Yantai is a small sleepy port city on the Shandong coast that to this day still retains some of its colonial charm. The city is fairly small but there is a bustling development zone and large container and shipbuilding ports. There are a number of western expats working here on the docks and teaching English.
Yantai is home to Yantai Raffles, which owns the largest ship building crane in the world, towering over the eastern edge of the T shaped peninsula. Yantai is known for having the best fruits in China, especially cherries, apples, peaches and pears. Yantai is also the home of Changyu Wines.
The seaside is home to a promenade for walking or relaxing. Among the seaside attractions is a great water, light and sound show: nightly at the promenade. It is definitely worth seeing.
If you are the shopping type, Three Stations (pronounced in Mandarin like: San Jang; taxi drivers all know it well) market has almost everything you can imagine, including chinese cultural nicknacks, calligraphy sets, silk paintings, tea houses, and tea shops, sculpture and statue shops, as well as many computer outlet markets, clothing shops, furniture stores, and department stores.
The moon man is just south east of the main beach, and this year (2008) there will be weddings all year round going on there.
Summer - Go to the beach during the day and go to the bar at night. Winter - Go to the bar during the day and night.
French-owned Yantai-based Louis Wann [http://www.louiswann.com/english/index_e.htm] makes wines and a good brandy.
'''Changyu Winery''' has also been around for over 70 years and their wines are pretty good. www.changyu.com.cn.
One French restaurant, one American-Diner style restaurant, a few Japanese and Korean restaurants and lots of Chinese seafood restaurants (well what do you expect, it is the seaside?!).
There are several great restaurants in Yantai: Penglaichen is very good: "hen hao." Penglaichun is over 100 years old, and some of the dishes are truly fabulous. The dining experience is quaint and very well tailored to a lone gentleman diner, a well-to-do family, or an intimate dinner date. The staff is very friendly and well mannered, and they invited foreigners in with open arms.
Jackies Cuisine serves great western style food in a nice hard rock cafe style environment, with many Europeans, Americans, Australians, and Chinese businessmen and women. It is a good place to meet some fellow English speakers, and also to just sit at the bar, eat peanuts and drink some great imported beers. They serve Quesadillas, Burgers, Fries, Fajitas (beef or chicken), chile, chips and salsa, fish and chips, and much more. Jackie keeps the only real cheese inventory in Yantai, so if your hankering is for cheese, drop by and pick up a brick. Jackie is kind and fun loving. The staff speaks English very well. The flat screen LCDs are often bussing with concert videos of Queen, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, and other great Western musical acts. I recommend the Jalapeno Burger, medium well, some fires, heinz ketchup, and a Guinness beer. If that sounds to Western for you, then try one of the Chinese restaurants below. You won't be disappointed.
Chinese food restaurants Penglaichun Restaurant It is a time-honored restaurant and specializes in cooking sea food. It's said that the dishes are tasty but not too expensive. Recommended food: Quanjiafu (Hotchpotch), Soft-fried Oyster and Scrambled Eggs with Agarics. Location: No.13 Dingxi Road, Yantai
Xile Restaurant Highly recommended for its food but its service and environment are not so good. Recommended food: Fish Dumplings, Garlic-Style Scallop, and Fried Leek Dumplings. Location: No.52 Huanshan Road, Yantai
Shunshui-renqing Quite good environment as it is near to the Golden Beach. Recommended food: Dove Soup and pumpkin pies. Location: No.34 Haibin Road, Yantai
Yantai Renjia Old Restaurant Good service and dishes are moderately priced. It is not so crowded. Recommended food: Soft-fried Shrimp Meat, Stir fried Crab, Fish Ball Soup, Penglai Noodles. Location: No.32 Beima Road, Yantai
Juxiangyuan Casserole It specializes in casserole, a dish with soup cooked in the clay pot. It comes in many flavors, such as Beef Casserole, Chicken Casserole with Mushrooms and the Vegetable Casserole. Location: No.7 Huamao Street, Yantai.
Western food restaurants Jackie's Western Food Many locals feel that this restaurant is the most native western food restaurant, with good service and tasty food in Yantai. Location: No.14 Huanshan Road, Yantai.
Recently opened Jusco in Laishan District has a number of Japanese, Korean and Chinese restaurants as well as McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut
Mingtien Coffee Language It serves coffee and western food. Location: No.51 Shifu Street, Yantai
Midway down the street, '''Havana bar''' plays good western music and has a fantastic atmosphere after 12 if you want to dance (again, western staff).
Revelers were very friendly during my many drunken nights out on ChaoYang street, however, local mafia are known to operate the bars in the area and so a little vigilance is required.
Alibaba's newly opened bar is also a great place up the hill about 10 minutes by taxi from the beach hotels, and has great atmosphere with hip-hop music and great long bar, and also has about 20 pool tables in the adjoining area.
Bracchus Bar just a few minutes walk from Chiayangji is also an upmarket western style bar
Baby Face Club - Located downtown, the only real clubbing experience Yantai offers, Baby Face Club offers you loud house music, laser lights galore, poor bar service, cover charge and cross dressing bartenders
Ramada Inn
Crowne Plaza
Golden Gulf
Binhai Marina