Jinzhou

Jinzhou is one of the districts of the city of Dalian in north-east China. It is home of the famous Golden Pebble Beach and is known as a commuter town. Dalian Development area is located in this area. Now the name has been changed to "Jinzhou-Pulandian new district" but people prefer to call it Jinzhou.

Get in

• By rail. Jinzhou Railway station is located in the south of the original town. Most trains from/to Dalian call at the station. Fares from/to Dalian Railway Station are around ¥10.
• By public transport from Dalian. For original town of Jinzhou, Dalian Jiaoyun Group provides a frequent commuter bus service from/to the centre. There are also coaches to Jinzhou Central Bus Station which are usually faster than commuter buses. Fast Rail line 3 has an extension line from Dalian Development area to Jiuli in the north can also take you inside. For Development Area, bus 2001 or metro line 3 from Dalian Railway Station have some stops in the area.

See

Mount Dahei with part of the Stone Drum Temple in the foreground

A small part of the Dalian Coast National Geopark

Beaches

• 1 Golden Pebble Beach (金石滩 Jīnshí Tān) (The best way to get to there from the city centre is to take the light rail. A single-journey trip takes about 1 hour and costs ¥8. A tourist shuttle is available to get from the Jinshitan light rail station to the beach as well as taxis.). Named after the unique rock formations of the area, is a tourist destination which has at its heart Dalian's best beach courtesy of specially imported sand. Surrounded by tourist attractions that could perhaps be best described as traps rather than attractions, it's the beach that's most likely to reward visitors. Swimming isn't too popular because of the temperature and cleanliness of the water in spring or late autumn but most just spend time on the beach grilling and walking around. In summer the beach can get crowded with a great number of visitors swimming in the sea. Some of the other attractions include the kung fu museum, which doubles as a school for aspiring Jet Lis, and Kingdom of Discovery, Dalian's small theme park. Outside of the main tourist areas there are a lot of the beach-side shops and stalls which shut down during bad weather, so it's best to check the forecast before venturing out. (updated Oct 2018)

Historical sites

• 2 Battery Hill Park (炮台山公园), main gate served by DDA bus routes 1, 4, 6, 8, 11; foot path opposite Kaifaqu metro station. A park in the centre of Dalian Development Area with four cannons dating back to Qing dynasty, and cherry blossom in spring. (updated Jul 2018)
• 3 Deputy Lieutenant-General's Yamen (副都统衙门, 金州副都统衙门博物馆), 255 Minzhu Street, Yongzheng Sub-district (拥政街道民主街255号) (Take bus no. 103, 104 or 505 and get off at the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (中医院). Bus nos. 103 and 104 both originate from the Jinzhou Railway Station), ☏ +86 411 78211751. Tu-Su 09ː30-11ː00, 13ː00-16ː00, closed on public holidays. It was built during the 19th century to serve the Deputy Lieutentant-General of Jinzhou. In 1900, the yamen was vacated when the Russians occupied the city. Later, during the Japanese occupation, the site was turned into a police station. It continued to be used as a police station until 1999. The buildings were then demolished and rebuilt according to the original design. The site is now a museum. Free. (updated Jul 2018)

Museums

• 4 Dalian University Museum (大连大学博物馆), Dalian University, 10 Xuefu Street (学府大街10号大连大学内) (Take a metro train to the Free Trade Zone Station on Metro Line 3, then catch Changhe Bus no. 811 (昌赫811路) or take DDA bus route 5 from central DDA.), ☏ +86 411 87403755, 87403755@qq.com. W and F only 13ː00-15ː00. Free. (updated Jul 2018)
• 5 Guan Xiangying Memorial Hall (关向应纪念馆), 173 Daguan Hamlet, Guanjia Village, Xiangying Sub-district (向应街道关家村大关屯173号) (Minibuses to Xiangying are available from the Jinzhou Central Bus Station), ☏ +86 411 87296788, guanxiangying@outlook.com. Tu-Su 08ː30-15ː30. Guan Xiangying, who was born in Jinzhou, was a prominent figure in the Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army from the 1920s until his death in 1946. His achievements include playing a leadership role in the Long March and helping to establish the Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Guizhou Soviet. The memorial hall tells the story of his life and career. Entry is restricted to 2000 visitors per day. Visitors are required to show a valid form of ID before being allowed to enter. Free. (updated Jul 2018)
• 6 Jinzhou Museum (金州博物馆), 888 Yong'an Boulevard (永安大街中段888号) (about 1 km west of China Railway 19th Bureau Station (十九局站) on Metro Line 3; or take Jinzhou bus route 103 from Jinzhou Railway Station and get off at No.108 Middle School (108中学)), ☏ +86 411 87868821. Tu-Su 09ː00-16ː00. A museum about the history of the district. Free. (updated Jul 2018)
• 7 Museum of Chinese Culture (华夏文化博物馆, Huaxia Culture Museum), Golden Pebble Beach Culture Expo Square, 65 Golden Pebble Road (金石路65号金石滩文化博览广场内) (500 metres east of the Golden Pebble Beach Station on Metro Line 3), ☏ +86 411 87565888, hxwhbwg@126.com. April 25th-October 25thː 08ː00-17ː00, October 26th-April 24thː 08ː30-16ː30. ¥100. (updated Jul 2018)
• 8 Museum of Mao Zedong Badges (毛泽东像章陈列馆), Golden Pebble Beach Culture Expo Square, 65 Golden Pebble Road (金石路65号金石滩文化博览广场内) (about 300 metres northeast of the Golden Pebble Beach Station on Metro Line 3), ☏ +86 411 87902913. May-Octoberː 08ː00-17ː00, November-Aprilː 08ː30-16ː30. Contains an impressive collection of badges bearing the image of Mao Zedong. Also displays statues and photos of Mao. ¥20. (updated Jul 2018)
• 9 Mystery of Life Museum (生命奥秘博物馆), Golden Pebble Beach Culture Expo Square, 65 Golden Pebble Road (金石路65号金石滩文化博览广场内) (about 500 metres northeast of Golden Pebble Beach Station on Metro Line 3), ☏ +86 411 39368787. 08ː00-17ː00. A privately-owned natural history museum. ¥100. (updated Jul 2018)
• 10 Old Dalian Folk Museum (老大连民俗馆). (updated Jul 2018)

Parks and gardens

• 11 Big Black Mountain (大黑山 Daheishan, Mount Dahei). (updated Jul 2018)
• 12 Blueberry Valley Manor (蓝莓谷庄园). (updated Jul 2018)
• 13 Dalian Coast National Geopark (大连滨海国家地质公园) (Special buses to the park depart from outside Golden Pebble Beach Station on Metro Line 3), ☏ +86 411 87900241, +86 411 87915807, +86 411 87900497. 08ː30-16ː00. ¥180. (updated Jul 2018)
• 14 Dongjiagou Botantical Gardens (董家沟植物园) (Take Changhe bus route 805 (昌赫805) from Free Trade Zone metro Station and get off at No.5 Middle School of DDA (五中)). A popular place for locals; a small local park. (updated Jul 2018)
• 15 Lavender Manor (紫云花汐薰衣草庄园). (updated Jul 2018)
• 16 Little Black Mountain Forest Park (小黑山森林公园). (updated Jul 2018)
• 17 Tongniu Ridge (童牛岭). (updated Jul 2018)
• 18 Xiangying Park (向应公园). (updated Jul 2018)

Religious sites

• 19 Gold Dragon Temple (金龙观). (updated Jul 2018)
• 20 Guanyin Temple (观音阁) (about 2km north-west from Dalian University where can be reached by DDA bus route 5 and Changhe 811.). Arguably one of the most famous temples in Southern Liaoning. A Buddhist temple built in the Ming dynasty; very popular during Spring Festival and 16th March with a special event. Admission adults ¥20; children, senior citizens from 60 to 69 and students ¥10; senior citizens over 70 free. (updated Jul 2018)
• 21 Stone Drum Temple (石鼓寺). (updated Jul 2018)
• 22 Xiangshui Temple (响水寺 Xiǎngshuǐ Sì) (To get there take the light rail train or bus (from the běi gǎng qiáo long distance bus station) to Jinzhou then take a taxi to the temple. Taxi drivers waiting near the Dalian train station and Xi'an Lu will take passengers to Jinzhou for about ¥60-80/4 person max (¥15-20 each).), ☏ +86 411 8764 7565. 08:30-17:00. One of the few truly ancient sites in and around Dalian, the Daoist Xiangshui Temple was first constructed during the Tang Dynasty around a thousand years ago, though much of the current temple stems from renovations during the Qing Dynasty. The temple is built around a large cavern, the waterfalls inside give the temple its name ("Water-sounds Temple") and is part of a wider network of temples in the Big Black Mountain (大黑山 Dàhēishān) area. (updated Oct 2018)

Do

• 1 Dalian Discovery Kingdom (大连发现王国), 36 Golden Pebble Road, Golden Pebble Beach National Travel Resort Area (金石滩国家旅游度假区金石路36号) (about 400 metres south of Golden Pebble Beach Station on Metro Line 3), ☏ +86 411 87900000, service@discoveryland.cn. Opening hours vary considerably. On some days, Discovery Kingdom is open from 09ː30 to 17ː00, but on other days (usually but not exclusively on weekends), the park is open from 09ː00 to 21ː00. During winter (November to March), the park is completely closed. An amusement park, which is said to the largest of its kind in Liaoning Province. Standard adult tickets are ¥220 during the day time and ¥160 at night. Children are half price. Discounts are also available for university students, disabled people and people over 60. (updated Aug 2017)

Eat

A commuter town such as Jinzhou wouldn't usually be thought of as a dining destination. However, there's always something special (though it may be difficult for someone from outside China).

• Fish-flavoured noodles. Actually noodles cooked in fish soup. Not so popular among tourists but really liked by locals.
• Hui shao noodles (回勺面) the word Hui means returning and Shao means spoons.

However, the Development Area seems more attractive to those who want to try local cuisines.

• Yichangning desserts. This old-branded bakery at the foot of Daheishan Mountain has a great reputation among native people. The most famous pancake which seems to be thick and plain-flavoured turns out to be soft and sweet.
• Steamed seaweed buns. A popular local breakfast choice as well as a snack. They are steamed buns with a kind of thin seaweed inside. They taste salty, like most buns in China.
• Oysters. A famous Dalian seafood, but the Development Area is the closest place to the seafarm. The traditional way of eating these bivalves is uncooked with vinegar and mustard sauce.

You can also find most Dalian and northeastern Chinese cuisines in the area.

Sleep

Mid Range

• 1 Discoveryland Holiday Hotel (发现王国度假酒店), 36 Jinshi Road, (金州区金石路36号). Inside the Golden Pebble Beach National Tourism Resort Area, the hotel is a popular choice in summer. Operated by the Discoveryland Theme Park, guests can get a two-day pass for the theme park (actually an amusement park) which usually costs ¥200. However, it is quite distant from the city (A 15-minute walk to the high-speed railway station and a 50-minute ride by taxi.) Also breakfast is offered but ends early (at 09:30). From ¥350 to ¥500. (updated Mar 2018)
• 2 Holiday Inn Express Dalian Development Area (大连开发区智选假日酒店), 411 Jinma Road, (金州区金马路411号) (The hotel is on the top og Infine Plaza), ☏ +86 411 3925 4999, hiex@dlcdz.net. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. The only Holiday Inn-managed hotel in Dalian. However, it is in the Dalian Development Area, which means it can take you 1 hour to get into the city centre. But that also means a quieter place to stay in. Like most Holiday Inn managed hotels, this one features most services you need. The distance can be a major problem, but getting to places like Xiangshui Temple, Daheishan Mountain and Golden Pebble Beach is fairly easy. Expect a price between ¥350 and ¥430. (updated Mar 2018)
• 3 Somerset Grand Central Dalian, No.128-2 Jinma Road, Dalian Development Area, ☏ +86 411 8801 3888, enquiry.dalian@the-ascott.com. This offers one- to three-bedroom apartments and penthouse apartments. It has a 24-hour gymnasium and a golf simulation room. (updated Aug 2017)