Dalian is a major port of northeastern China and a trading gateway for all of northern China. Declared a Coastal Open City in 1984, it is home to major shipyards, oil refineries, diesel engineering plants, and factories for textile and chemical products. The city is located on the southernmost tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, jutting out into the Bohai Sea in the northeast, between China and North Korea. It is 4 hours by train south of Shenyang. It has a population of about 1.5 million, with a total of 5 million in the larger metropolitan area.
The Dalian area – comprising Dalian and the nearby port/naval base of Lushun (formerly called Port Arthur) farther south, and hence sometimes called Luda – has an ancient history as a shipping port, but only became prominent in the late 19th century when the Qing dynasty established a naval base there. A new harbor for oil tankers, at the terminus of an oil pipeline from the Daqing oil fields, was completed in 1976. Dalian was declared a Coastal Open City in 1984, with incentives for foreign investment, and is now the third largest port in China.
Dalian Beach: The Dalian Beach is a tourist attraction and summer resort of national caliber. Stretching 31 kilometers, the beach has manyscenic spots, such as the Wooden-Club Isle, Fujiazhuang, Mt. Baiyun, Xinghai Park, and Black Rock Reefs.
Lushunkou Scenic Spot: The Lushunkou Scenic Spot is a state-level scenic spot. The ruins of the Japanese-Russian War can be found here.
Jinshitan Summer Resort: Situated along the banks of the Yellow Sea, the resort commands a breathtaking landscape including mountains covered with lush vegetation, reefs in various shapes, a seaside with soft clean sand, and rippling water in the blue sea. The resort has a bathing beach and an 18-hole golf course.
Other attractions: Xinghai Park, Mt.Laotie, Snake Island, and the murals in the Han Tombs.
[Source: chinatour.com]