The Qingdao World Horticultural Expo (青岛世界园艺博览会), or simply “Qingdao Expo,” was China’s fourth time hosting a World Horticultural Exhibition, approved by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). The Expo Park spans a total of 2.41 million square meters, divided into two main sections: the Theme Area (1.64 million square meters) and the Experience Area (770,000 square meters). The Theme Area focuses on creative planning concepts and key exhibitions, while the Experience Area serves to manage visitor flow, highlight local features, enhance functionality, and create space for future developments.
One of the key attractions of the 2014 Qingdao Expo is its unique coastal and mountainous landscape, emphasizing ecological preservation, environmental protection, low-carbon living, and energy-saving principles. The Expo blends Qingdao’s local folk performances with international horticultural exhibits, combining traditional cultural elements with modern forms of expression. It encourages broad public participation and aims to establish itself as a vibrant tourism highlight for the city of Qingdao.
Travel Information about Qingdao World Horicutlural Expo Park
Tickets and Opening Hours
Ticket Price: General admission is 15 yuan.
Opening Hours:
- Peak season: 09:00 to 17:30
- Off-season: 09:00 to 17:00
How to Get There
Location: Qingdao Baiguo Mountain Forest Park.
Transportation: Take Bus 130 to Daijia Station. After getting off, just ask for directions to the park.
Attraction Ratings
- Unique Features: ★★★★★
- Cultural Appeal: ★★★★★
- Leisure: ★★★★
- Beauty: ★★★★
- Romance: ★★★
- Excitement: ★
Qingdao Expo Details
Logo: The logo of the Qingdao World Horticultural Expo features colorful floral designs, embodying the event’s goal of being “world-class, stylishly Chinese, uniquely Shandong, and distinctly Qingdao.” It conveys a sense of innovation and modern aesthetics while tapping into the rich cultural heritage of Qi-Lu (Shandong), maritime culture, folk traditions, and garden art. The logo represents Qingdao’s harmonious blend of mountains, sea, and city, showcasing its profound cultural characteristics.
Mascot: The mascot, named “Qingqing,” is designed as a sea elf. Its concept is inspired by the sea, regarded as the cradle of life and spirit of all things. Qingdao, a historic city with deep cultural roots, owes its existence, development, and prosperity to the sea.
Creative Concept: The overall creative concept of the Expo can be summarized by the themes of “Heavenly Maid Scattering Flowers, Heavenly Waters and Earthly Pools, Colorful Ribbons, and Everlasting Seasons,” symbolizing a dynamic and everlasting connection between nature, culture, and art.
Highlights of Qingdao World Horicutlural Expo Park
Feihua Zone
The Feihua Zone, located at the northernmost end of the park, is themed around “Flowing and Weaving Dreams.” The key landscape design focuses on the planting of flying flowers. The layout integrates the natural mountainous terrain, starting from a viewing platform at the northern boundary of the park. From there, the floral arrangements naturally cascade down the hillside, aiming to create a grand landscape that evokes the imagery of “Heavenly Maid Scattering Flowers.” This design highlights the harmonious blend of nature and artistic expression within the park.
Tianshui Dichi Zone
Located at the center of the park, the Tianshui Dichi Zone is themed “Gathering and Weaving Dreams” and serves as one of the core areas of the Expo, linking the north, south, east, and west sections of the park. Between the heavenly waters (“Tianshui”) and the earthly pools (“Dichi”) lies a central themed landscape plaza, connecting these two elements. This plaza is the most important public open space in the park, functioning as the main hub for public activities and a key cultural exhibition area during the Expo, showcasing the park’s cultural essence.
Flower Avenue Zone
Located in the southern part of the Expo Park, the Flower Avenue Zone is themed “Symphony, Flow, and Full of Dreams.” As the main entrance landscape area of the Expo, it welcomes visitors with a flowing design of floral arrangements that guide the guests through the park. The curvilinear planting layout creates a sense of movement, directing the flow of visitors while echoing the landscape concept of the Feihua Zone, enhancing the overall harmony of the park’s design.
Theme Pavilion
The Theme Pavilion is located in the southern part of the Feihua Zone, bordered by the Children’s Dream Garden to the east and the Science Garden to the west. The architectural design is inspired by Qingdao’s city flower, the rose, with a total area of approximately 28,000 square meters. As the iconic building of the Expo, it serves multiple functions, including thematic performances, floral competitions, and comprehensive services. The pavilion is a central venue for showcasing the Expo’s theme, “Bringing Life into Nature,” and hosting major exhibitions and events.
Plant Pavilion
The Plant Pavilion is situated in the northern part of the Horticultural Garden at the Expo, adjacent to the Grass Species Garden to the north. Its architectural design is inspired by the shape of a leaf, symbolizing seeds and plant growth. Covering a total area of around 23,000 square meters, the pavilion features various exhibition zones, including a marine plant area, a bamboo and rattan plant area, and a temperate plant area. It highlights diverse plant species, emphasizing the beauty and diversity of flora from different environments.
Fantasy Technology Pavilion
As one of the key structures in the Theme Area, the Fantasy Technology Pavilion also serves as the comprehensive service center of the Science Garden. It features cutting-edge parametric design, a popular trend both domestically and internationally, emphasizing technological innovation in its architecture. The building’s futuristic appearance aligns with the “Fantasy and Technology” theme, creating a visually captivating experience that embodies the spirit of scientific and technological creativity.
Visitor Guide for Qingdao World Horicutlural Expo Park
In-Park Transportation
The Expo Park offers electric sightseeing carts, providing the quickest, most convenient, and least strenuous way to explore the entire park. The carts pass by the three main pavilions and most of the iconic scenic spots, allowing visitors to take in the beautiful views of the park. Tickets for the carts can be purchased at two locations: Qushui Road starting station and the Plant Pavilion station. The fare is 10 yuan for one stop and 25 yuan for three stops. The sightseeing carts operate from 09:00 to 16:40 during the peak season and from 09:30 to 16:30 during the off-season.
Accommodation
There are two accommodation options within the Expo Park:
Aike Camp (爱客营 ·露营): Located in the Dichi Service Center area, Aike Camp is the largest tent campsite in Qingdao. It attracts various groups, large and small, each year for unique outdoor experiences.
Shiyuan Hanxuan (世园寒轩): This garden-style hotel combines business, conference, leisure, and vacation facilities. It is primarily designed to host a large number of domestic and international guests during the Expo, offering a comfortable and convenient stay.