Qingdao · Neighbourhood ·
Shilaoren (Old Stone Man)
石老人 · Qingdao's eastern coast — the principal modern beach district, with the Olympic Sailing Centre, May 4th Square, the Olympic-themed coastal park, and Qingdao's most concentrated coastal-resort development.
About this neighbourhood
The Shilaoren coast — named after a distinctive sea-facing rock formation that resembles an old man — is Qingdao's primary modern coastal-resort development. The 8-kilometre stretch of beachfront from May 4th Square eastwards through Shilaoren and on to Shazikou contains the main concentration of post-2000 coastal hotels, the Olympic Sailing Centre (built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, hosting the sailing competitions), and the Qingdao International Beer Festival grounds.
The 2008 Olympic sailing venue is now a working public marina with regular sailing-school operations and the substantial Olympic Sailing Centre Museum. The Olympic-era infrastructure — the lighthouse, the spectator stands, the surrounding hotel-resort cluster — has been preserved and extended.
May 4th Square, named after the May Fourth Movement of 1919 (which began as protests against the Versailles transfer of Qingdao from German to Japanese control), centres on a substantial 30-metre wind-spinning sculpture. The square hosts evening light displays and has become the city's principal civic-event venue.
The Qingdao International Beer Festival, held annually in early August, is the largest beer festival in Asia. The festival ground covers a substantial area on the Shilaoren coast and hosts hundreds of international and Chinese-craft beer producers; attendance reaches several million across the two-week festival period.
What to see
May 4th Square (the substantial wind-spinning sculpture), Olympic Sailing Centre (2008 Olympic sailing venue), Shilaoren beach, Qingdao Beer Festival ground (during August), Olympic Sailing Centre Lighthouse.
What to eat
International seafood restaurants on the coastal road; Tsingtao draft beer pairings throughout; the Beer Festival ground in August has a substantial concentration of international and Chinese-craft beer producers.
Transit
Metro Lines 2, 3, 11 cross the eastern coast district. Bus 6 along the coastal road.
Where to stay
International five-star resort hotels along the coast (Hyatt Regency Qingdao, JW Marriott, Le Méridien); mid-range options on the inland streets.
Hazards & notes
Beer Festival period (early August) draws substantial international and domestic tourism — accommodation bookings should be made well in advance. Coastal swimming requires attention to seasonal jellyfish populations.