Stone forest
On the sea.
红烧腰果 — CC BY 4.0 · Techyan — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Techyan — CC BY-SA 3.0 · 江上清风1961 — CC BY 3.0 · 江上清风1961 — CC BY 3.0 · Techyan — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Techyan — CC BY-SA 3.0 · rheins — CC BY 3.0
A wide coastal resort area northeast of Dalian covering 62 square kilometres of land and 58 of sea, holding China's top tourism rating since 2010; its name means «Golden Stone Beach». Its best-known sight is a coast of sedimentary rock formed hundreds of millions of years ago, nicknamed «the stone forest on the sea», with strange shapes and coloured layers carved by the waves; it has been a national geopark since 2005, with sandy beaches and quiet coves along it. The area also holds a large theme park called Discovery Kingdom, museums, resorts, golf courses and seafront hotels, and metro Line 3 reaches it from central Dalian, so it makes a full day of nature and fun. Entry to the area is free, while the coastal geopark costs about CNY 60 in peak seasons and 40 the rest of the year and the theme park about CNY 210, per visitor guides. The rocks are slippery at high tide, so wear suitable shoes.
On the sea.
And coves.
A theme park.
Jinzhou District, about 50 km northeast of central Dalian
By metro Line 3 from central Dalian; entry to the area is free, and the coastal geopark costs about CNY 60 in peak seasons, per visitor guides.