Laoshan Scenic Area is located in Qingdao City, Shandong Province. It is the highest peak on China's coastline, a national 5A-level tourist attraction, and a national key scenic area, known as "the No. 1 Famous Mountain on the Sea". The total area of the scenic area is approximately 446 square kilometers, with the core scenic area covering 161 square kilometers. It consists of 7 tourist zones: Jufeng, Liuqing, Taiqing, Qipanshi, Yangkou, Beijiushui, and Hualou. Its distinctive features lie in the integration of mountains and sea, as well as profound Taoist culture. It boasts not only mountain landscapes like the main peak Jufeng (1,132.7 meters above sea level) but also an 87-kilometer-long coastline with bays, beaches, and other coastal scenery. It is also a sacred site of the Quanzhen School of Taoism, renowned as "the Second Great Monastery of Quanzhen Taoism in the World". Within the scenic area, there are over 20 Taoist buildings, including Taiqing Palace, Mingxia Cave, and Shangqing Palace, with the total area of ancient architectural complexes reaching about 12,000 square meters. Additionally, there are cultural relics such as Buddhist ruins and stone inscriptions, forming a unique cultural landscape of "mountains, sea, and Taoism".
Historical Culture
The historical culture of Laoshan can be traced back to the Neolithic Age. As early as more than 6,000 years ago, humans lived and multiplied here, leaving behind sites such as the Yueshi Culture. Its Taoist culture originated in the Western Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and continued to develop in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Zhang Daoling of the Eastern Han Dynasty once preached here. Literati such as Li Bai and Li Shangyin of the Tang Dynasty visited Laoshan and left poems. In the Song Dynasty, the Taoist Liu Ruozhuo of Laoshan was granted the title of "Huagai Zhenren", which increasingly enhanced the status of Laoshan Taoism.
During the Jin and Yuan dynasties, Qiu Chuji, one of the Seven True Disciples of the Quanzhen School, once propagated Taoism here. Later, his disciples such as Liu Zhijian and Zhang Sanfeng successively practiced here. Taiqing Palace thus became the ancestral court of the Huashan Sect of Quanzhen Taoism, and together with the White Cloud Temple in Beijing, they were known as the "Northern and Southern Clusters". The Buddhist culture in Laoshan is equally time-honored. Buddhist temples were built as early as the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and temples like Fahai Temple in the Tang Dynasty became important Buddhist sites, forming a cultural pattern where Taoism and Buddhism coexisted. Since modern times, Laoshan has become a desirable destination for literati, scholars, and tourists from home and abroad. Figures such as Kang Youwei and Yu Dafu have visited here. In 1982, it was listed among the first batch of national key scenic spots, and in 2011, it was awarded the title of National 5A-Level Tourist Attraction. Its cultural heritage provides important material evidence for the study of Chinese Taoist history and marine cultural history.
Main Attractions
Jufeng
Jufeng is the main peak of Laoshan, with an altitude of 1132.7 meters, the highest peak on China's coastline, known as the "Summit of Mountains and Sea". The scenic area is dominated by granite peak forest landforms, with rock landscapes such as "One-Line Sky", "Lingqi Peak", and "Natural Stele". Climbing to the top, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the mountains and sea: looking east at the blue waves of the Yellow Sea, west at the urban area of Qingdao, south at Jiaozhou Bay, and north at the Jimo Plain. The Jufeng tourist area covers an area of about 7.4 square kilometers, with a circular tourist trail of about 8 kilometers. Along the way, there are viewing platforms such as the Sun Viewing Platform and the Star Picking Pavilion, which are the best places to watch the sunrise and sea of clouds. Among them, "Jufeng Sunrise" is listed as the first of the twelve scenes of Laoshan.
Taiqing Palace
Taiqing Palace is located at the southern foot of Laoshan. It was built in the first year of Jianyuan in the Western Han Dynasty (140 BC). It is the oldest and largest Taoist temple in Laoshan, known as the "Ancestral Court of Taoism". It covers an area of about 30,000 square meters, with a construction area of about 2,500 square meters. It consists of 14 buildings such as the Sanguan Hall, Sanqing Hall, and Sanhuang Hall, distributed along the mountain slope. Taiqing Palace preserves ancient and famous trees such as thousand-year-old ginkgo and Han cypress. Among them, the ginkgo in front of the Sanguan Hall has a history of more than 2,100 years, with a height of 25 meters and a chest diameter of 3.2 meters. There are also a large number of stone inscriptions in the palace, such as the stone tablet of "Tao Te Ching" written by Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty and the stone inscriptions related to Pu Songling's "The Taoist of Laoshan" in the Qing Dynasty. Together with the "Taiqing Water and Moon" landscape, they form the core carrier of Laoshan's Taoist culture.
Beijiushui
Beijiushui is located in the northern part of Laoshan. It gets its name because the water flow is tortuous, forming nine bends. It is one of the most beautiful natural landscape areas in Laoshan, with a total area of about 11.2 square kilometers. The scenic area is characterized by canyons, streams, and waterfalls, with attractions such as "Eighteen Pools", "Chaoyin Waterfall", and "Weizhu Nunnery". Among them, Chaoyin Waterfall has a drop of 24 meters and a width of about 6 meters. It is magnificent when there is abundant water in the rainy season and is the largest waterfall in Laoshan. The vegetation coverage rate of Beijiushui tourist area is over 90%, with more than 300 kinds of trees such as sweetgum and metasequoia. In autumn, the mountains are covered with colorful leaves; in winter, the ice waterfalls are crystal clear. The scenery varies in four seasons. The tourist trail is about 5 kilometers long, suitable for casual walks and summer retreats.
Yangkou
Yangkou Tourist Area is located in the northeastern part of Laoshan, integrating coastal scenery and mountain landscapes, with an area of about 10.8 square kilometers. The coastal part has a 2.2-kilometer-long Yangkou Beach, with fine sand and clear seawater, which is a natural coastal bathing beach. The mountain part has attractions such as Taiping Palace and Mitian Cave. Taiping Palace was built in the Song Dynasty, with a construction area of about 500 square meters. Natural and cultural landscapes such as "Sheep Stone" and "Lion Peak" in the palace blend together. Mitian Cave is a passage combining a natural stone cave and artificial excavation, with a total length of more than 100 meters. The cave is tortuous and deep, requiring climbing with hands and feet. After reaching the top, you can overlook Yangkou Bay and the Yellow Sea. "Lion Peak Greeting the Sun" is a famous sunrise landscape in Laoshan.
Mingxia Cave
Mingxia Cave is located on the slope of Kunlun Mountain in the southern part of Laoshan, at an altitude of 650 meters, and is one of the important Taoist sites in Laoshan. It was built in the Jin Dynasty, originally a natural stone cave, expanded into a Taoist temple in the Ming Dynasty, and the existing buildings were rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty, with a construction area of about 100 square meters, consisting of the main hall and side halls. The top of the cave has the inscriptions of "Mingxia Cave", written by Wang Xu, a calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty. The cave was once a place where Taoists such as Zhang Sanfeng practiced. The area around Mingxia Cave is surrounded by clouds and mist, with dense vegetation, and has the scenery of "Mingxia Scattering Like Silk". The tourist area covers an area of about 2.3 square kilometers, from which you can overlook the Yellow Sea and Taiqing Palace, and it is a quiet place to experience the "Taoist charm and Zen meaning" of Laoshan.
Food
Laoshan Mushroom Braised Chicken
Laoshan Mushroom Braised Chicken is a characteristic dish of Qingdao. It is made with Laoshan's specialty quan tou cai (a kind of wild fungus) and local free-range chicken as the main ingredients, simmered with ginger slices, green onion sections, etc. Laoshan mushrooms are plump and delicious, blending with the mellow flavor of chicken, and the soup is rich and nutritious. This dish is available in farmhouses in the Laoshan scenic area and restaurants in Qingdao urban area, with a price of about 80-120 yuan per serving, and is a representative dish to taste the flavor of Laoshan mountain treasures.
Surrounding Food
Seaweed Buns
Seaweed Buns are traditional snacks in the coastal areas of Qingdao. They are made with seaweed (such as laver and kelp) abundant in the Laoshan sea area as fillings, mixed with pork, shrimp skin, etc., and steamed with wheat flour as the wrapper. The wrapper of the bun is soft and tough, the filling is fresh and tender, with a fresh flavor of the ocean. They can be tasted in restaurants in coastal towns such as Yangkou and Shazikou in Laoshan, with a unit price of about 3-5 yuan each, suitable as breakfast or snacks.
Laoshan Mineral Water
Laoshan Mineral Water is known as "China's No. 1 Mineral Water". It originates from deep granite cracks in Laoshan, rich in minerals such as metasilicic acid and strontium, and has a mining history of more than 120 years. Its water quality is clear and sweet, can be drunk directly, and is also often used to make Tsingtao Beer and other beverages. It can be purchased in stores inside and outside the Laoshan scenic area, with a price of about 2-5 yuan per bottle, and is a healthy choice to replenish water during the tour.
Tickets
Unified ticket: 210 yuan per person (including all open tourist areas, excluding Taiqing Palace and Erlongshan Scenic Area).
You can search for the official WeChat public account "崂山风景区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours of each tourist area are adjusted with the seasons: from April 1 to October 31 is the peak season, and the opening hours are 7:00-18:00 (admission stops at 17:00); from November 1 to March 31 of the next year is the off-season, and the opening hours are 7:30-17:00 (admission stops at 16:00). Among them, the opening hours of attractions such as Taiqing Palace and Taiping Palace are the same as those of the tourist area where they are located. The last bus time of the sightseeing bus in the scenic area is 1 hour before closing. It is recommended that tourists check the real-time opening information in advance and arrange their trips reasonably.
Tour Routes
There are two classic routes for visiting Laoshan: the mountain and sea sightseeing route and the landscape leisure route.
Mountain and Sea Sightseeing Route (2 days): On the first day, visit the Taiqing-Yangkou tourist area. In the morning, visit Taiqing Palace to experience Taoist culture; in the afternoon, go to Yangkou Beach to play, climb Lion Peak to watch the sunset, and stay at a farmhouse in Yangkou that night. On the next morning, climb Jufeng to watch the sunrise and the panoramic view of mountains and sea, and return in the afternoon. The whole journey takes about 12 hours.
Landscape Leisure Route (1 day): In the morning, visit Beijiushui, walk through the Eighteen Pools, watch Chaoyin Waterfall, and experience the canyon scenery; in the afternoon, go to Mingxia Cave to visit Taoist sites and overlook the mountain and sea scenery. The whole journey takes about 8 hours, suitable for families and leisure tourists.
If time is tight, you can choose a one-day essence tour: Taiqing Palace in the morning (2 hours) + Yangkou Beach (1.5 hours), Jufeng in the afternoon (3 hours), connected by sightseeing buses, with a total duration of about 7 hours.
Transportation
- Bus: In Qingdao, you can take Metro Line 11 to Puli Station or Beijiushui Station, and transfer to the scenic area sightseeing bus to enter each tourist area; urban buses No. 304 and No. 104 can directly reach Taiqing Palace Scenic Area, with a journey of about 1.5 hours and a fare of 2 yuan; from Qingdao Railway Station, you can take the tourist special line L3 to Laoshan Tourist Center, with a fare of 10 yuan.
- Self-driving: Starting from Qingdao urban area, go straight east along Laoshan Road for about 30 kilometers to Laoshan Tourist Center. There are parking lots in Taiqing and Yangkou tourist areas, with a charging standard of 5 yuan per hour for small cars and 10 yuan per hour for large cars; the parking fee in Beijiushui tourist area is the same as that in the main scenic area.
- Taxi/Online Car-Hailing: Taking a taxi from Qingdao Railway Station to Taiqing Palace costs about 80-100 yuan, with a journey of 40 minutes; taking a taxi from the center of Laoshan District to Taiqing Palace costs about 30-50 yuan, with a journey of 20 minutes.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Jufeng: The main peak of Laoshan, with an altitude of 1132.7 meters, the highest peak on China's coast. Climbing to the top, you can overlook the panoramic view of mountains and sea, watch the sunrise and sea of clouds, and it is the core attraction to experience the "majesty" of Laoshan.
- Taiqing Palace: The oldest Taoist temple in Laoshan, built in the Western Han Dynasty, preserving thousand-year-old trees and precious stone inscriptions. The "Taiqing Water and Moon" landscape is famous, and it is a must-visit place to understand the Taoist culture of Laoshan.
- Chaoyin Waterfall in Beijiushui: The largest waterfall in Laoshan, with a drop of 24 meters, surrounded by canyons and streams, with different scenery in four seasons, representing natural landscapes and suitable for leisure visits.
- Yangkou Beach: A 2.2-kilometer-long natural coastal bathing beach with fine sand, where you can swim and play with sand. Together with the surrounding Taiping Palace and Lion Peak, it forms a leisure area combining mountains and the sea.
Tour Suggestions
- The best tourist seasons are April-May (when spring flowers are in full bloom) and September-October (when the weather is clear and crisp). At this time, the climate is mild, with less precipitation, suitable for outdoor activities; in summer, it can be a summer resort but there are more tourists; in winter, some scenic areas may be closed due to snow.
- The Laoshan scenic area is large, and the distance between each tourist area is relatively far. It is recommended to buy sightseeing bus tickets (the Taiqing-Yangkou combined ticket includes the sightseeing bus) to save transportation time; the Jufeng scenic area has many steps, and those with average physical strength can take the cableway (40 yuan per person for a one-way trip).
- To taste seafood and farm dishes, you can choose farmhouses in Yangkou and Shazikou. It is recommended to try fresh sea shrimp, oysters, etc., with an average consumption of about 60-100 yuan per person. Pay attention to choosing restaurants with clearly marked prices.
- If you plan to watch the sunrise at Jufeng, you need to check the sunrise time in advance (about 5:00-5:30 in summer, about 6:30-7:00 in winter). You can stay in a hotel near Jufeng or climb the mountain 1 hour in advance.
- Prepare comfortable hiking shoes, sun protection products, and drinking water. The weather in the mountainous area is changeable, so it is recommended to carry rain gear; pay attention to sun protection in summer and wind protection in winter in coastal areas.
Matters Needing Attention
- Smoking and littering are prohibited in the scenic area. Picking plants and catching wild animals are strictly forbidden to protect the natural ecological environment.
- When climbing the mountain, follow the designated tourist routes and do not enter unopened areas without permission. In particular, some sections of Jufeng are steep, so pay attention to safety and avoid climbing in thunderstorm weather.
- When enjoying activities by the coast, pay attention to the tide times, follow the instructions of lifeguards, do not swim in areas without safety guarantees, and children must be accompanied by adults.
- Commodities in the scenic area are relatively expensive. You can purchase drinking water, snacks, etc. at the Laoshan Visitor Center or in urban areas to reduce the burden of climbing.
- Keep quiet in Taoist temples and abide by etiquette. Do not touch statues and cultural relics, and turn off the flash when taking photos. Religious customs should also be respected in Buddhist sites.