China's beer capital - QINGDAO 🇨🇳

yes, this is where the famous Tsingtao beer is from - QINGNDAO 🤯 a coastal city that has one of the best beaches and is the king of beers in China, this city is a very unique and alternative getaway if you're visiting China and want to see something different! if this interests you, read on as i will share my experience, reccommendations, and some tips for when you visit Qingdao! ⬇️

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UNIQUE HISTORY

Qingdao's history under the Germans have led to the architecture of the city rather different than most places in China! you'll find streets and buildings that look very European where you can spend an afternoon taking a stroll in 👍🏼 also because of its historical ties to Germany, beer is the biggest thing in the city (they even have a massive museum dedicated to this with the famous Tsingtao beer cans facade you can find in online pictures)!

📍 青岛啤酒博物馆 (qing dao pi jiu bo wu guan)

they also have an entire street filled with bars and pubs that can be really packed in the evenings by locals and tourists alike for all you beer lovers!

📍 青岛啤酒街(qing dao pi jiu jie)

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FOOD AND DRINKS ARE 💯

the world-renowned beer brand Tsingtao was created here! you'll find many (i mean MANY) shops everywhere selling different types of Tsingtao beer on tap! literally shops will have a wall of taps as part of their storefront and you buy beer by the volume and depending on the shop, you will either be getting them filled in clear bottles or plastic bags 😂 yes, i saw people carrying about 3-5L of beer in clear plastic bags (think supermarket kind) home to enjoy 🍻

also! since its a coastal city, the seafood here is unmatched 🤩 many shops will sell really fresh seafood and if you find the local gems, they are really really affordable! one of the places i found and had dinner at cost only 84rmb (~$16) and i had like a plate of ~10 stewed prawns, ~10 steamed scallops, a serving of cold soft fish skin, and 2 cans of their local cola 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

📍 来之顺海鲜菜馆(lai zhi shun hai xian cai guan)

i found an AMAZING and lovely peaceful bookstore with seaside views that you can go to that sells lovely cakes and coffee/tea and you can sit there and read/rest/enjoy the sunset in peace!

📍Tsutaya Bookstore 茑屋

finally, cocktail lovers can look no further than 2 of my favourite bars in recent memory that boasts friendly service, cozy ambience, unique decorations, and very nicely done drinks!

📍 绿洲 · OASIS BAR (has some football memorabilia - specifically Man City)

📍 酒池星座 · Bar Constellation (old school style bar with movie screening)

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AMAZING COASTAL ENVIRONMENT

dotted along the coast you'll find plenty of parks, beaches, or boardwalks where you can spend your late afternoons/evenings at! they are so wonderful omg it was really romantic and soul-healing ✨ best part is that access to these spots are really convenient by public transport so you don't have to worry sbout finding your way to catch a really beautiful sunset by the ocean!

some of the spots i went to which are really pretty were:

📍栈桥景区 (zhan qiao jing qu)

📍小青岛公园 (xiao qing dao gong yuan)

📍八大关景区 (ba da guan jing qu)

🚨TIPS

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the public transport system in Qingdao is slightly different as you can't activate and access the public transport card/QR code from Alipay like most of the other cities in China so you'll have to download a separate app called 青岛地铁-官方 (qing dao di tie - guan fang) and link your Alipay to the app to pay for your transport! if it is too troublesome then you can always take a DiDi 😁

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the airport serving Qingdao is relatively new but FAR from the city (shifted from the old one much closer to the city) so you'll need to spend some time (more than 1hr unless going by car) getting into the city! there are a few ways to do that ⬇️

1. take the metro all the way in (cheapest and reccomended) and costs 7rmb ($1.20)

2. take the high speed rail to Qingdao/Qingdao North station then make your way to your hotel via metro/bus/DiDi (quite troublesome imo and abit more ex ~25rmb ($5)

3. take the airport bus service that you can find on their Qingdao Airport official Wechat mini program (can be troublesome depending on where your hotel is and what tike you arrive) and costs around ~35rmb ($7)

4. take a DiDi all the way to the city (most expensive option around ~200rmb ($40)

so there you have it! Qingdao is a really amazing place to visit in China if you love the ocean and i hope this has been useful for you! if you have any questions/tips please don't hesitate to leave them in the comments below! if not till next time, stay safe and happy travelling y'all 🐢

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