Dalian Lotus Mountain Park 2026: Guide to Viewpoints & Photo Spots
Explore Dalian's Lotus Mountain Park in 2026! Our guide reveals top viewpoints and photo spots for breathtaking cityscapes and Xinghai Bay Bridge panoramas. Plan your visit!
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Explore Dalian's Lotus Mountain Park in 2026! Our guide reveals top viewpoints and photo spots for breathtaking cityscapes and Xinghai Bay Bridge panoramas. Plan your visit!
Your Dalian Adventure Itinerary, China,
Dalian Lianhuashan Park Observation Deck
How to Get to the Photo Spot (with Gaode Map tips)
Words & Photos ©HaiBubu
If you're dreaming of a Dalian getaway,
and pondering where to explore first,
I can't recommend 'Lianhuashan Observation Deck' enough!
From the Lianhuashan Observation Deck, you can soak in Dalian's
stunning panorama at a single glance,
making it absolutely worth a visit!
Today, I'll be your guide to the Dalian Lianhuashan Park Observation Deck and
the Xinghaiwan Bridge photo spot, including how to get there!
First off, you can reach the Lianhuashan Observation Deck by hopping on a sightseeing shuttle from the South Gate, or
taking a cable car from the North Gate.
I opted to go up from South Gate 2.
Since taxi fares are quite affordable in China,
I highly recommend taking a taxi from Dalian city center right to the Lianhuashan Park
entrance.
Just so you know, the taxi fare from the Dalian city area to Lianhuashan Park
came out to be around 20 RMB.
If you're thinking of walking up to the Lianhuashan Observation Deck,
be prepared for a walk of over 30 minutes from the entrance. That's why
I strongly advise you to purchase a sightseeing shuttle ticket and
take the shuttle up to the observation deck.
You can purchase your sightseeing shuttle tickets by following the signs near the entrance.
You'll eventually spot an office door,
and you can head inside to buy them.
Sightseeing Shuttle
Near the office entrance, you'll find a price list similar to the one below.
The 📍one-way sightseeing shuttle ticket is 30 RMB per person,
which is actually quite pricey for Dalian's general cost of living.
(Good to know: children under 1.3 meters ride free when accompanied by a guardian!)
So, my personal tip is to only buy a one-way ticket for the ascent,
and then walk down to the amazing photo spot I'll tell you about below.
Once you've got your sightseeing shuttle ticket in hand,
head straight to the sightseeing shuttle boarding queue, located right at the start of the ascent to the observation deck from the main gate,
and simply wait your turn to board.
Even if the line looks a bit long, don't fret! Several
sightseeing shuttles are running continuously,
so you won't be waiting long at all to hop on.
Once you've boarded the sightseeing shuttle, it's about a
5-minute ride to the observation deck.
The day we visited Lianhuashan Observation Deck was, unfortunately,
a cloudy day with quite a bit of fog hanging around. So naturally,
we went up wondering, 'Will we even see anything?!'
As a fun fact, you might even spot some deer on the way up,
though we didn't get lucky on our journey up.
After hopping off the tour bus, you'll embark on a picturesque 380-meter ascent
to reach the magnificent observatory, a gentle 10-minute stroll away.
As you ascend towards the observatory, you'll start to catch glimpses of something truly special.
You'll see cable cars gracefully ascending from the North Gate,
and the majestic Xinghai Bay Bridge will gradually come into view.
Once you reach the observatory entrance,
you'll find a fantastic photo spot where countless visitors capture memories: the iconic "Dalian" sign.
Make sure to snap your own memorable proof shot here!
If only the weather had been a bit clearer, we could have enjoyed even more spectacular views of Dalian, complete with the majestic Xinghai Bay Bridge.
It was quite a shame, but that's just how travel goes sometimes!
Nevertheless, thanks to the ever-changing sky,
I found a unique charm in the dramatic atmosphere.
While you can already enjoy some decent views from the observatory entrance,
on a clear day, I highly recommend making your way up to the observatory itself.
It's the perfect opportunity to soak in the panoramic vistas and truly relax.
You can easily book your Lotus Mountain Observatory tickets right here:
This special ticket below is a combo set that includes a souvenir,
so if you're planning on picking up a memento,
you can actually book it at a better price than buying it on-site!
▼ Book Your Lotus Mountain Observatory Tickets Here ▼
Unlike most observatories, Lotus Mountain Observatory feels less like a traditional viewing platform and more like a chic café with an incredible vista.
On a day with perfect visibility, the Xinghai Bay Bridge
would be gloriously clear, making this spot truly breathtaking.
At the observatory cafe, you can indulge in delicious pastries and refreshing drinks
all while gazing out at the breathtaking views.
It's the perfect spot to unwind and savor the beauty of your surroundings.
For those of you who might prefer not to go up to the observatory,
at the entrance to the observatory, I highly recommend grabbing a takeaway coffee from 2596 Coffee House.
There are quite a few chairs outside the cafe,
so you can sit back and truly soak in the magnificent views!
So, if you've made it all the way up to Lotus Mountain Observatory,
I'll guide you on how to get to the Xinghaiwan Bridge Photo Spot,
a fantastic spot that's absolutely worth visiting next.
The Xinghaiwan Bridge Photo Spot has recently become incredibly popular
even among locals in China.
It's truly cherished for its unique sight of three bridges
converging at a single point.
First, you'll simply descend along the same path you took to reach the observatory.
Along the way, I even encountered some deer, which was quite a sight!
The deer were surprisingly large, which I found fascinating,
but I also felt a bit intimidated to get too close...!
(They can be aggressive if you get too close.)
As you head down in the direction you came up via the shuttle bus,
you'll eventually see a path branching off to your left.
There isn't a clear signpost, so it might be a bit confusing,
but look for a convex traffic mirror near the turn-off.
That's your cue!
As you continue down the stairs,
you'll come to a fork in the path.
Follow the signpost to the left for 金沙滩 (Jinshatan Beach), which is 1400m away.
If you take the signpost to the right, which is the opposite direction,
you'll end up back at South Gate 2.
The path is entirely downhill and made up of stairs,
so the descent wasn't strenuous at all.
Plus, I got to see many surprisingly cute deer along the way,
which kept things interesting and far from boring!
It took approximately
30-40 minutes to descend from the observatory.
To reach the Xinghaiwan Bridge Photo Spot from here,
you'll need to continue straight along the boardwalk shown in the photos.
Eventually, you'll come to a road with whale paintings on its surface,
and the perfect photo spot will be right next to this road.
As you'd expect from a renowned photo spot in China, here too,
there were so many touts offering souvenir photos.
But when I actually took some shots,
they turned out so incredibly
wide-open and stunning that I thought they were definitely worth paying for!
If you're visiting Lotus Mountain, I highly recommend combining this spot
into your itinerary – it's absolutely worth seeing!
Today, I've taken you through Dalian's iconic spots: the Lotus Mountain Observation Deck and
the Xinghai Bay Bridge Photo Spot.
Even though these are popular tourist attractions, it's surprisingly hard to find detailed reviews,
so I did my best to provide all the essential information a traveler might need.
If you follow the itinerary I shared,
you're sure to capture everything from magnificent scenery to those once-in-a-lifetime photos,
so definitely keep this in mind and go explore!
We recommend taking a taxi from Dalian city center to the entrance of Lianhuashan Park. The taxi fare is approximately 20 CNY.
The one-way fare for the tourist shuttle to Lianhuashan Observation Deck is 30 CNY per person. After boarding the shuttle, it takes about 5 minutes to reach the observation deck. After getting off, you'll need to walk uphill for about 10 minutes for 380 meters.
Personally, I recommend buying a one-way ticket for the ascent and walking down to the Xinghai Bay Bridge Photo Spot. Children under 1.3 meters tall can ride for free when accompanied by a guardian.
On the way down from the observation deck, there's a path turning off to the left. Look for a vehicle corner mirror and enter there. Then, at the fork, follow the sign that says '1400m Jinshatan' (Golden Beach) to the left.
It takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes to walk from Lianhuashan Observation Deck to the Xinghai Bay Bridge Photo Spot. The entire path consists of downhill stairs.
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