秦皇岛市

Why this place

Qinhuangdao is the place to see the Great Wall walk straight into the ocean at Shanhaiguan — the eastern end of the Ming wall. The city itself is a summer resort on the Bohai coast, and it has been a holiday place since the Qing court went there.

What to see

• Shanhaiguan — the 'First Pass Under Heaven', the gate between the north and the North China Plain
• Laolongtou, where the wall ends in the sea
• Beidaihe beach, a long-standing summer resort with villas from the early twentieth century

What to eat

• Bohai seafood — crab, prawns and clams, steamed simply
• Grilled squid along the beach promenade

Best time

June–September for the coast; May and September for the wall without crowds

Practical tips

• Shanhaiguan is about an hour from Qinhuangdao station; combine the pass and the sea-end in one day