'''Xigang District''' (__?__ ''x?g?ng q?''), the smallest of Dalian's four districts, takes up the western half of the city centre and is the home of most of the city government. As with government districts in most cities there's not a huge amount for tourists to do in the central part of Xigang aside from gawking at the centres of power, though the stadium, and the nearby bar area, do provide alternative attractions. The southern half of the district offers more for visitors, with the forest zoo for panda watchers and Fujiazhuang beach for sun lovers. Bargain hunters may find a trip to the central market rewarding, provided their haggling skills are up to scratch.
Get in
For those arriving by air, all three airport buses stop in central Xigang. The express shuttle stops at the municipal government (just north of People's Square), #701 stops at the stadium, while #710 stops at People's Square. Those arriving at the central train station, meanwhile, can catch buses #16 or #22 to People's Square and the stadium. Those arriving by boat, bus #16 also stops just in front of the passenger ferry terminal.
Get around
Getting around in the central part of the district is little trouble given that most of the areas of interest are clustered around People's Square and the Stadium which are no more than 10 minutes walk from one another. To get to the central market catch buses #16 or #22 from the stadium or People's Square to Qingniwaqiao, head to the railway station and walk through the pedestrian tunnel on the left hand side. The Forest Zoo can be reached by catching bus #4 (terminating at Tiger Beach) from the stadium.To get to Fujiazhuang beach head to Qingniwaqiao then take bus #5.
See
'''Russian Street'''. (_____z_____X ''eluos? chui qing ji?'') ? Across Shengli Bridge to the north-east of the train station, Russian Street is one of the few places it's still possible to get a glimpse of Dalian's colonial past. Most of the old Russian and Japanese buildings were razed in the many bursts of redevelopment the city has seen over the years, but the old architecture is "preserved" along Russian Street. "Preserved" in the sense that many of the buildings along the road are actually modern facsimiles of old Russian buildings rather than the genuine article. The old buildings that do remain are worth examining, however, and more genuine examples lie along the side roads to the east of the main street. Stalls and shops along the road sell various trinkets and souvenirs, but the same items can generally be found for much less elsewhere in the city. A similar Japanese Street exists in the south of the city centre, near the Children's Park, but it is almost wholly fake, with empty shells of buildings lining the road. Those interested in real examples of Japanese houses would be better served exploring the area around Gaoerji Lu (Gorky Road) to the south of People's Square and the football stadium.
:*'''Dalian Art Gallery''', ''+86 411'' 8254 0584. 9AM-4PM ? Located at the southern tip of Russian Street in a spectacular old Russian building dating from 1910, the Dalian Art Gallery contains a varied and changing selection of works from local artists, ranging from traditional Chinese styles to works of modern art. The gallery also periodically hosts touring shows from prominent artists both Chinese and foreign.
'''People's Square''' (_l____? ''renmin gu?ngch?ng'') ? The other main square in the centre of Dalian, People's Square is the seat of the city government and it is housed in old Russian-style buildings around the square. Like Zhongshan Square, People's Square is well worth a visit for the architecture alone, but the kite flyers and fountain at the southern tip of the square are also worth seeing. Here, there are regular performances. The best time to see the fountain is probably during the evening show (8PM) when the fountain is illuminated.
'''The Forest Zoo''' (_X__?__? ''s?nlin dongwuyuan''), 60 Nashidao Jie, ''+86 411'' 8249 5072 [http://www.dlzoo.com]. 8AM?5PM. Nestled along the hillside south of the city centre, the Dalian Forest Zoo is a major attraction for Chinese tourists primarily because of its pandas (both red pandas and great pandas live in the zoo), although many other exotic species are also represented. The zoo is essentially split into two parts, with a walking section at the top of the hill and a safari area at the base near Fujiazhuang. The two sections are joined by cable car and a foot path, with the pandas housed in the upper section. While not perhaps up to the quality of western zoos, the zoo has passed numerous international inspections and is of high quality by Chinese standards. It can seem somewhat forlorn during outside of peak times, however. 30 RMB for walking section, 60 RMB for walking section + safari section.
Do
'''Take in a Dalian Shide game''' ? Among the many things Dalian is famous for, one of the most prominent is football (soccer). Dalian's football side, Dalian Shide FC, is the most successful in China, having won the Chinese league 8eight times (most recently in 2005) and . They have also produced a number of Chinese internationals, including Sun Jihai of Manchester City and Dong Fangzuo of Manchester United. Home matches are played at the People's Stadium just next to Olympic Square (_____C__ __? ''aolinp?ke gu?ngch?ng'') on alternate weekends from early March to early November. The 60,000 seater stadium is rarely even half full and even the biggest matches (against the Beijing, Shanghai or Shenyang teams) don't sell out so obtaining tickets is never a problem. Despite this the atmosphere is still pretty unique. Ticket prices vary according to the quality of the opposition, with the biggest games costing around 20 RMB while entry to matches against lesser teams can sometimes be had for nothing if you're willing to wait until just before kick-off.
Buy
'''Dalian central market''' ? Located north of the train station, this is the best place to go for bargains. There are many different halls offering pretty much everything under the sun, but the main hall is the most useful to visitors, with foodstuffs on the ground floor, clothes and bags on the next couple of floors and trinkets and souvenirs on the next floor up. If you're willing to haggle hard, goods can be purchased here for a fraction of the price you'd pay elsewhere.
Eat
The range of restaurants is nowhere near as comprehensive in Xigang as it is in Zhongshan District, with the only standout example being the Tapas Spanish restaurant near Russian Street. In the more residential areas there's still the usual range of cheap, hole in the wall and mid-range Chinese restaurants, however.
Splurge
'''Tapas''', 35-3 Shengli Jie, ''+86 411'' 8254 0996 [http://www.tapas.com.cn/]. Dalian's only Spanish restaurant, and possibly the only Spanish restaurant in the province. It specializes in, unsurprisingly enough, tapas, but it also offers a range of individual main courses, with the paella well worth a try. The restaurant itself is large, well decorated, and split over two floors, the upper floor being the more comfortable. Tapas cost 6-40 RMB, main courses cost around 100 RMB and paella costs 160 RMB for two people.
Drink
Bars
'''Noah's Ark Bar'''. Noah's Ark (??___M__? ''nuoya f?ngzh?u ji?ba''), on the south side of People's Square, is a good place to go for a relaxing drink, especially in summer when the large beer garden is open. The main bar downstairs, with its live music and eclectic themed decor is also worth staying for a few Asahis in. 20 RMB for a large bottle of Asahi.
'''JD's''' ? The newest and most popular place for expats, JD's is located inside the east stand of the Dalian Shide Stadium. It is a lively, noisy place with a busy dance floor and regular DJs playing a mix of hip-hop, European dance and Russian pop tunes until late into the night. Drinks cost 30-50 RMB.
Coffee shops/teahouses
'''I-55''', 67 Gaoerji Lu, ''+86 411'' 8369 5755 ? Open every day until midnight. I-55 a little way south of People's Square and has long been Dalian's top meeting place for expats who want to remember what they did the next morning. Its comfortable position means that it's slightly pricier than its competitors, but the coffee and food are top quality and the decor's not too bad either.
Sleep
Budget
'''Huanan International Youth Hostel''' (?____?___N___q ''huanan guoji q?ngnian l?sh?''), 1 Yingchun Lu, ''+86 411'' 8249 6830 ? Located near the north entrance of the Forest Zoo, this hostel offers more facilities than the Haiyun hostel in Zhongshan District. It includes restaurants, coffee bars and a bike rental service. Because of the extra services, it is slightly more expensive. The location makes it easy to get to the centre, Xinghai Square or Fujiazhuang beach. Rooms range from singles to six person dorms. Part of Hostelling International, so YHA members get discounts. 50-200 RMB
The hostel has now closed down. You can find the HUAYUE BUSINESS HOTEL here instead. Address is the same: 1, Yingchun Lu. Tel: +86-411-82588666, +86-411-82588866. You can reach the hotel by taking 706 bus from Zhongshan Lu close to Qingniwa shopping area and Victory Square.
Rates start from 118 RMB for a room in high season.
Mid-range
Wanda International Hotel. o. 539 Changjiang Road, Xigang District, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. ttp://www.wandainternationalhoteldalian.com. _>This four star hotel offers excellent facilities for both business and pleasure. It has 350 air-conditioned rooms equipped with a cable TV, mini-bar, IDD telephone, refrigerator, and safe. While staying here, be sure to visit some of China's famous tourist spots including Labor Park, Polar Region Zoo, and Lushun Museum.
'''Sea Horizon''' (_C_V___]_____X ''h?iti?n baiyun daji?dian''), 81 Binhai Lu, ''+86 411'' 8240 3399 ? The best thing about the Sea Horizon is undoubtedly its location, on the coast very close to Fujiazhuang Beach and within walking distance of Xinghai Square with some excellent views. Its facilities, lobby bar, seedy nightclub and a few run down tennis courts are nothing to write home about. The hotel does boast a very good restaurant, however. 325-1,355 RMB