Dalian 大连

1

Asia's largest city square (built in 1997, 1.1 million m², Centennial City Sculpture with bronze footprints), views of Xinghai Bay Bridge, cross-sea bridge lights

2

Seaside bathing area + geological scenery (Heishijiao karst black reefs, western section of Dalian Binhai National Geopark)

3

Model section of China's Coastal Scenic Byway (32km mountain-and-sea trail), Yanwo Ridge / Xiuyue Peak / Fujiazhuang Beach

4

Dalian locals' summer swimming home ground (rocks + sand), beachcombing

5

5A-rated ocean theme park (Polar Aquarium — penguin, polar bear and beluga shows / Coral Aquarium / Bird Paradise / Marine Mammal Hall / Happy Theater, five halls), cross-sea aerial cableway

6

Underwater-tunnel aquarium (118m undersea tunnel, 'China's first tunnel-style aquarium'), Polar World + Coral World + Deep Sea Legend

7

Donggang Business District, a sea-reclamation new area (International Conference Center 'Big Seashell'), gondola rides in the Oriental Water Town (Venetian-style, approx. CNY 80 per ticket)

8

38 Russian-style buildings (remnants of the 1900s Dalny municipal-hall district), Russian goods shops

9

"Gallery of World Architecture": ten grand banks around a lawn roundabout (ten European-style bank/consulate buildings built 1908-1937: Dalian Hotel / People's Culture Club, etc.), the Japanese colonial era's "Grand Square"

10

"Half of modern Chinese history": Baiyu Mountain Pagoda (a Japanese war-memorial tower of the Russo-Japanese War, overlooking Lüshun Naval Port—a natural ice-free harbor, the "gateway to Beijing and Tianjin"), Lüshun Naval Port Park (submarine visits), Russo-Japanese Prison Site Museum (built by Russia in 1902, expanded by Japan, the "Auschwitz of the East"…

11

Dalian's century of urban history (colonial era / liberation / opening-up) + modern Northeast Asia exhibition

12

Former residence and memorial hall of Guan Xiangying (Red Army general)

13

Marine life specimens (whale shark / Chinese sturgeon), geology and dinosaur exhibits

14

"Park of Divine Sculpture" (core of the Dalian Coastal National Geological Park—Jinshi Garden's golden reefs / "Dinosaur Exploring the Sea" / "Roc Spreading Wings" sea-erosion landforms, Sinian geological wonders of 900-600 million years ago), Golden Coast beach

15

Best bathing beach in northern China (4.5 km fine-sand beach dubbed the "No. 1 Beach of Northeast China"), sailing and sand sculpture festival

16

Daheishan Mountain (southern Liaoning's highest peak at 663 m, Goguryeo-era mountain fortress ruins of Beisha City + Xiangshui Temple), Xiaoheishi coastal stone forest

17

Lianhua Mountain viewing platform at 259.6 m (the city's highest point with a 360° panorama over Xinghai Bay), Baiyun Yanshui fitness trail

18

Sea-erosion cliff viewing platform (the "Warship Reef" offshore), wedding-photo hotspot

19

Dalian's urban green lung (Tangli Lake / Cha'an Village farmhouse restaurants), spring apricot blossoms

20

Largest theme park in Northeast China (six themed zones incl. Crazy Town / Legend Castle, nightly fireworks + Halloween season)

21

"Guilin of the North" (karst canyon in southern Liaoning, Yingna River rafting), Xianrendu (Immortal's Crossing) / Shuanglonghui (Twin Dragon Confluence)

22

The Changshan Islands, "China's island county" (origin of Zhangzidao sea cucumbers); fishing-family homestays + beachcombing + sea angling

23

Hot springs (radon springs) at the foot of Buyun Mountain (1,130 m), the highest peak of southern Liaoning