Qingdao is well known in China for its beaches. People come from around the country (the world?) every summer and fill them to the brim. They may not be quite like Western beaches, but they are an experience not to be missed while in town. --Qingdao China Guide
Contributors August 11, 2005
Beach 2
Cleaner than beach 1, this beach is suitable for swimming as long as your standards aren't too high. It's far less crowded than beach 1. Sometimes there is an entrance fee of 2 RMB. You can rent an umbrella for 10 RMB/hour. There are changing rooms and showers, for a small fee. The beach is sandy but there are small rocky cliffs nearby, with pagodas. A sightseeing path starts here and winds down the coast. You can find a castle right next to the beach. The entrance fee is 5 RMB, but it looks better from the outside than in.
Golden Beach
This beach is actually in Hong Dao, on the other side of the bay. You can go to the port and take a ferry for 9 RMB (each way). It supposedly runs every 15 minutes, but might take a bit longer. Once you get to the other side, you can take a cab to the beach. There are a lot of people, but the water is much nicer than the Qingdao side of the bay. The beach is named for the golden sand, which was very refreshing. There's a roped-in swimming area, and lifeguards sitting on boats about 200 meters out. All in all, a great day trip, but expect the return ferry to be packed if you leave with the late-afternoon crowd.
Beach 1
The most popular beach in town, this beach is frequently overflowing with people. It is right near Zhongshan Park and the Aquarium. Cleanliness is questionable, so you might want to avoid swimming. There's a great boardwalk for jogging, and there's plenty of people-watching to be done here.
Beach 6
Right near the end of Zhongshan Lu, this beach is the nearest to downtown. It's also by far the dirtiest, with reports of trash in the water. Skip it and head straight for beaches 1 and 2.