Amazing Dalian

	Dalian

Wedged between the Yellow and Bohai Seas on the southern cusp of the Liaodong Peninsula, Dalian enjoys five-star status as one of China's premiere cities. Known as the "Hong Kong of the North," it is one of China's few "open door cities" that allows foreign investors. As a result, Dalian glows with a cosmopolitan swagger full of vacationer-happy charisma.　Plus,　a　surrounding geographic wealth of beaches and mountains, all with just-minutes-from-downtown-accessibility, lend it the kind of outdoor options normally only associated with Hawaii. Over the last 20 years, Dalian's emphasis on amplifying its tourism industry has helped elevate it into "Must Visit" status, ranking it with other such China heavies as Shanghai and Beijing.
For historical reasons, the city, much like Hong Kong, was infused with Russian, Japanese, and European architectural influences. These former "symbols" of foreign repression are now fully embraced as part of Dalian's worldly charm.