My favorite beach, Dongdaihe!!
Here is a travel guide for Dongdaihe Beach:
Transportation Guide
• High-speed train/bullet train: You can get off at Dongdaihe Station (open in July and August) or Shanhaiguan Station. From Shanhaiguan Station, it takes about 20-30 minutes by taxi to Dongdaihe.
• Self-driving: Navigate to "Dongdaihe Scenic Resort," no license plate restrictions.
• Taxi: Local taxis and ride-hailing services are scarce, mostly private cars operate, so it is recommended to book a car in advance.
Recommended Attractions
• Kaisa Beach: The beach is clean and fine, with complete facilities, including popular photo spots like the sky ladder and seaside swing. Suitable for playing in the sand, beachcombing, and watching the sunrise.
• Shanhai Tongwan (Blue Moon Beach): Many popular photo spots, offering beautiful mountain and sea views, Mediterranean-style buildings, and many children's play facilities. However, there are many underwater reefs, so it is not very suitable for swimming.
• Yintai Mercury Amusement Park (Platinum Sea): Various water amusement facilities, with RV container homestays available, ideal for family trips.
• Zhimawan: The earliest developed shallow beach, with many surrounding facilities. You can go beachcombing and visit the Meng Jiangnu Temple and Qin and Han dynasty ruins.
• Jieshi Beach: Features a statue of Meng Jiangnu, unique beach stones, and the Jieshi ruins. Suitable for camping, team building, and photo opportunities.
Food Recommendations
• Seafood: Mantis shrimp, sea crab, grilled fish, cold sea cucumber salad, mackerel dumplings, and special grilled sea urchin, all fresh and delicious.
• Fisherman’s dishes: Traditional dishes like braised hairtail fish and seafood tofu pot are worth trying.
• Snacks: Sugar oil cakes from Laotaimen Bun Shop, three-flavor shrimp dumplings from Laowangtou Dumpling Restaurant, etc.
Accommodation Options
• Luxury: Dongdaihe Tongwan Seaview Resort Hotel, where you can fully enjoy the beach scenery.
• Comfortable: Xi’an Hotel (Suizhong Culture Road Branch), Vienna Hotel (Huludao Suizhong Branch), Dongdaihe Huayu Sea Light Luxury Resort Hotel-style Seaview Apartments, etc., with good facilities and comfortable environment.
• Budget: Tata Seaview Apartment Hotel (Kaisa Phase 4 Branch), Anyu Holiday Seaview Hotel Apartment (Kaisa Phase 4 Branch), Xiangyu Shiguang Boutique Homestay (Dongdaihe Kaisa Branch), etc., cost-effective and mostly seaview rooms.
Travel Tips
• If time allows, plan a 3-5 day itinerary to slowly enjoy the beach vacation. On the first day, play at Kaisa Beach, enjoy the sea view, and try water activities; on the second day, go to Shanhai Tongwan for photos and visit Yintai Mercury Amusement Park; on the third day, go beachcombing at Zhimawan and visit nearby ancient sites; on the fourth day, camp or watch the sunrise at Jieshi Beach; on the fifth day, stroll through the local market and buy special souvenirs.
• Water sports enthusiasts can fully enjoy windsurfing, kayaking, and other activities; families with children should focus on the children’s play facilities at Yintai Mercury Amusement Park and Kaisa Beach.
• Check the tide table in advance when beachcombing and prepare the necessary tools.
Precautions
• Prepare sunscreen, mosquito repellent, swimsuits, swim trunks, swim rings, sun umbrellas, and other items.
• Pay attention to safety when playing by the sea, follow staff instructions, and avoid swimming in non-designated areas.
• When tasting seafood, choose fresh ingredients and avoid eating too much raw or cold seafood to prevent stomach discomfort.