Things to do in Shandong, China: The Best Piers & Boardwalks

Reviewed By jameshuang - Taipei, Taiwan

Zhanqiao Pier (棧橋) is close to the Qingdao Railroad Station (青島火車站) and is only 1.1 km (0.68 mi) away by walking. It located at the southern end of Zhongshan Road (中山路) and stretches into the sea. It is the most popular destination in Qingdao not because it is right in the city center but because of its unique type of attraction and the history behind it. The original 200 m (656 ft) long and 10 m (33 ft) wide stone base pier was built in 1892 during the Qing dynasty (清朝) about the same time the Qingdao established. It was the oldest pier for military use in Qingdao. Later it became a freight pier after Germany invaded in 1901, and the length was extended to 350 m (1,148 ft). The local government replaced the steel and wood construction to cement, extended the length again to 440 m (1,444 ft), and added a two-story octagonal Huilan Pavilion (迴瀾閣) on a newly half-round shape platform on the south. We planned on going to Zhanqiao Pier after we checked into the hotel, but the weather was foggy with rain. Therefore, we went to other attractions first. We ended up going to the site last by walking on the trail along the coastline. It was still rainy and misty. From the distance we saw lots of tourists walking on the pier on the Tuesday afternoon. We decided to find a place and waited for the rain to stop. We picked a window seat and ordered drinks plus chicken nuggets. The foggy rain didn’t look like it would stop soon; therefore, I decided to go by myself. It was around 4 pm, and tourists still kept coming. Zhanqiao Pier doesn’t look 10 m wide, but it looked sturdy with giant granite foundation compared to the wooden structure piers I have seen in the US. It is a wonderful place to see old and new buildings in the area as well as the Little Qingdao Isle (小青島) and the German colonial architectures. If you like water sports, you can find speed boating, water-skiing, windsurfing, parasailing, snorkeling, water-scooter, motorboat rides, yachting, etc. The nearby No. 6 City Beach also a popular spot. Most people come here just to stroll and enjoy the sunrise or sunset. Although we were here on a misty day, it is a nice and lovely place to visit. You don’t need to prepare anything special to visit here. Of course comfortable shoes are better than high heels. From here you can go to Little Qingdao Isle which is only 2.3 km (1.43 mi) away, and you can enjoy the beautiful bay while strolling along the seaside trail. If you can, don’t go there during the weekend to avoid the crowd.