5 Unique Experiences in Shandong

by Shrutee K/DNS

Shandong Province known as ‘A Jewel between Beijing and Shanghai ‘ is placed strategically between these two cities and is easily accessible by a bullet train where you can reach ‘Jinan’ the capital of Shandong  with a pleasant journey of 1.5 hours and 4 hours respectively from these great cities. There is a direct flight from Delhi to Jinan that takes approximately 5 hours.

Shandong, with a history of more than 5,000 years, has been the home of many historical figures and it enjoys the honor of being the birthplace of Confucius. Steeped in natural and supernatural allure, this northeastern coast of China has abundance of attractive mountains, rivers and lakes, which provides tourists unique sightseeing routes. Centuries-old history and lots of cultural relics endows Shandong with abundant tourist resources. This is a destination that can be explored with family, friends and more!

Bird watching and photography

Visit the estuary in the Yellow River Delta State Nature Reserve, which is one of the largest wetland located in eastern China's Shandong Province that covers an area of about 153,000 hectares. Get a glimpse of around 1,626 types of wild animals, 368 species of birds like red-crowned crane and the white-headed crane that are under national protection.

Martial Art performances

Meet with more than 20 national champions at the Songjiang Martial Art School and watch the same performance that was showcased at the opening ceremony of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the city of Heze. The martial arts performance is performed by the students of Doggie Boy Performance Art Group, which tours around the world from time to time. It is the best martial art troupe in all of China and this performance should definitely be added to your itinerary.

         Cherry Blossom trees in Zhongshan Park

This park in Qingdao distinguishes itself from others due to the corridor of 20,000 cherry trees imported from Japan. The park features a 500-meter Oriental Cherry Road and as the road is lined on both sides by cherry trees, it is referred to as the Cherry Blossom Corridor. April and May is the ideal time to experience these cherry blossom trees in full bloom.

         Tsingtao Beer museum

The Tsingtao Museum and Beer Factory is an attraction that should not be missed in Qingdao. The tour involves three parts:  History of Tsingtao Beer over the past 100 years, Walk through tour of how Tsingtao Beer is made and the current Brew factory production with a final stop at the bar for some samples.

         A UNESCO water town Tai’erzhuang  

Considered to be China’s most beautiful water town ‘Tai’erzhuang’ has 15 km of water throughout the entire town. Visualize a Venice version of an oriental water gate opening in front of your eyes while strolling down the historical streets of Tai’erzhuang. Apart from this Tai’erzhuang consists of multiple exciting places to visit such as temples, numerous merchants, theatres, museums, talent shows, folklore performances, lion dances on poles and lightshows at night.