Penglai
Penglai (蓬莱) is a coastal resort and city in Shandong. Penglai (previously Tengchow) is a historically important city, port and resort located in Shandong not far from Yantai. Penglai is famous for the Penglai Pavillion, one of the 'Four Great Towers of China', a large collection of historical temples and fortifications. The site is famous around China as being the landing site of the mythological Eight Immortals as well as beaches, entertainment and wine. Penglai is a famous historical and cultural city, known as the "fairyland on earth".
Understand
Penglai Pavilion: Built in the Song Dynasty, it is one of the four famous pavilions in China, as famous as Tengwang Pavilion, Yellow Crane Tower, and Yueyang Tower. Climbing the pavilion and looking out, you can enjoy the legendary place of "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea".
Eight Immortals Culture: Penglai is an important birthplace of Taoist culture, closely connected with the legend of "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, Each Showing Their Magical Powers".
Penglai is administratively part of Yantai and is officially known as Penglai District (蓬莱区).
Climate
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Get in
Highway G18 passes just south of the city, and allows for frequent bus connections to Yantai, Qingdao and other cities.
By plane
- 1 Yantai Penglai International Airport (烟台蓬莱国际机场), Intersection of Konggang 2nd Road and Yingbin 8th Road, Chaoshui Town (the airport shuttle bus costs ¥25 and takes 60 minutes to reach Penglai Bus Station), ☏ +86 535 6299999. The airport is 45 minutes drive away and is relatively well connected to other Chinese cities.
By train
Penglai City (Penglaishi) railway station was opened in 2018. You can take a train from Yantai, Qingdao or Jinan.
- 2 Penglai Railway Station. Penglai Railway Station, formerly known as Penglai City Station, is 200 m south of Nanwang Central Primary School, Nanwang Street. It is 49 km away from Fushan North Railway Station and 35 km away from Longkou City Station. In 2024, Weiyan High-speed Railway Penglai Station began operation.
By bus
- 3 Penglai qichezhan. This bus station is a long-distance bus station, which allows you to reach the cities around Penglai, but it takes longer. It is also possible to reach the countryside near the towns by bus.
Get around
Map of Penglai
Buses and taxis abound, however there are few foreign tourists here, so a little Chinese will go a long way.
See
- 1 Penglai Pavillion, ☏ +86 5355643012. 07:30—17:00. A large collection of temples, lighthouses, and fortifications situated on a cliff overlooking the Bohai and Yellow sea. The pavilion has some excellent quality Chinese architecture and is an interesting blend of religion and history. Some of the key buildings include the Temple of the Dragon King, the lighthouse, Sanqing Temple (Sanqing refers to the three immortals worshiped by Taoism), and high walls and canons from the opium war. A cable car can take you down the cliffs and offers nice panoramas. ¥140 for whole site ticket, ¥50 for cable car.
- 2 Ocean Aquarium of Penglai, No 88, Haigang Road, ☏ +86 535-5664777, +86 535 5927999. A modern, large aquarium very popular with local Chinese tourists. The exhibitions and fish are interesting, and there is a see-through tunnel where you can walk amongst the creatures. This aquarium does however keep dolphins and beluga whales, and while they seem to well looked after, this may upset some. Admission ticket: ¥150.
- 3 Sanxianshan/Three mountains. 07:30-16:30. Sanxianshan/Three mountains enormous modern reconstruction of a temple complex, surrounded by lakes. While this place may seem a bit tacky, it is certainly impressive and monumental. There is also a very large pagoda jutting out into the sea allowing for fantastic views. ¥120.
- 4 Penglai Baxian Sea Scenic Area. Penglai Baxian Sea Crossing Scenic Area is a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction. In myth and legend, Baxian Sea Crossing Area is like a treasure gourd lying on the sea.
- Speedboat wharf At the base of the pavilion, short speedboat trips around the bay and cliffs, tickets ¥100. Some services also go all the way out to nearby islands.
Do
- Beaches There is sand in Penglai, and Chinese tourists pack it out when there is sun, but the beach is not particularly impressive or especially clean. However, there are interesting statues of the Eight Immortals on the shore, and the water is shallow.
- 1 Castle of Ponlevin (蓬莱文成城堡), ☏ +86 0535-3543766. Wencheng Castle is beside Yanpeng Tourist Avenue. The castle is a clever combination of European architectural elements, with a Baroque style as the main building material. The building materials, mainly precious travertine, carry the essence of European architecture and decorative art, reflecting its aristocratic atmosphere. Surrounded by a moat filled with seawater, it can be used to raise sea cucumbers and abalone, and can also be used for people to play in the water and row boats, which is full of fun. Coupled with the design of concave front and convex back, the castle presents unique variability whether looking forward or backward, whether in plane or three-dimensional. Although it is only 4 stories high, its incomparable diversity of other buildings brings unlimited imagination space. The shape is elegant and generous, with a round roof pointing directly to the blue sky, and the trapezoidal and conical roofs on both sides interspersed and overlapped, with fireplace chimneys dotted in between, fully demonstrating the romanticism and heroic spirit unique to European technology. 72.
Buy
There are plenty of tourist shops selling the full range of novelty gifts and trinkets. Haggling is possible
- Wine The Yantai region is famous around China for its wine. There are a number of wine shops with a wide selection. While they may not compare to French Bordeaux, not all brands are terrible, and are well worth a try.
- 1 Wine of Penglai (蓬莱葡萄酒), toll-free: +86 5353541234. Yantai Taoniuling is located in Mulangou Village, Daxindian Town. It has a modern and simple environment, which is very suitable for taking pictures. The natural environment is comfortable and the view is wide. The restaurant offers exquisite Cantonese set meals with full texture. It has the "3S" characteristics suitable for grape growth: sun, sand, and sea, and is known as one of the "seven major grape coasts in the world". Penglai City has focused on cultivating the grape and wine industry as a city-based industry, insisting on the development path of clustering, quality and internationalization. It has attracted a number of well-known wine companies such as COFCO Great Wall, Tianjin Dynasty, Huadong Baili, and Shangri-La. 1411.
Eat
There are the usual western fast food restaurants, as well as a large selection of Chinese seafood eateries.
- 1 Jiahe Dumplings (佳和水饺海德公馆店), No. A203, Haishi Road, No. 142, Dengzhou Street, Hyde Mansion West Gate Parking Lot, ☏ +86 15954961809. Jiahe Dumplings (not just dumplings, but also stir-fried dishes); palm-sized Spanish mackerel dumplings, Spanish mackerel meat + leeks, no messy fat, very authentic taste, very delicious, ¥10 each; super large scallop cubes, ¥58 a plate; stir-fried razor clams are fresh and tender, not sticky, ¥48 yuan a plate. The dishes are large, affordable, and delicious, but there is no rice for the staple food, only dumplings. In addition, there are black fish, braided fish, yellow croaker, yellow croaker, etc., all of which are very cost-effective
Sleep
- 1 City 118 Select Hotel (Penglai Zhonglou South Road Branch, ☏ +86 535-3351855, toll-free: +86 535-3351855. About 40 meters west of the Zhonglou South Road,, Metropolitan 118 Select Hotel (Penglai Pavilion Scenic Area Store) is close to Wanshougong Street, Zhonglou North Road, Zhonglou West Road and Huahe West Road. In terms of public transportation, there are many bus stops nearby, including Zijingshan Office, Qi Jiguang's Hometown, Zijing Commercial Building, Changyu Community, etc., where you can transfer to Penglai No. 7, Penglai No. 11, Penglai No. 6, Penglai No. 5 [Hanwang Section] and other bus lines.
Connect
Go next
- Yantai - Major city to the east of Penglai, 1 hour by bus.
- Longkou - Beach resort town to the west, popular with families and golfers.