Shilaoren Beach
石老人海水浴场
One of Qingdao’s longest beaches, with 2.5 km of golden sand and the 17-meter “Old Man Rock” in the sea. A seaside resort for sunrise, surfing and barbecues.
Shilaoren Beach is in Laoshan District, on Donghai East Road in eastern urban Qingdao. The beach stretches about 2.5 km long and over 100 meters wide, with fine soft sand and open waters. It is one of the largest swimming beaches in urban Qingdao. Its name comes from “Shilaoren,” a sea-eroded rock column about 17 meters high off the east end of the beach, which looks like an old man sitting and gazing out to sea. A local legend says it is a fisherman who turned to stone while longing for his daughter. Highlights include sunrise: the rock silhouetted against the rising sun is Qingdao’s most classic sunrise spot, best reached before 5 a.m. in summer. In summer, the beach has swimming zones and lifeguards, along with surfing, motorboats, sailing boards and beach volleyball. It is also a gathering place for Qingdao’s surfers. At the east end of the beach, the Shilaoren sightseeing park and seaside path offer close-up views of the rocks, which can be approached at low tide, though they are surrounded by water at high tide. Walking west along Donghai East Road brings you to a sculpture park and Polarland Ocean World, which is good for families. The beach is free to enter, but showers, changing rooms and lockers charge a fee. In peak season, there is a night market and barbecue stalls in the evening. Getting there: about a 5-minute walk from Exit A of Shilaoren Beach Station on Metro Line 2, or about 15 minutes from May Fourth Square. A half-day plan in summer is best: watch the sunrise early, swim or stroll in the morning, and eat lunch at a nearby seafood market or along Mai Island Road. Outside summer, it makes a short stop of about an hour for a seaside walk and rock viewing. Note: summer UV is strong, so use sunscreen. Swim only in designated areas, and watch for jellyfish in mid-to-late August. The seaside rocks are slippery.
Opening hours
Open all day (swimming area approx. 06:00–19:00 in summer)
Nearby sights
- Qingdao Museum
- Qingdao Polar Ocean World
- Xiaomai Island
- Yan'erdao Hill Park
- Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center
- May Fourth Square
- Qingdao Haitian Center Observation Deck
- Zhanshan Temple
Places to eat nearby
- Kaihai · Hongdao Seafood Shrimp Dumplings (Shilaoren Branch)
- Weizhuang · Qingdao Cuisine (Liaoyang West Road Branch)
- Chuange · Fish Dumplings Qingdao Cuisine (Minjiang 2nd Road Branch)
- Qianhaiyan · Qingdao Cuisine (May Fourth Square Aeon Store)
- Yiqinghui · Seafood Qingdao Cuisine (May Fourth Square Flagship Store)
- Shuangheyuan · Seafood Dumplings Qingdao Cuisine (Xuanhua Road Branch)