Clifftop pavilion
Above the sea.
Fanghong — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Chrishcn — CC BY 2.0 · gdczjkk — CC BY 3.0 · Yumeto — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Antigng — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bernat Agullo from Tokyo, Japan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Bernat Agullo from Tokyo, Japan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Evan Yo — CC BY 3.0
A tiered pavilion standing at the edge of the red Danya Hill above the sea, first built in 1061 under the Northern Song dynasty and counted with the Yellow Crane Tower, Yueyang Tower and the Pavilion of Prince Teng among China's four most famous towers, surrounded by old halls and temples over nearly two hectares. The place is bound up with Chinese legend: tradition says the Eight Immortals crossed the sea from here, and it is also known for sea mirages that sometimes show towns and islands floating above the horizon in spring and summer, described by the poet Su Shi in a famous poem carved on a stone at the site. East of the hill lies the Penglai Water City, a fortified naval harbour built of earth in 1376 and faced with brick in 1596 to guard the coast against pirates under the Ming and Qing dynasties, with the general Qi Jiguang among its defenders; it holds a water gate, a breakwater, a quay, a lighthouse tower, walls and gun platforms over 27 hectares, and became a protected national monument in 1982. The Penglai Pavilion ticket costs CNY 100, or CNY 50 concession, and it opens from 7:30 to 18:30 with last entry at 17:30, per visitor guides. The drive from Yantai takes an hour to an hour and a half, and ferries to the Changdao islands leave from Penglai's port.
Above the sea.
A naval harbour from 1376.
In spring and summer.
Danya Hill on the north coast of Penglai District, about 70 km west of central Yantai
Tickets are CNY 100, or CNY 50 concession, it opens from 7:30 to 18:30, and the drive from Yantai takes an hour to an hour and a half, per visitor guides.
Sea mirages sometimes appear above the horizon in spring and summer, but they are rare and impossible to predict, so treat one as a bonus if you see it.