Rizhao Between Coast, Nature and Culture

The wider area around Rizhao includes coastal landscapes, routes for walking and exercise, and places with a range of cultural and architectural themes. This gives you a choice between the beach and nature, a longer route, and marine and cultural attractions when planning your trip. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can start by deciding which of these priorities you want to shape your stay.

Coast, Beach and Forest

Wanpingkou Scenic Area offers an expansive coastal setting. Its land area covers more than 740,000 square metres, and its beach area more than 300,000 square metres. More than 90 percent of the land area is forested, and the coastline is over 4,400 metres long. The described landscape features clear, mild waters, a wide beach with fine sand, pleasant surroundings and abundant sunshine. The area is characterised as a coastal resort for sightseeing, relaxation and sporting activities.

Rizhao Coastal National Forest Park, on Rizhao’s northern coast, offers a different natural setting: it extends along seven kilometres of coastline. Established on the basis of the Dasha Wa forest area, the park was designated one of China’s first national forest parks in 1992. This gives you a choice of contrasting landscapes in the wider area: beach areas and wooded coastline.

Experience the Sunshine Coast Greenway

The Sunshine Coast Greenway, about 28 kilometres long, runs from Dongfang Lighthouse Square to Liangcheng River Estuary National Wetland Park. The route is designed for cycling and walking and is accessible along its entire length for wheelchairs and pushchairs. This information about the whole route is a useful point of reference when planning a trip with a pushchair. Taigong Island Park is one of the stops along the Greenway.

Marine and Garden Attractions

Rizhao Ocean Park is opposite Gate 4 of Wanpingkou Scenic Area. Its attractions include an oceanarium, a flower and bird garden, a seafood restaurant, outdoor areas for animal shows, a waterfowl garden, a non-motorised recreation area and a shopping street. The Sunshine Oceanarium features more than 1,000 species of marine animals. Its exhibits include areas for sharks, sea lions and seals, sardine shoals and whale sharks, as well as a coral tunnel, penguins and jellyfish, and shows featuring belugas and dolphins.

Four Seasons Flower-and-Bird Garden offers a different focus. Its features include animal interaction areas, indoor animal exhibits and AR experiences, as well as a tropical rainforest area and a water lily pond. The collection includes more than 30 rare bird species, dozens of rare fish species and over 1,000 species of flowering plants. This offers a choice between marine exhibits and shows on the one hand, and gardens, birds and plants on the other. Check current information about accessible areas and shows before planning a visit.

Culture and Distinctive Architecture

Dongyi Town combines themes of Dongyi and maritime culture with traditional northern Chinese architecture and fishermen’s courtyards. The site consists of four islands: Fishermen’s Culture Island, Folk-Culture Experience Island, Foreign Culture Island, and Leisure, Entertainment and Sightseeing Island. Four themed exhibitions on Dongyi, fishing, ceramics and wine culture are part of the profile of Folk-Culture Experience Island. Other features include Longshen Temple, Yue Lao Shrine, an academy, a wishing pavilion and a theatre.

A distinctive landmark at Wanpingkou Square is the Tidal Tower. It is about 300 metres south of Gate 1, stands 42 metres tall and has a transparent tower structure. Its architectural features include an outdoor viewing platform and a lotus-shaped metal lattice. Rizhao Antai Ocean Aesthetics Museum also stands out for its design: the building is made of alternating wood-coloured and white elements.

Rizhao World Sailing Championship Base adds a sporting history to these cultural and architectural sights. It was built for the 2005 World Championships in the Europe class and the 2006 World Championships in the International 470 class. On the west bank are a sailing club, a water control centre and a boathouse with a measurement room.

Choose a Holiday Apartment Based on Your Travel Priorities

Whether you plan to focus mainly on coastal landscapes, the Greenway, marine exhibits, or culture and architecture, each choice gives your trip different priorities. This way, you can choose according to the actual aims of your stay, rather than assuming one location will suit every excursion.

Discover more destinations: Laiwu, Liaocheng, Weifang, Jining, Zaozhuang, Jinan, Weihai, Tai'an

For the overview of the wider region: Shandong.