Dalian, as a city, is young by Chinese standards, dating from 1898, though smaller settlements had long existed in the area. Like Hong Kong, Shanghai and Qingdao, Dalian's development stemmed from colonial occupation, in this case by Russia. Under Russian rule Dalian, or Dalny as it was known, became the southern tip of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the main port of the eastern Russian empire. Following the Russian defeat in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-5, the city was transferred to Japanese control and renamed Dairen. The Chinese government resumed control following the Second World War (though the city was jointly run with Russia until 1955) and in 1950 was again renamed by the newly formed Communist regime, this time to Luda City. There followed a period of relative stagnation until the city (once again named Dalian) was opened up to foreign investment in 1984. This sparked the first period of redevelopment of the city, the second period coming with the appointment of Bo Xilai as mayor. Under Bo's stewardship, the city became a model example of redevelopment, with extensive redevelopment of its infrastructure and open spaces and a new focus on tourism and commerce and away from heavy industry.
Dalian is less reliant on heavy industry than most Chinese cities, especially in north east China, and what heavy industry there is is mostly located in the development zone far outside the city center. This, combined with the city's many parks and green hills, wide thoroughfares and army of street cleaners, make Dalian a more pleasant city to visit and live in than most Chinese cities of comparable size. Though most of the tourist industry in the city is targeted at the domestic, rather than international, market, overseas tourists should still find plenty to do in the city. The large number of foreign businesses in the city and foreign students and teachers at the city's many universities ensure that there are plenty of companies (from upmarket hotels to bars and coffee houses) that cater to those who do not call China their native home. Currently, the city has a population of around, 6,300,000. Dalian is now home of the World Economic Forum Asia also called the Davos meeting of China. Meeting facilities such as the Xinghai meeting & Exibition centers and official business hotels like the awarded Nikko hotel and others are hosting venues.
Mandarin is the main language of Dalian, and most Dalianese speak a fairly standard version of the dialect, though the local variety (known as Dalian-hua and related to the Shandong dialect) can sometimes be hard to follow for those unfamiliar with it. As in the rest of China, English is increasingly spoken, but still not understood by most Dalianese. Outside of the more expensive hotels and businesses that cater to overseas customers, a grasp of basic Mandarin phrases (at least) is advisable.
The city is best visited in summer or autumn, any time between Jun and Oct. However, during the summer school holidays (early Jul-late Aug) the city attracts large numbers of Chinese tourists making long distance transport tickets and hotel rooms harder to find and some sights more expensive. The Labour Day (one week around May 1), National Day (one week around Oct 1) and Chinese New Year (four weeks during late Jan/early Feb) holidays see similar, though smaller, influxes and so it may be preferable to schedule visits outside these times. Sometimes Chinese cities are less populated during national holidays, as many of China's new urban dwellers return to their hometowns for the holiday. Dalian is not nearly as big as Shanghai or Beijing and attracts far less tourists so nearly any time of the year is good for a visit.
Dalian city is divided into 4 main districts:
The wider Dalian administrative area encompasses 6 further districts '''Jinzhou District''', '''Lushunkou District''', '''Wanfangdian District''', '''Pulandian District''', '''Zhuanghe District''' and '''Changhai County''' (spread over a group of islands to the east of the Liaodong Peninsula). Of these districts only Lushunkou, Jinzhou and Zhuanghe are likely to be of much interest to visitors.
'''Dalian International Airport''' (__?_____q__?__? ''dalian zh?ushu?z? guojij?ch?ng''), ({{IATA|DLC}}), ''+86 411'' 8665 2071, [http://www.dlairport.com], to the north-west of the town centre, offers direct flights to Beijing, Changchun, Changsha, Chaoyang, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Guilin, Haikou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hefei, Hong Kong, Jinan, Kunming, Luoyang, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Qiqihar, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Urumqi, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xian, and Yanji.
Daily international flights are available to Tokyo, Seoul and Hong Kong and regular direct flights to Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Osaka, Sendai, and Toyama in Japan, Busan in South Korea, and Pyongyang in North Korea. Most other major international destinations can be reached through flights via Beijing or Shanghai.
Air China, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airlines provide international flights and most major Chinese domestic carriers also serve the airport. A regular airport bus departs after every flight lands and runs to the main train station (it also stops at the smaller Shahekou train station so be careful not to get off too soon) as well as Renmin Lu. Tickets cost \5. Public buses #701 and #710 also run from the airport to the train station, #701 terminating at Zhongshan Square and #710 going on to the harbour, Sanba Square and Erqi Square. Both buses cost \1. Tickets for outbound flights can be booked in advance from the airport ticket office on Zhongshan Lu, just opposite Xiwang (Hope) Square in the centre of town.
Dalian Central Train Station (__?__?__ ''dalian hu?ch?zhan'') ''+86 411'' 8260 3331 is located next to Shengli (Victory) Square in the town centre. Direct trains serve most cities in Dongbei as well as Beijing and Tianjin, but longer journeys usually involve a change at Beijing. A special daily express train also runs to Shenyang. Tickets can be booked up to seven days in advance from the station, though this requires a degree of Chinese proficiency (or access to someone with Chinese proficiency), as well as a tolerance for Chinese queuing habits. Local travel agents and major hotels should also be able to book tickets in advance, often further than is possible from the station (for an extra charge). For further details on train travel in China, including details on the various classes available, see the main China article.
Long distance buses are available and serve most destinations in the vicinity of Dalian. The main long distance bus station is located on Jianshe Jie, outside the northern entrance of the main train station. Smaller stations serving mainly local cities,are located next to the passenger ferry terminal, to the west of the city centre at the intersection of Anshan Lu and Xinkan Lu (''b?i g?ng qiao'' station (_k??_D?__)) and in Heishijiao, next to Xinghai square.
Ferry services run from the passenger ferry terminal (__?_`_q?__ ''dalian g?ng keyun zhan'') in the centre of Dalian (Gangwan Jie, east end of Renmin Lu) to cities along the Bohai Sea as well as to Incheon in South Korea. A fast ferry runs to Yantai and takes around three and a half hours. Previous services to Shanghai, Tianjin and Qingdao no longer operate. Tickets can be purchased either from the ferry terminal or from a kiosk at the train station. On long haul domestic ferries (excluding fast ferries) first class berths typically offer a two bed room with a shower, second class offers a four bed room with a wash basin while lower classes may offer only a bunk in a large, shared area, a hard seat, or no reserved place at all.
'''Buses''' [http://www.dalianbus.com] are the main form of public transport in Dalian and most services run very frequently. The typical wait between buses is only about five min. Seats are generally hard and, even with very frequent services, buses on major routes can still get crowded at peak times. Most routes offer no air conditioning or heating systems in the buses which can make for uncomfortable journeys in the height of winter or summer. Services start early in the morning (anywhere from 4:30AM-7AM) and usually finish around 10PM, although some services finish earlier/later depending on the popularity of the line. Fare is \1.
The main place to catch buses from the centre of town is at the Qingniwa area (___D?? ''q?ngniw? qiao'') which has two main stations, one just in front of and slightly west of the train station and the other beside Zhongshan Hotel between Qingniwa pedestrian street and Jiefang Lu. Most buses also pass through People's Square and/or Zhongshan Square, but the stops are more spread out in both places and so finding the right stop can be difficult. Bus routes that may be of use to visitors include #2 (from Qiniwa station to Tiger Beach), #4 (from Olympic Square to Tiger Beach), #5 (from Zhongshan Lu near Qingniwa to Jingsha beach via Fujiazhuang), #13 (from the west side of Victory Square to the ferry terminal), #16 (from Zhongshan Lu near Qingniwa to the Xinghai conference centre) and #22 (from the railway station to Xinghai Square). Ticket prices for all these routes, as with most buses in Dalian, are \1 regardless of distance and exact change must be given.
In addition to the regular public buses there are also three air-conditioned tourist buses. #801 runs a circular route from the railway station and takes in People's Square, Xinghai Square, Fujiazhaung Beach, Tiger Beach, Labour Park and Zhongshan Square along the way. The entire journey takes about an hour and costs \20, though earlier stops cost less (the minimum being \5). #801B runs from the ferry terminal to Heishijiao via Zhongshan Square, the railway station, People's Square and Xinghai Square while #K901 runs from the Foreign Languages University to the south-western edge of Dalian via Zhongshan Square, the Railway station, Xinghai Square and Heishijiao. Tickets for both buses are \2.
also there is a bus service for \10 which covers the Binhai Lu from 8AM-4PM. It starts from near the railway station and covers the Conference & Exhibition Center, Dalian sea-shell Museum, Forest zoo, FuJiazhuang beach, Yan Woling, Birdsong forest, Tiger beach paradise, Harbour square and Zhongshan square. There is a bus for every 40 mins and through out the day you can travel in this bus, if you don't get down it take only 90 mins to cover the whole circle....
Dalian has a few '''trams''' and trolleybuses, a legacy from the years of Japanese occupation, and which add character to the city in addition to being a practical means of transportation. The hilly streets, trams and colonial buildings combine to give Dalian an almost San Franciscan feel in places. There are two main tram routes: #201 runs West to East from Xinggong Street near the Shahekou Railway Station to the Haizhiyun (Rhythm of the Sea) Park on the coast. #202 runs South to North from the edge of the Software Park at Xiaoping Dao to the Jinhui shopping area where the #201 starts. The #203 line was merged into the #201 route. As a result, travelers should note the destination sign on the tram before boarding, as the express and other special trams will skip some stops. Fare is \1.
'''Taxis''' are plentiful in Dalian and flagging one down is rarely a problem except in the remotest parts of the city. Rates start at \8 (\10.40 after 10PM) for the first 3 km and \2 for each additional km. Round all taxi fares to the nearest whole number (\11.60 means a fare of \12) as drivers don't accept any coinage less than \1. Drivers are usually friendly and because Dalian has a small non-Chinese population, they can be keenly interested in where you originate from or other small talk. On the good side, they are less likely to take needlessly long routes compared to other tourist cities in China as Dalian is a relatively small city with a limited number of major highways/thoroughfares. Hardly any understand even basic English, however, so either a knowledge of Mandarin or written directions to the destination is a must. If a driver is looking to pick up additional passengers along your route, encourage him or her to keep on driving unless you're comfortable with what might ensue.
Many taxi drivers smoke and play their radios. Some may also hesitate to start the meter so be sure you let them know to start it if you think they've forgotten or up to their tricks. Few use the A/C during the summer so if you suffer from respiratory problems, be sure you're well prepared when coming to Dalian. The nicest thing about the taxis and size of Dalian is that \20 can go a long ways in getting around.
Though there are a number of small urban and suburban rail stations in Dalian they are unlikely to be much use as they tend not to be in useful locations for tourists and services are more costly and less frequent than buses. The '''light rail''' (''q?ng gu?'') line is of use to tourists and business travellers. It is by far the cheapest way to get to the Dalian Economic Development Zone (''k?i f? q?'') (\4) and Golden Pebble beach resort (\7). Passengers can transfer to Jinzhouqu at the Economic Development Zone station (\7 from downtown). Taking a taxi from the Economic Development Zone to downtown can be \60-80 (about \15 per person if sharing with 3 others). The light rail cars are air conditioned and the waiting stations are sheltered from rain or snow.
Dalian has a large number of universities, a number of which offer undergraduate and graduate courses in a variety of majors for foreign students, as well as Chinese classes of varying levels of proficiency. The universities below all offer course for overseas students (see their websites for details on available courses and requirements).
There are many souvenir stalls around the main tourist sights in Dalian. The typical local souvenirs are Russian-themed items and dried seafood, neither of which are of particular interest to foreign travellers (the first would be a strange thing to bring back from China and the second would violate customs regulations). There are plenty of other shopping areas that would be of more interest. Some general Chinese souvenirs include jade sculptures, shadow boxes with shell mosaics, calligraphy scrolls, Peking Opera masks, etc. Day to day essentials are also available in these shopping areas. As with the rest of China, haggling is pretty much mandatory outside of department stores and supermarkets.
The local cuisine of Dalian is influenced by Dongbei regional style of cooking (which has a not wholly unjustified reputation for being big on portions and relatively low on flavors. Buns, pancakes and dumplings are staples rather than rice or noodles. The city also has a very good reputation for seafood dishes which are well worth trying. Overseas travellers should be aware, however, that in China seafood has different connotations than elsewhere. In China seafood literally means anything that is edible from the sea. Those unwilling to try sea slugs or fish heads should take care when ordering. Fish dishes invariably contain plenty of small bones that must be navigated around or crunched through (the local method).
The range and number of restaurants is huge, and the listings provided should be considered as merely scratching the surface of what is available. Individual exploration of the restaurants is recommended. Reservations are generally not necessary, so phone numbers have only been provided for those restaurants where tables may need reserving. Those wanting to stick to the familiar will find a large number of western and Japanese and Korean restaurants available, and international fast food chains are well represented.
For good eats, try the recommendations in '''Zhongshan District''' and in '''Xigang District'''.
Travellers on a budget will be spoiled for choice in Dalian, with low cost restaurants on literally every street corner (particularly in the more residential areas outside of the main city centre). It would be impossible to begin to list them all, so only a couple of options available near the centre have been listed in the district articles. The quality of the restaurants can be highly variable. A good rule of thumb when searching for a decent place to eat is, if the decor looks shabby but the place is packed the food is almost always good. Ordering can be tricky for non-Chinese speakers as English menus are incredibly rare in cheaper restaurants, and English speaking staff are even more rare. Try the roadside snack stalls which offer pancakes, rolls, skewers of barbecued meat and candied fruits starting at \1.
As with budget restaurants there are plenty of mid-range restaurants to choose from in Dalian (differentiated from budget restaurants usually by being larger and having better decor), so experimentation is the key. The restaurants listed in the various district articles are just a couple of particularly noteworthy examples. The same caveats as for budget restaurants apply as regards language, though quality is less variable.
The more expensive end of the restaurant market in Dalian is generally a seafood restaurant boasting fresh, usually local cuisine or the more authentic Japanese restaurants (as opposed to those which have been adapted for local taste preferences). English menus and English speaking staff are most common in the western-themed restaurants, but even mid-priced restaurants may have English or pictures available.
There are a number of restaurants which serve seafood. Typically those downtown or in Xinghai Square have the best seafood.
Dalian offers a wide variety of bars and nightclubs catering to a mixture of locals, foreign businessmen, teachers and students. Most of them, particularly in the centre, are aimed at the Japanese businessman market and are so perhaps best avoided unless overpriced drinks, karaoke and women of dubious virtue are your thing. Dalian lacks a bona fide bar street along the lines of Beijing's ''Sanlitun'' or Shanghai's ''Maoming Lu'' with bars fairly liberally scattered across the city centre (as well as near major universities). There are three main clusters of bars that those wishing to bar hop could concentrate on, however, the first and most centralized along a side street off Wuwu Lu near Sanba Square, the second along Changjiang Lu behind the Shagri-la Hotel and the third along Gaoerji Lu behind People's Square.
Another good place to go for drinks are the night markets that spring up during the summer. These offer very cheap draught beer (\1-3 for a large glass) and barbecued meat, tofu, vegetables and bread in an informal outdoor setting (some may not even have chairs). (This isn't recommended for those who are staying in Dalian a short time or those whom haven't spent a few weeks in China getting their immune system ready unless you're not worried about having any diarrhea issues.) Those looking for non-alcoholic drinks, meanwhile, can check out the many coffee shops and teahouses around the city.
The Dalian beer festival (a product of Dalian's long running semi-feud with Qingdao), held in Xinghai Square every year around late Jul/early Aug, is worth checking out if you're in the city at the time.
Budget accommodation options in Dalian, as in the rest of China, are fairly limited for overseas travellers as most of the really inexpensive hotels are unable to accept foreigners. There are some "budget" properties located in '''Zhongshan District''' and also in '''Xigang District''' . The best bet for non-Chinese visitors looking for a bargain is to try youth hostels or university guest houses.
The mid-range market in Dalian mainly consists of 3 or 4 star Chinese-run hotels which typically offer clean, decent sized rooms, good quality restaurants and possibly the odd English-speaking member of staff. There's an abundance of such hotels around the city, with a handful standing out from the rest of the pack. There are some "mid-range" properties located in '''Zhongshan District''' and also in '''Xigang District''' .
The top end of the hotel market in Dalian is dominated by large hotels run by larger international chains. As a result these hotels tend to be very well run and offer all the amenities that could possibly be expected. On the downside the prices tend to be set to an international, rather than national, benchmark and so the jump in price from 4 star to 5 star can be dramatic. Most of the "Splurge" properties are located in '''Zhongshan District'''. The best Business hotel being the '''[http://www.nikkodalian.com.cn/ Nikko Hotel]'''. Voted best value and service for money.
Among the most frequented hotels in this category is '''[http://www.InnFineHotelDalian.com/ Inn Fine Hotel]''', an 18-storey four-star hotel that offers chic and comfortable guestrooms with upscale amenities that guarantee a snug retreat. It also boasts an array of leisure facilities which includes a fitness center, sauna, and a spa. Dining choices include the Haiyun Western Restaurant. Address: 135 Jinma Road, Dalian Economic and Technological Development Zone. Tel. No.: 86-21-61226688 Ext. 7800. Email: tprsvns@hubs1.net
The local dialing code for Dalian from within China is 0411 (outside of China +86 411). The main local telephone operator is China Netcom [http://www.chinanetcom.com.cn/en/index.asp]. Internet access at home is increasingly widespread, and most people living in the city should be able to get a broadband connection if one is not already present. Almost all hotels have at least a perfunctory business center offering Internet access (though usually at a far higher price than at an Internet cafe).
There are a handful of '''public phones''', as in standalone phones, in Dalian. These are few and far between, however, and to use them you need to purchase an IC card which can't be used for anything else. More practical, and cheap, are the phones that can be found at convenience stores or kiosks. To use these simply indicate you wish to use one, dial the number and then hand over the money (usually less than 1 RMB for short local calls) to the shop assistant at the end. Not all such phones will allow you to dial outside of Dalian, however, and very few accept international calls (those that do will have the letters IDD on the telephone sign outside the shop/kiosk).
For '''international calls''' the best places to go are the phone bars (often labelled ??? (''dianhua ba'')), generally found around residential areas. To make a call simply walk in, choose a vacant phone and when finished indicate which phone you used to the cashier (typically the phones have a number written above them). Prices can be highly variable, but a reasonably long call shouldn't come to more than 50 RMB. A more expensive, and possibly more convenient, option is to ask to use the phone in hotel lobbies. Remember to dial 00 + the country code when making international calls.
'''Calling cards''' (known as IP cards) are plentiful and, as in the rest of China, offer the cheapest way of calling overseas. Be aware, however, that not all brands of cards offer English instructions, so those not fluent in Mandarin would be best sticking to the two main brands (China Netcom and China Telecom).
'''Mobile phones''', and mobile phone stores, are plentiful in Dalian. If you have an international roaming plan then you should be able to use your phone to call within Dalian, though this can be very expensive. For those staying for longer than a week or two it may be cheaper to buy a local SIM card (expect to pay around 50-100 RMB). The two main operators, China Mobile and China Unicom, operate on different standards. Select one of the two operators based on what type of phone you have. As a rule of thumb China Unicom, which operates via CDMA, is best for many American phones while those with phones from other countries will generally be better off with China Mobile, which uses the GSM standard.
'''Internet cafes''', as in most Chinese cities, are plentiful and on nearly every street corner, especially in residential areas and around universities. Just look for the characters __? (''w?ng ba'') on shop fronts. In the town center they're less numerous, though there are a few around the railway station and Victory Square. Expect to pay 1-5 RMB for an hour.
'''Post offices''' are scattered around the city, with the two main branches located just east of the railway station and on Zhongshan Square. These branches, as with most larger post offices in the city, offer Western Union wiring facilities, though the branch next to the railway station is the only one which can receive funds.
Crime, particularly street crime, is low in Dalian as it is in most of China. That said, the people in northeastern China are on average more aggressive than their southern counterparts and fights do happen. (Most often when alcohol is involved.) While foreigners are unlikely to be targeted, one would be wise to avoid any heated exchanges. Additionally pickpockets do operate, so care should be taken with valuables especially in busy shopping areas or on crowded buses or trains.
Probably the greatest safety risk you'll face in Dalian is from the traffic which can be chaotic at the best of times. China has the highest rate of road fatalities in the world and allowances made for pedestrians are practically nonexistent. Marked crossings seem to serve little purpose other than as target ranges. Dalian's many wide avenues may be good for congestion but by creating more fast flowing traffic than in, say, Beijing they make life harder for pedestrians. The best way to cross the road other than over bridges, through tunnels or at traffic lights is to wait for a gap in the traffic and run. Don't under any circumstances expect cars to stop for you.
Health-wise Dalian's relatively low levels of pollution (comparable to London or Paris and better than Los Angeles) mean health problems from bad air are less of an issue than in other Chinese cities. The water, while technically drinkable, is made drinkable via the addition of hefty amounts of chemicals and pipes are seldom kept in the best condition so boiling is pretty much mandatory, and bottled water is usually a safer bet. '''Tap water should be boiled or filtered before drinking.'''Tap water should be fine for brushing teeth and washing with, however. The complete lack of any health inspection mechanism means food poisoning is a constant danger, but most restaurants should be OK. Avoid any restaurants that seem strangely quiet (customers tend not to return to places that leave them on the toilet for a week). It's always a good idea to pack a few diarrhea tablets before leaving, just in case. Hospitals are liberally scattered throughout the city with the '''Friendship Hospital''' on Wuwu Lu (''+86 411'' 8271 8822) the most likely to have English speaking staff. China's hyper-capitalist health-care system means that payment in cash is required before any treatment is dished out, so make sure to bring a few hundred RMB with you should you need medical attention.
Though credit and debit cards are gradually becoming more widely accepted at department stores and supermarkets most stores and all attractions still operate on a cash-only basis and only the very largest or most expensive shops accept foreign credit cards. It's generally best to ensure that you have a decent amount of cash on hand when going out. ATMs are located at virtually all bank branches, and most (though not all) of the large banks now accept foreign debit or credit cards. Bank of China branches all have the ability to take cards from foreign banks, and most offer English instructions. For more advanced financial transactions (converting currency or travellers checks, for instance) the best places to go are the Bank of China branch on the north side of Zhongshan Square and the HSBC branch on Renmin Lu just east of the Shangri-la hotel.
There are a number of attractions around the city that, though technically within the Dalian administrative area, are far enough away from the centre to warrant devoting a full day to.