Bars & Nightspots

Club New York
Great place to meet and mingle, with a great house band.
Address: Overseas Chinese Hotel, 41 Xiang Gang Zhong Lu, Qingdao
Tel: (0) 532-8573 9199

Charlie's Bar
Very popular on a Saturday night.
Address: 167 Jiangxi Lu, Qingdao
Tel:(0)532-8589 7919

Le Bang Restaurant and Bar
Plenty of comfy seating and a chilled out vibe. On Sunday evenings, buy one pizza and get one free.
Address: 54 Zhangzhou Er Lu
Tel: (0) 532-8593 5279

Restaurants

Da Qing Hua Dumplings
Great dumplingsm with a wide range of fillings.
Address: 56 Xiang Gang Zhong Lu, Qingdao
Tel: (0)532-8575 3697

De Heng Beijing Roast Duck
One of Qingdao's grandest locales for Beijing duck.
Address: 49 Nanjing Lu, Qingdao
Tel: (0) 532-8578 2956

Hong Kong Old Restaurant
Centrally located and a huge choice on the menu.
Address: 43 Xiang Gang Zhong Lu, Qingdao
Tel: (0) 532-8597 8868

La Villa
Tapas bar on the left hand side and fine French wine on the right. Very popular meeting place.
Address: 5 Xiang Gang Zhong Lu, Qingdao
Tel: (0) 532-8388 6833

Napoli Italian Wine Bar and Restaurant
Perennially perfect pizzas and pastas.
Address: 43 Xiang Gang Zhong Lu (opposite Haitian Hotel), Qingdao
Tel: (0) 532-8386 2200

Listings supplied by REDSTAR Times Media, publishers of INQINGDAO magazine. www.myredstar.com

Arts & Culture

That is a problem in Qingdao, and there are not many places of artistic interest. But the Qingdao Museum still can be worth a visit.
Antiques and cultural relics on display, as well as items from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Address: 27, MeiLing Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao
Tel: (0) 532- 8897227

"Scenic Spots" Which are the best places to visit, for a tourist?

Badaguan: built by German colonists 100 years ago as residential and holiday area. Hundreds of different European-style villas and houses with avenues that are well preserved. People love its calmness and attractiveness. The area also has a swimming beach, a small one for swimming but good place for sitting there for a little while to see the ocean. (Hiring a taxi is very good choice. It is not far from most of the 4- and 5-star hotels - at most 15 minutes driving.)

City Square: Very new area built about 10 years ago. It has a big greenbelt square with a huge red statue named Wind of May. Quite a modern design with long pedestrian walkway along the sea shore, from which you can reach Music Plaza. Crowded with vendors, mostly selling illegal items, during the summer. Get there either by taxi or on foot.

Little Fish Hill: it is one of the hill parks in downtown area. On the top there is a pavilion, in a traditional Chinese style. You can have complete view of the whole old city area, which is very beautiful on nice days. If you want to have a general idea of what this city looks like, that can be a good choice. (Hire a taxi or go as part of tour group.)

Lao Mountain: one of the most famous religious places in China since it is where Taoism was founded. About 40 miles away from the downtown area. Either go along the North path, which features a waterfall, or along the South path, which has several Taoism temples. Allow at least half a day for either route. (Better join a tour group or go with your local friends. Hiring a taxi also is practical but expensive.)

Shopping

Markets
Mykal, nine floors of shopping, including a supermarket, a gym, a cinema and umpteen fashion and sports wear shops. Jimo Road market and an underground shopping street. Carrefour (21 Xiang Gang Zhong.

Traditional Shopping
Qingdao Culture Market: looks like a free market with lot of independent small shops, selling antiques, stamp and second-hand books, artworks etc. Cheap. (Address: Changle Road)

Qingdao Artworks Shop: 212 Zhongshan Road. A traditional shop selling Chinese old fashion artworks, carpet, dresses etc. particularly to cater for westerner's tastes. Prices are higher than free markets but it is (as always) possible to bargain.

Bargains (CDs, Cameras)
There is no one street of shopping to recommend, because they are all over the city. Book City is the biggest independent book store, with five floors selling books, videos, CDs. (Address: 67, Xiang Gang Zhong Lu)

Other Tips

Qingdao is by the sea, as you will have gathered. So if you come here for business, you will certainly be treated by your local partner to lots of different seafood. If you like seafood, you are in for a treat, but if you react badly to seafood, bring your own medicines with you.