Qingdao & Jinan, China: A 6-Day, 5-Night Adventure (Part 1 - Qingdao)
Qingdao & Jinan Getaway: A 6-Day, 5-Night Adventure (Part 1)
Unveiling the Charm of Qingdao
My recent trip with a friend to Shandong province, China, specifically Qingdao and Jinan, for 6 days and 5 nights was an absolute delight. I'd rate it a perfect 1000, with just a minor deduction for an unexpected overnight stay in China. This first part focuses on our 5-day, 4-night exploration of beautiful Qingdao. Budget Breakdown
* **Flights:** Approximately 4 million VND per person (including a layover in Guangzhou). * **Visa:** Over 2 million VND per person (we opted for a group visa as my friend couldn't obtain her individual visa in time). * **Accommodation:** 5.6 million VND for two people. We were fortunate to find three exceptional hotels that were spotlessly clean and offered great value. Qingdao Stays: A Tale of Two Hotels
Since we planned to travel from Jinan back to Qingdao for our departure, we decided to experience more than one hotel. * **Qingdao Licheng Hotel (Zhongshan Road Branch of Qingdao Railway Station):** I highly recommend this hotel. Newly built in 2024, the staff were incredibly friendly, and they even offered free laundry and drying services. It cost around 900,000 VND per night. The location is superb, just under 500 meters from St. Michael's Catholic Church and about 600 meters from the railway station. It's also conveniently close to shopping and dining areas. We even discovered a delicious and affordable grilled meat stall nearby. * **XIZHIVIENTIANE HOUTEL:** This hotel was also new and clean, costing about 1.4 million VND per night. However, in my opinion, its location wasn't as convenient as the first hotel. As we returned quite late, around 11 PM, we didn't get to explore the immediate surroundings much. Its proximity to the Qingdao Beer Museum (less than 1 km) and the Taidong Pedestrian Street is notable. Jinan Accommodation
* **Vienna Hotel (Jinan Central Business District Branch):** This hotel was priced around 1.1 million VND per night. Its strengths include cleanliness, spaciousness, high-floor views, and early check-in/late check-out privileges (around 2 PM). However, I wouldn't highly recommend it due to its distance from major attractions. For future reference, booking closer to Daming Lake would be more advantageous, as most points of interest are clustered around that area. Connectivity and Currency Exchange
* **SIM Card:** I purchased a 7-day unlimited data package from Ms. Pham Bich Hanh. I always rely on her for international travel; she's known for her reliability, generosity, and the best prices. Mentioning "Thao Mei" might even snag you a discount! * **Currency Exchange:** We were on a mission to enjoy ourselves without too much worry about saving. Our motto was "exchange more if needed." We initially exchanged 5000 RMB, and surprisingly, after indulging in food and activities, we still had over 100 RMB left! Navigating the Cities
* **Getting Around Qingdao:** While Qingdao has a metro and bus system, our preference for saving time led us to rely heavily on taxis for about 90% of our travel between attractions. Since most sites were relatively close, taxi rides usually cost less than 15 RMB. The metro from the airport to our hotel was a bargain at only 7 RMB, taking about 1.5 hours. * **Getting Around Jinan:** Jinan offers metro, buses, and bicycles. We primarily used taxis and bicycles. Taxi fares were similar to Qingdao, with short trips between nearby spots costing around 15 RMB. Longer journeys, like from our hotel to Daming Lake and Jinan Station, were about 40 RMB per ride. We thoroughly enjoyed cycling around Jinan. The weather was pleasant, and biking to attractions cost a mere 1.5 to 2.5 RMB per trip. We even cycled a scenic 10 km back to our hotel from Daming Lake, which cost only 5.5 RMB – a bit tiring but a fun experience that we only did once! * **Intercity Travel:** The train journey from Qingdao to Jinan cost 130 RMB per person. Unfortunately, we ended up with non-reserved seating, which made the journey cramped and uncomfortable. It's something to be mindful of when booking tickets. In total, our expenses, including shopping for souvenirs, clothes, and other items, were under 20 million VND per person. The Weather's Embrace
We were blessed with pleasant weather in Qingdao, with temperatures hovering around 20-24 degrees Celsius. While it's rumored to be warmer in July and August, it's important to note that even on cooler days, UV rays can be intense. I learned this the hard way on our first day and ended up with a sunburn! Our Itinerary Highlights
* **Day 1: Hanoi - Qingdao Arrival** Our first day was mostly dedicated to travel. We arrived at our hotel around 8:30 PM. After settling in, we took a casual stroll around the hotel, enjoyed a meal at Hadilao, and then headed back to rest. * **Day 2: Coastal Charms** * **Xilingxia Road (Number 3 Road):** A picturesque street to explore. * **Zhanqiao Pier:** While famous for seagull sightings, we visited during a season without them. * **Yanerdao Mountain Park:** This park was truly spectacular. The stairway leading down to the sea offered a breathtaking view reminiscent of "Eo Gio." Visiting around 2-3 PM seemed ideal for photography, thanks to the gentle sunlight, but remember sunscreen! * **May Fourth Square:** We visited this area between 5-6 PM to enjoy the cooler evening air and strolled along the coastline. The stalls set up by vendors added to the lively atmosphere. * **Day 3: Artistic Streets and Sunset Views** * **Longjiang Road** * **Longkou Road** * **Daxue Road (The Red Wall):** Famous for its vibrant red wall. * **Yushan Road (The Grocery Store from the Movie) & Xiaoyushan Park (Sunset View & The Cafe from the Movie):** A route that combined cinematic locations with stunning sunset vistas. * **The Lonely Tree:** A unique landmark. These spots are all conveniently located along the same route, making them walkable. Yushan Road was about a 2 km detour, so we took a taxi for 10 RMB. From there, heading uphill brought us to the Lonely Tree, about 700 meters away. We experienced a downpour that day, which limited our photo opportunities. * **Day 4: Beer Culture and Historical Architecture** * **Tsingtao Brewery Museum (Dengzhou Road):** A significant landmark in Qingdao, and quite impressive. You can opt for a paid tour (around 200 RMB) for a more in-depth experience. As it was our last day and my friend wasn't a big beer drinker, we admired it from the outside. Across the street, you can sample beers and take photos with iconic bear-shaped mugs (35 RMB). We also enjoyed a delicious cherry beer for 20 RMB. * **St. Michael's Catholic Church:** We could only admire this historic and beautiful church from the outside during our visit. The surrounding area is a lively pedestrian and tourist zone, buzzing with activity. Culinary Delights
Our approach to dining was driven by appetite and curiosity! We embraced spontaneity, trying whatever looked delicious wherever we went, so specific restaurant recommendations are scarce. I personally found Chinese cuisine, and Qingdao's food in particular, to be very palatable and easy to enjoy. We developed a serious addiction to bubble tea, often having two cups a day, with my friend even managing three to four! We particularly recommend trying the signature iron pot stew and grilled skewers unique to Qingdao. Overall, my experience in Qingdao was overwhelmingly positive. I'm already planning a return trip! Out of the five places I've visited in China, Qingdao stands out as my favorite. The climate, the people, the food, and the scenery are all exceptional, leaving little room for complaint, except perhaps for the hilly terrain which can be a bit tiring for walking. Stay tuned for Part 2, where I'll share our 2-day, 1-night adventure in Jinan! #china #qingdao #travel
