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Voykit pocket guide · China
Penglai
蓬莱
Spend 1–2 days in Penglai to see the Pavilion, coastal scenery and aquarium; add a half‑day boat trip to Changdao if you like islands.
Penglai is a coastal resort town in Shandong, known for the historic Penglai Pavilion (one of China’s Four Great Towers), an aquarium, and easy boat links to the Changdao islands. Its sights are clustered near the waterfront, so a short stay covers the highlights.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 蓬莱
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold) and heavy winter fog
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥150–250 excl. bed (check) · Mid ¥300–500 excl. bed (check) · High ¥600+ excl. bed (check) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Penglai Pavilion ticket (incl. cable car) | ¥140 |
| Ocean Aquarium entry | ¥150 |
| Speedboat ride around bay | ¥100 |
| Local seafood meal | ¥80–120 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YNT · Yantai Penglai International Airport
- Shuttle bus ¥25, 60 min to Penglai Bus Station
Typical fares
- Shuttle bus Yantai Airport → Penglai
- ¥25, 60 min
- Local bus within Penglai
- ¥2–¥5 per ride
- Speedboat to Changdao (one‑way)
- ¥120–¥150 (check schedule)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Local buses and taxis serve the town; a few English signs, so basic Mandarin helps.
See and do
Known for
- Penglai Pavilion and historic temples
- Ocean Aquarium of Penglai
- Changdao island boat trips
- Local wine and seafood
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Changdao Islands | Speedboat from Penglai Speedboat Terminal, about 30 min | ≈1 h total |
| Yantai city centre | Bus from Penglai Bus Station, about 45 min | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- City 118 Select Hotel
- Near bus stops; budget option
- Penglai Marriott Hotel
- Close to Penglai Pavilion; ¥80 per night (2026 estimate)
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much is this? | 这个多少钱？zhè ge duōshǎo qián? |
| Where is the bus stop? | 公交车站在哪里？gōngjiāo chē zhàn zài nǎlǐ? |
| Do you speak English? | 会说英语吗？huì shuō yīngyǔ ma? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Limited English signage; carry a translation app.
- Peak summer days can be crowded on the beach.
- Check cable‑car and aquarium opening times before you go.
Penglai is generally safe for tourists; petty theft is rare, but keep an eye on belongings on crowded beaches and use reputable speedboat operators.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Penglai yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Penglai Pavilion and historic temples
- Ocean Aquarium of Penglai
- Changdao island boat trips
- Local wine and seafood
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata Penglai: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Penglai, revision 5245233 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5245233
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/penglai). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.