🏛️ 5A National Attractions
Last verified 26 Jul 2025
Qingdao officially hosts two 国家5A级景区—China's loftiest seaside peak and North China's longest golden-quartz beach. Together they frame the city's beer-breezy coastline between granite cliffs in the east and sunset surf in the west.
1 Quick Metrics
Total 5A sites
2
Source: wlt.qingdao.gov.cn
UNESCO share
0 (both are national-level, not World-Heritage)
National heritage sites
Ticket range
Free (Golden Beach) → ¥130 peak (Laoshan)
Golden Beach free to Laoshan peak season
Real-name booking
Required for Laoshan Scenic Area
Mini-prog "崂山风景区预约"
Metro / rail reach
Both ≤ 1 h from city center
Metro 11 to Laoshan • Metro 13 + BRT to Golden Beach
2 Why It Matters
Taoist sky-sea fusion — Laoshan's 1 132 m Jufeng peak is China's highest coastal mountain; granite spurs plunge straight into a jade bay where Quanzhen Taoism was born.
Quartz-sand runway — Golden Beach stretches 3.5 km, its honey-gold grains ranked among Asia's softest; evening micro-brews on the boardwalk keep the beach alive till midnight.
48-hour surf-to-summit loop — overnight in Taidong bar belt, sunrise hike Laoshan's East Gate, then sunset SUP on Golden Beach—no domestic flights, only metro hops.
3 Pro Tips
1
Laoshan slot hack – tickets drop 07 : 00, 7 days ahead; book East Gate if you want the Jufeng summit cable (£ 60 return).
2
Summit weather – carry a shell: Jufeng wind ≈ city center temp − 6 °C; fog cancels cable by Beaufort ≥ 7.
3
Spring-water tea – buy ¥10 bamboo flasks at Taiqing Palace; Laoshan mineral water bubbles from temple taps.
4
Golden Beach sunset – arrive 18 : 00; lifeguards off duty 19 : 00 but lights stay on; craft-beer stalls line Boardwalk 3.
5
Board rental – SUP & surfboards at Gate 2 hut: ¥120 / 2 h, WeChat deposit; wetsuits free after Oct 8.
4 The Full 5A List
🏔️
Laoshan (East Qingdao)
Laoshan Scenic Area / 崂山风景名胜区
446 km² granite massif; Taoist Taiqing & Shangqing palaces; highest coastal peak Jufeng 1 132 m; ¥130 high-season; 06 : 00–17 : 30; real-name QR via mini-prog.
🏖️
West Coast (Huangdao)
Golden Beach Tourist Resort / 金沙滩海滨景区（青岛西海岸新区）
3.5 km quartz-sand arc; free entry 05 : 30–23 : 00; Boardwalk craft-beer zone; surf & kite-fest late Aug; metro 13 "Jinsha Tan" + 600 m walk.