🚩 Local Scams · Qinhuangdao
Last verified 21 Aug 2025
1 Scam Spotlight Table
Seafood "Weight Switch"
Beidaihe seafood streets · Nandaihe night market
How it works: Menu shows "market price", staff weigh with wet shells/ice or charge per 斤 but bill as per kg.
🛡️ Avoid: Watch the scale; confirm unit + total price up front; keep receipt.
Beach Chair & Umbrella Creep
Beidaihe & Nandaihe bathing beaches
How it works: ¥20 quote becomes ¥120 after you sit ("service + cleaning + shade hours").
🛡️ Avoid: Pay at official kiosk; get a time-stamped ticket; avoid roaming vendors.
"Private Viewpoint" Great Wall
Shanhaiguan Old Town
How it works: Tout sells rooftop/yard access to "best Laolongtou angle" then blocks exit for extra ¥50.
🛡️ Avoid: Only use signed terraces; photos from public seawall are excellent and free.
Fake "Through Train" to Laolongtou
Railway stations
How it works: Minivan claims non-stop to the "Wall at the Sea"; detours to jade/herb shops first.
🛡️ Avoid: Use official bus/taxi ranks or DiDi; refuse bundled "shopping stops".
Boat Tour Bait-and-Switch
Dongshan Beach
How it works: "60-min sea cruise" becomes 20-min loop + souvenir shop; lifejackets missing.
🛡️ Avoid: Buy at harbor ticket window; check duration on the printed ticket; insist on jackets.
Bird Photo & Animal Props
Beidaihe boardwalks
How it works: Handler pushes hawk/sea-gull/ferret for photos, then demands ¥100 "care fee".
🛡️ Avoid: A polite no; city bylaws restrict wildlife handling—walk away.
Taxi "Summer Surcharge"
Beidaihe Station
How it works: Driver refuses meter, quotes ¥120 short hops, citing "peak beach traffic".
🛡️ Avoid: Metered city taxis only; decline and re-queue or call DiDi.
Hotel Overbook Swap
Tiger Rock area
How it works: Your sea-view room "under maintenance"; moved to sister hotel far inland, no refund.
🛡️ Avoid: Book cancellable rates; demand written no-penalty cancellation if room type changes.
2 Why It Matters
Qinhuangdao's seasonal surges (June–August) plus cash-lite beach spending make it easy to hide unit switches, "package" detours and seat-fee add-ons. Knowing the scripts keeps your trip about Laolongtou sunsets, Shanhaiguan lanes and clean beach days—not bill disputes.
3 Pro Tips
1
Seafood order sheet — write fish type, weight, unit price and total; photo it before handing over.
2
Beidaihe beaches — rent via official kiosks; lifeguard zones are safer and prices posted.
3
Great Wall access — Laolongtou + Old Dragon Head museum are enough; ignore rooftop touts.
4
Transit sanity — from Beidaihe Station, official taxis queue to the right of the exit; plate & meter must be visible.
5
Emergency lines — Police 110 · Hebei tourist hotline 12301. Save them before you hit the sand.
✨ Stay Smart, Stay Safe
Stay sharp and keep Qinhuangdao about sea breezes and wall-meets-ocean panoramas—No Tourist Traps. No BS.