Qingdao, meaning “green valley”, has seemingly endless stretches of beaches touching the bright blue waters of the Yellow Sea and winding bays that attract tourists from Korea, Japan and other parts of China. This port is popular with cruise ship passengers as it was once-known as a hidden treasure. Unfortunately, the sailing events in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games brought to light the beauty of this city.

Located approximately 400 miles southeast of Beijing, Qingdao has been one of the top getaways in China for many years. With a population of over 9 million people, this city has grown exponentially in recent years. The economy is booming and it has now been ranked one of the six “golden cities” in the world.

Visiting this fantastic port of call will be like no other place you have been before. A combination of modern city planning and high rise buildings mix surprisingly well with the old style German architecture that can be seen in some of the older districts in the city. This refreshing, yet unique destination is a hit with visitors from all over the globe.