DRMumbai: Situated on the east coast of China, Shandong Province is known as ‘A Jewel between Beijing and Shanghai’. The capital of the province, Jinan, is easily accessible by bullet train where one can reach the city with a pleasant journey of one-and-a-half hours and four hours respectively from Beijing and Shanghai. For the travellers from India, there is a direct flight from Delhi to Jinan that takes approximately five hours.
Shandong, with a history of more than 5,000 years, has been the home of many historical figures and it enjoys the honour of being the birthplace of Confucius. Steeped in natural and supernatural allure, this northeastern coast of China has abundance of attractive mountains, rivers and lakes, which provide tourists unique sightseeing opportunities. Centuries-old history and lots of cultural relics endow Shandong with abundant tourist resources. This is a destination that can be explored with family, friends and more!
BIRD WATCHING AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Visit the estuary in the Yellow River Delta State Nature Reserve, which is one of the largest wetlands located in Shandong
Province that covers an area of about 1,53,000 hectares. Get a glimpse of around 1626 types of wild animals, 368 species of birds like the red-crowned crane and the white-headed crane that are under national protection.
MARTIAL ART PERFORMANCES
Meet with more than 20 national champions at the Songjiang Martial Art School and watch the same performance that was showcased at the opening ceremony of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, in the city of Heze. The martial arts are performed by the students of Doggie Boy Performance Art Group, which tours the world from time to time. It is the best martial art troupe in all of China and this performance should definitely be added to your itinerary.
CHERRY BLOSSOM TREES IN ZHONGSHAN PARK
This park in Qingdao distinguishes itself from others due to the corridor lined by 20,000 cherry trees imported from Japan. The 500-metre Oriental Cherry Road in the park, lined on both sides by cherry trees, is referred to as the Cherry Blossom Corridor. April-May is the ideal time to experience these cherry blossom trees in full bloom.
TSINGTAO BEER MUSEUM
The Tsingtao Museum and Beer Factory is an attraction that should not be missed in Qingdao. The tour involves three parts: History of Tsingtao Beer over the past 100 years, Walkthrough tour of how Tsingtao Beer is made and the current Brew factory production with a final stop at the bar for some samples.
TAI’ERZHUANG, THE WATER TOWN
Considered to be China’s most beautiful water town, Tai’erzhuang has 15 km of waterways throughout the entire town. Visualise a Venice version of an oriental water gate opening in front of your eyes while strolling down the historical streets of Tai’erzhuang. Apart from this, the town consists of multiple exciting places to visit such as temples, numerous merchants, theatres, museums, talent shows, folklore performances, lion dances on poles and light shows at night.
