Laoshan Scenic Area, Qingdao

Mount Lao, located in eastern Qingdao and bordering the Yellow Sea on its east and south sides, enjoys the reputation of being a "famous mountain on the sea." Its highest peak is Jufeng, approximately 1100 meters above sea level. With its majestic, spectacular, unique, and beautiful scenery, Mount Lao has become a renowned Taoist mountain. The Taoist temples, sunrise, and cloud sea of Mount Lao are all well-known.

Mount Lao is mainly composed of seven scenic tourist areas: Jufeng, Liuqing, Taiqing, Qipanshi, Yangkou, Beijiushui, and Hualou. There are four tour routes, including three land routes (South Line, East Line, and Middle Line) and one water route. The scenery of these scenic spots, such as Jufeng Xuzhao (Jufeng Sunrise), Taiqing Shuiyue (Taiqing Moonlit Night), Haijiao Xiandun (Seashore Fairy Pier), Hualou Dieshi (Hualou Stacked Rocks), and Jiushui Mingyi (Nine Water Ripples), together constitute the Twelve Scenic Spots of Mount Lao.

Hualou is far from the sea and not located in the Mount Lao scenic area, so there are fewer tourists. Beijiushui is beautiful for its water, with streams and springs everywhere in the scenic area, making for beautiful scenery. For the average tourist, Jufeng and the Liuqing-Yangkou line are truly worth visiting, and each of these routes is enough for a day. Jufeng and Yangkou are precisely where the natural beauty of Mount Lao lies.

The Liuqing-Yangkou line, also known as the South Line, is an early-developed scenic area of Mount Lao. It is close to the coastline and has the celebrity attraction of Taiqing Palace, making it the route most people take when visiting Mount Lao. The basic route into the scenic area is Liuqing-Taiqing Palace Scenic Area-Huayan Temple, with the destination being Yangkou. Since the essence of this route lies in Yangkou, it is recommended that you arrange your time well for visiting the preceding attractions.

Taiqing Palace – the setting of the story of the Taoist of Mount Lao in "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio." Back then, Pu Songling came to this place, and inspired by seeing Taiqing Palace, he wrote "The Taoist of Mount Lao" here. Tourists can see the wall through which the Taoist of Mount Lao in Pu Songling's writings passed. Huayan Temple – the existing Buddhist temple in Mount Lao.

Since Yangkou is close to the Yellow Sea, you can see the sea and feel the breeze here. Of course, in addition to the beautiful scenery, Yangkou also has the challenging Mitian Cave. This cave is winding, steep, and narrow. In the dark, you can't see your fingers, and in the narrow parts, you can barely pass through with your body stuck, which greatly increases the fun of the tour. You can walk or take a cable car to Mitian Cave, and climb to the top of the mountain to take pictures, see the scenery, and overlook the Yellow Sea. Also, remember to bring a flashlight so you can enjoy the beauty of the cave.

In addition to Yangkou, the second beautiful scenery of Mount Lao is in the Jufeng Scenic Area. Jufeng is where the main peak of Mount Lao is located, with Laoding being the highest point. This is mainly about climbing mountains and is the most physically demanding part of Mount Lao tourism. Jufeng has overlapping rocks and a magnificent momentum. On a clear day, you can see the sea, and on a cloudy day, you can see the sea of clouds. Watching the sunrise on Laoding, you can see the beautiful and captivating picture.