Dalian Attractions

 Dalian's greatest appeal to domestic tourists comes from its beach parks and relatively mild summers. Most famous of these is Tiger Beach, which offers stunning views of the seaside cliffs. Inside the Tiger Beach area are hundreds of birds at the Niaoyu Lin, just be careful at the bird show – the birds like to pluck money from your hands. The Pebble Beach National Resort has an eclectic selection of activities ranging from golf to paint balling. Scuba diving is also a popular pastime; the clear waters off Dalian make for a good excursion during the summers. Dolphins are also a local resident in the waters; you might be able to catch a glimpse of them if you're lucky. Both beaches are located northeast of the city near the booming Economic Development Zone. Swimming and other typical touristy entertainments during the warm seasons are on offer, but due to the crowds, the parks may actually be most pleasant during the offseason when you can spend some time beside the ocean without the jostling.

Other oceanfront areas can be hard to find for non-locals. They don't have the lovely sands and the facilities of the better developed beaches, but they can also be a pleasant experience and provide opportunities for fishing. Unfortunately, it's impossible to get to the ocean anywhere near downtown Dalian –the harbor areas are very tightly secured – so is Lushun to the south, which is a naval base. There is an interesting time to be had at the Sun-Asia Ocean World, it's one of China's larger aquariums with a see-through walkway built under the ocean. Another choice is the Forest Zoo. Located in the thickly wooded hills around the city, the main zoo section is pretty small and mundane. They do have some pandas, but be warned that pandas in Chinese zoos prefer to sleep rather than frolicking about. More interesting are the raccoon-like Lesser Pandas, Siberian White Tigers and other tiger species, Père David's Deer and a few other truly unusual zoo offerings. On the other side of the zoo is a safari ride. The best part of the Forest Zoo is the enormous cable car system that offers a bedazzling view of Dalian and the natural setting in which the zoo is built. Perhaps better called the "Mountain Zoo," traversing the zoo is a moderately arduous hike through some striking forests and hills. The Forest Zoo also has an aquarium, but in this seafood loving city restaurants and markets offer a better assortment of live ocean life than the commercial aquariums.

Some nice places to hang out include Xinghai Park, located seaside and on the edge of the city and Zhongshan Square, located in the heart of downtown. Zhongshan Square has a Jumbotron TV often playing movies or soccer matches or, for a really surreal experience, old Woody Woodpecker or Tom and Jerry cartoons dubbed into Mandarin. It's not uncommon to see folk musicians, dancers, fashion shows or other entertainers here. It's a very pleasant place to chill out and people watch, which is precisely what the locals do here. Also look out for the mounted police, Dalian's the only city in China that has police that serve and protect on horseback, and they're all women.