If you’re visiting Qingdao during the summer, Laoshan is an absolute must-see, but it’s important to know how to explore it without exhausting yourself, especially if you’re traveling with elderly family members or young children. After researching various travel guides and applying my own experiences, I’ve come up with a non-strenuous way to enjoy the beautiful Laoshan mountain range, avoiding long hikes and backtracking while ensuring you still get to experience its natural beauty. Here’s a guide to make your visit to Taiqing and Yangkou scenic areas as relaxing and enjoyable as possible!
Getting to Laoshan:
Start your journey from Qingdao city center. Take Line 4 of the Qingdao Metro and ride all the way to the last stop, Dahedong Station (大河东站), which takes around an hour from the city center. Once you exit the station, you’ll find yourself at the entrance to Laoshan Scenic Area.
Ticket Information:
You can either purchase tickets on-site using a QR code or buy them in advance through the official Laoshan Scenic Area WeChat account. I opted to buy a package ticket in advance, which included a ticket to Yangkou (仰口) for 90 RMB and a sightseeing bus for 40 RMB, totaling 130 RMB. The ticket is valid for two days, giving you access to both Taiqing (太清) and Yangkou scenic areas. Note that elderly visitors can enter for free, and children get a half-price discount, although the sightseeing bus still requires a fare. The tickets can be scanned directly with your ID card at the entrance for seamless entry.
Entering the Scenic Area:
Since I purchased my tickets ahead of time, I simply scanned my ID card to enter the park. I proceeded to the designated check-in area for the bus to Taiqing (太清). Upon exiting the entrance gate, you’ll find a shuttle bus ready to take you to Taiqing.
Traveling to Taiqing Square:
Once on the bus, you can sit back and enjoy the scenic ride. If you get the chance, try to sit on the side of the bus that faces the sea (opposite the driver’s seat). The route from Dahendong to Taiqing has a stop at Bashui River (八水河), where those with enough energy can get off and walk along the beautiful wooden coastal path to Taiqing Square. However, if walking isn’t ideal, you can stay on the bus and continue to Taiqing Square directly. The bus ride takes approximately 20 minutes.
Once you get about 500 meters from Taiqing Square, everyone disembarks, and you’ll walk along the coastal boardwalk, which offers stunning views. When you reach Taiqing Square, you’ll need to scan your ID card again to officially enter Taiqing Scenic Area.
Exploring Taiqing Square:
We didn’t venture into Taiqing Palace (太清宫) as we were traveling with elderly family members and young children, so instead, we found a lovely spot by the sea to relax, enjoy some snacks, and take in the beautiful scenery. Since we weren’t planning to hike to Mingxia Cave (明霞洞) or explore other areas of Taiqing, we decided that taking the cable car here wasn’t necessary. We treated Taiqing as a brief stop, just to enjoy the view of the sea.
Heading to Yangkou Scenic Area:
There is no direct bus from Taiqing Square to Yangkou, so you will need to catch a bus from Yakou (垭口), which is a short ride away from Taiqing Square. To get to Yakou, head to the Taiqing Cable Car Station (太清索道), where you can catch a free bus to Yakou. The bus stop is easy to find, and if you’re unsure, you can always ask the security guards for directions.
The bus ride from Taiqing to Yakou takes about 3 minutes. At Yakou, you’ll find another bus that will take you to Yangkou. The bus will stop briefly at Huayan (华严), but you don’t need to get off. Continue on to Yangkou, where you’ll be dropped off after about 40 minutes of scenic travel along the coast.
Exploring Yangkou Scenic Area:
Once at Yangkou (仰口), follow the signs for a short walk of about 200-300 meters. The path has a slight incline, but it’s not steep. You’ll reach the Yangkou Cable Car (仰口索道) where you can buy a ticket for 35 RMB per person for a one-way trip up the mountain. The cable car ride will take you up to about two-thirds of the mountain’s height, where you can stop and explore a scenic viewpoint. If you’re feeling up for it, you can continue climbing higher, but we decided to rest and enjoy the views of the horizon and the sea below.
Once you’ve enjoyed the scenic spot and rested, you can take the cable car back down. If you have enough time, you might want to visit Yangkou Beach (仰口海滩), located just 5 minutes from the cable car station. The beach is a peaceful spot to relax and soak up the coastal beauty.
Return Journey:
For your return trip, you can take a Didi (a Chinese ride-hailing service) from the parking area near the Yangkou bus stop. The ride takes you 10 kilometers to Puli (浦里), where you can catch the Blue Valley Express Line (蓝谷快线) back to the city center and transfer to other metro lines to reach your destination.