Does anyone have advice about visiting Dalian?
 

Does anyone out there have advice about visiting Dalian? My husband might go there on business and if he does, you bet I'll go too. I know we will be "wined and dined" by his colleagues there, but is there something I shouldn't miss? Are there day trips worth the effort? We're independent travellers, have been to China previously, and are completely comfortable there. I haven't hit the bookstores yet or done much internet research, so if anyone has advice about which books or websites are the best, I'd appreciate the info.

Also, if anyone has advice about what to bring as gifts for our friends and his colleagues, that would be appreciated as well. I'd like to bring gifts that are especially nice and keep in mind that many of these people will have previously lived outside of China (primarily in the US or Japan). I was thinking maybe top-notch Scotch? Perfume? Anything better?

Thanks so much.

jahlie, I just spent a week in Dalian (visiting our daughters) and I'm afraid I don't have a lot of advice, other than caution if anyone suggests Bingyu Valley. It's 3-4 hours in a roughly northerly direction, via the unlovely town of Zhuanghe, and a popular Chinese holiday spot. We spent a weekend there at what was somewhat optimistically called the resort hotel, and while the natural setting is beautiful the service and accommodation were pretty grim. Hot water available only twice a day, so get your shower in early or argue with the surly receptionist (if you have enough Mandarin), sagging and leaky bathroom ceiling - need I go on?

Our troubles began when the Dalian branch of the China Travel Service sent us to the wrong bus station and we ended up on a conveyance that to put it kindly had seen better days. I'm sure there are better ways to get there, but you'd probably have to join a tour group.

Our Chinese fellow guests, including a tour group from Qingdao, seemed to be enjoying themselves, but I'm not sure what their basis of comparison was, and no doubt they were paying half what we were anyway.

Dalian has a pretty coastal drive, somewhat obscured by haze when we saw it. The city itself is modern and go-ahead and by Chinese standards the traffic is remarkably orderly. The "Russian street", with its leftover Russian buildings, and stalls selling Russian artefacts and gadgets, is worth a look.

Although I didn't get there, I'm told that the port of Lushun (formerly Port Arthur), 60 km SW, may be worth a visit to see the colonial buildings (it was formely occupied by the Japanese and Russians) and perhaps the Museum of History and Culture.

Not much help, I guess, but Dalian didn't strike me as a major tourist town.

BTW, I don't know when you're likely to be there, but be aware that the temperature is now down to a max of about 6 deg (C), and it's started snowing at Anshan, a few hours inland.

Neil Oz,

Yes, I know Dalian isn't a city usually visited by tourists and that's probably why I can't find much information on travel in that area. We will probably take the opportunity to travel elsewhere in China but we'll have to see how things go.

I can see from the location that Dalian will probably be cool (cold) and wet much of the year. We haven't set an exact date for travel, but it will be sometime in the Spring. The weather might still be cold and rainy, but so be it.

Thanks for the heads-up on Bingyu Valley but Port Arthur does have quite a history and might be worth a look-see. Take care and thanks again.