So, my trip is a bit less exotic than those of other InternChina members but it is based in Qingdao and consisted of three interns, a long walk and a forbidden giant swan…It all started in May 4th Square where I awaited the interns ‘fashionably’ late arrival.
For some reason I can wander around the main streets of Qingdao with no more than just curious stares coming my way, but as soon as I set foot in the vicinity of this landmark its like no one has seen a westerner before. In the 15 minutes I was waiting I got given a free Chinese flag and been persuaded into posing with at least 8 families, or just their children, for photos. If I had a marker pen I swear I would have given out autographs too!

Meeting with the interns we proceeded to take in the delights of fine Chinese cuisine.. KFC. Whilst sitting in the sun and admiring the dozens of kites littering the sky.

From here we took a short taxi to Badaguan scenic sight (old streets which make you feel like you are in a villa from Captain Corellis Mandolin… just with more Asian people). Then walked down to beach number 2.

This is one of several beaches in Qingdao, and my personal favourite. It is not tooo crowded (by that I mean you can actually see some sand) and is enclosed by lush green trees and overlooked by Huashi Tower (see distance).
After nearly showing off my new fake calvins and running into the warm water for a swim I found a jianbing stand (a much recommended snack in China) where we stopped and ate some more.
Moving along the coast we found a small pavilion overlooking the beach and a woman who looked as if she’d misunderstood the notion of swimwear..

We also noticed people here were walking on water, so we came to the conclusion that they are either wizards, or that there is some sort of underwater walkway… either way we wanted a closer look!

Sadly I didn’t get to meet Gandalf, but I did get to wade out and take these pics.
Not thinking about the sand in my shoes, we followed the villas and walkways in hope of finding another beach..

This is the discovery of ‘Lover’ beach. Aptly named for its attraction to wedded couples.

Without mentioning of how I tried to mount the giant swans back to get a great internchina photo but then being confronted by an angry giant swan owner who only knew the phrases ‘get off a my swan!’ and ‘do you want to buy a giant swan?’, we moved round the coast further round to meet up with the view of Number one beach and the sense that we were not alone in this idea of a trip to the beach….

We found Wally (Waldo for our American cousins or Walter for the Germans) then moved on for a coconut treat.

From here I suggest you carry on walking round the coast past endless stalls of seafood and tat to finally get to XiaoQingDao (‘Little QingDao’, which is an island).
The entrance fee is 10 RMB but if you pay a bit more you can go into the Navy museum and go in a submarine… or you can do as I did and pay the 10 RMB then watch people go in a submarine.

Educational stuff – The Germans built a lighthouse on Little Qingdao Island during their occupation in 1900. It was a restricted military area until 1987. Now it is open for visitors and has a tour around the lighthouse.
The island also has a nice café and a small shop which sells gifts, beer and ice cream (the essentials).
But what makes this island really worth the money is the great panoramic views which are on offer…

This was my little trip during golden week, thanks for reading! I thoroughly recommend anyone in Qingdao or who is coming to walk along this beautiful coast as I did and see what special places you can find.

Note: If you are interested in applying for an internship in China, our team will assist you during your whole application process and stay. We believe, that exploring the Chinese Culture is crucial for understanding your life in China and creates a balance to your hard studies and internship – that’s why we organise regular Cultural and Sports Activities.