. Muggings and assaults, for instance, are incredibly rare. Pickpockets do operate, however, so care should be taken with valuables especially in busy shopping areas or on crowded buses or trains.

Probably the greatest safety risk you'll face in Dalian is from the traffic which can be chaotic at the best of times. China has the highest rate of road fatalities in the world and allowances made for pedestrians are practically nonexistent. Marked crossings seem to serve little purpose other than as target ranges. Dalian's many wide avenues may be good for congestion but by creating more fast flowing traffic than in, say, Beijing they make life harder for pedestrians. The best way to cross the road other than over bridges, through tunnels or at traffic lights is to wait for a gap in the traffic and run. Don't under any circumstances expect cars to stop for you.

Health-wise Dalian's relatively low levels of pollution (comparable to London or Paris and better than Los Angeles) mean health problems from bad air are less of an issue than in other Chinese cities. The water, while technically drinkable, is made drinkable via the addition of hefty amounts of chemicals and pipes are seldom kept in the best condition so boiling is pretty much mandatory, and bottled water is usually a safer bet. Tap water should be boiled or filtered before drinking.Tap water should be fine for brushing teeth and washing with, however. The complete lack of any health inspection mechanism means food poisoning is a constant danger, but most restaurants should be OK. Avoid any restaurants that seem strangely quiet (customers tend not to return to places that leave them on the toilet for a week). 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 (+86 411 8271 8822) 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 RMB with you should you need medical attention.

[edit] 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 located at virtually all bank branches, and most (though not all) 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.

[edit] Get out

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

• Golden Pebble Beach - Located in Jinzhou district east of the Dalian development zone and around 50 km (30 mi) from the centre of Dalian, Golden Pebble Beach (金石滩 jīnshítān), named after the unique rock formations of the area, is a major 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, though the kung fu museum, which doubles as a school for aspiring Jet Lis, might be worth checking out for those interested in the subject. Outside of the main tourist periods a lot of the beach-side shops and stalls shut down, and it's best to check the forecast before you venture out as travelling 50 km to sit under a parasol in the rain or be buffeted by gale force winds isn't the best of fun. The best way to get to Golden Pebble Beach is to take the light rail from the central station, located between the central train station and the market. . A round trip takes about 25 minutes each way and costs 8 RMB. A tourist shuttle is available to get from the light rail station to the beach.

• Xiangshui Temple +86 411 8764 7565. 8:30AM-5PM. 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 of which 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. To get there take the train (from the central train station) or bus (from the běi gǎng qiáo long distance bus station) to Jinzhou then take a taxi to the temple.

• Bingyu Valley - Billed as "Dalian's Guilin" Bingyu Valley (冰峪沟 bīngyù gōu) is a twisting river valley, winding though steep cliffs, in relatively unspoilt countryside just outside Zhuanghe City and about 250 km (155 mi) north of Dalian city. Entry costs 100 RMB but is well worth it since as well as hiking, boat rides (which cost extra) and enjoying a bit of nature there's 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 RMB for a double room, or you can stay in a local farmer's house for as little as 10 RMB (definitely an experience worth having, provided you have someone in your party with a good level of Mandarin). To get to Bingyu Valley on weekends or holidays simply catch the direct bus that leaves from Victory Square at 7:30am. Tickets cost 45 RMB and the journey takes about 2 hours. The rest of the time you'll need to get a bus (2 hours, 34 RMB) or train to Zhuanghe City then transfer to a local bus to the valley (1 hour, 8 RMB).

• Lushun - Formerly known as Port Arthur, Lushun is a historically significant city located on the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, about 40 km (25 mi) south west of Dalian city center. While it's possible to visit the various sites on your own (plenty of buses run from Dalian to Lushun and a taxi ride would also be feasible) the risk of straying into the forbidden areas means that a guided tour is a more sensible option. Most hotels will be able to offer either tours or advice on agencies who could provide them. It can be difficult for non-Chinese to gain entrance to many of the sights--even if traveling with locals. Significant fines can result if an official notices a non-Chinese visiting sites.

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