Dalian/Zhuanghe

Zhuanghe is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of the city of Dalian in China's Liaoning Province.

Get in

By bus

• 1 Zhuanghe Bus Station (庄河市汽车站), 28 Yingbin Boulevard (迎宾大街28号). Buses from Dalian to Zhuanghe mostly depart from the Dalian Jianshe Street Bus Station (opposite the Dalian Railway Station). Buses to Zhuanghe are also available from other bus stations in Dalian, including Jinzhou Bus Station and Lüshun Bus Station. The journey time from the Jianshe Street Bus Station is about two and a half hours. (updated Nov 2018)

By train

• 2 Zhuanghe North Station (庄河北站). There are 9 trains per day from Dalian North Station. The journey time varies between 60 and 90 minutes depending on which train you catch. There are also 2 trains per day from Dalian Central Station, which take between 90 and 110 minutes. Most of these trains also stop at Jinzhou Station. (updated Nov 2018)

Get around

Bus no. 103 can be used to travel between the Zhuanghe North Station and the Zhuanghe Bus Station.

See

The majority of Zhuanghe's tourist attractions are located in the city's rural areas. The two most popular attractions are the Bingyu National Geopark and the Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park.

• 1 Bingyu National Geopark (大连冰峪国家地质公园), Xianrendong Town (仙人洞镇) (Buses are available from Zhuanghe Bus Station. There is also one direct bus per day from Dalian Central Bus Station. This bus departs at 07ː25 and takes about two and a half hours.), ☏ +86 411 89227212, +86 411 89220921, 2560620557@qq.com. The park's main geological feature is Bingyu Valley (冰峪沟 Bīngyù Gōu). This is a twisting river valley, winding though steep cliffs, in a relatively unspoiled countryside just outside Zhuanghe City. A trip to the valley is well worth it as there are opportunities for hiking, boat rides and enjoying a bit of nature. There are also a number of Buddhist and Taoist temples to explore along the river. It's theoretically possible to visit the valley in a day, but it's perhaps better to stay overnight. There are several hotels in the area. Room prices start from approximately ¥300 for a double room. You can also stay in a local farmer's house for as little as ¥10 (definitely an experience worth having, provided you have someone in your party with a good standard of Mandarin). April to Octoberː ¥100, November to Marchː ¥90. (updated Nov 2018)
• 2 Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park (大连天门山国家森林公园, Tianmenshan National Forest Park), Tianmen Mountain Village, Xianrendong Town (仙人洞镇天门山村) (Take a long-distance bus from Zhuanghe Bus Station. There is no bus station at the park. The park entrance is said to be about 20 minutes walk from the drop-off point.), ☏ +86 411-82339777, +86 411-89295555. 08ː00-17ː00. ¥60. (updated Nov 2018)

Do

• 1 Buyun Mountain Hot Spring (步云山温泉, Buyunshan Hot Spring), Zhuangjian Line Road, Buyun Mountain Township (步云山乡庄茧线) (Buses to Buyun Mountain are available from the Zhuanghe Bus Station), ☏ +86 411 86598888. 07ː30-21ː00. ¥70. (updated Nov 2018)