Septemberfest in Qingdao

China and its thousands of years of history can get weighty and overwhelming, and sometimes you just need to change to somewhere that was barely on the maps a mere 150 years ago. The country’s new 240-hour visa-free transit policy presents the perfect excuse to veer off the ancient trails and drop into Qingdao, on eastern China’s Shandong Peninsula, next fall for its Septemberfest.

Tsingtao Beer, based in Qingdao, is a springboard into China for many foreigners, and remains the country’s top export beer and second domestic label. Indeed, the two Chinese beer brands that will be found on most “World Beer Tour” menus in North American bars are Tsingtao and Harbin. So, if you drink beer and visit China, remember that the city of Qingdao is not far from Beijing, it’s on the coast, and local vendors will sell you beer there in a plastic bag. That experience alone should be enough for a visit.

Qingdao’s relatively short history in comparison to many other cities in China doesn’t diminish its relevance to the modern days, as its beer culture can be traced to the very moment European powers began scrambling to secure spheres of influence in the waning Qing Empire (1644-1911). The location that would become Qingdao was just a fishing village when the Germans captured a fort there and began building in 1897.

Today, Qingdao is celebrated in China for its role in the May 4th Movement, which is still tied directly to the beer. When Germany’s overseas territories were being split up after its loss in World War I, foreign powers still didn’t concede control of Qingdao to China. The ultimate legacy today is May 4th Square in central Qingdao in memory of the May 4th Movement marking a new stage in the struggle against imperialism and feudalism in Chinese history. The May Wind sculpture in the square evokes the winds of change as well as the moderate weather of spring, offering a photo option against the ocean and skyline in the background.

Considering the Germans were only there for about 20 years and never came back, their structures are remarkably well-preserved including a Lutheran Church and a Catholic church in the “Old Town” area. The municipal museum is housed in the former German governor’s mansion. Obviously, there is a beer museum and beer street to which you don’t need directions.

The climate is wonderful most of the year, and even on the hottest days of summer, the coastal breeze knocks the temperature a few degrees down. This is one the most efficient wind-power producing places in China. But if you wait until the end of summer and visit Qingdao in September, the temperatures are perfect and you can hit up the Beer Festival, fittingly preceding Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

Qingdao is a perfect off-the-beaten path but not that far kind-of-destination. It’s another oft overlooked Chinese city of seven million. You can get there by high-speed train from Beijing in about three hours and find hotels anywhere from the very high end to the humble. You will find a wide variety of Western choices if needed, but you have to try the local seafood which is nationally renowned.

The Chinese tourists from other places are likely there for the food more than anything. Maybe Dalian is Maine and Qingdao is Boston if they were to be likened to seafood locations in the United States. Highly recommended dishes tend to feature clams, oysters, and abalone. In Shandong-style seafood restaurants most order steamed fish and fried squid. Qingdao noodles are served with a variety of toppings like seafood, beef, and vegetables and can be found everywhere.

Several beaches beckon, and Shilaoren is ideal for swimming, whereas “Bathing Beach” is known for those staying in the sand. A cable car will take you up the local sacred Taoist mountain—Mount Laoshan, so this is really the sort of place you’re going to get some bucket list selfies and have fabulous stories to tell your friends.

The museums and aquariums are top notch, and you can take a boat to one of several islands to go hiking if you’re so inclined. Experts will tell you the Tsingtao Beer consumed in Qingdao is actually superior due to the water and climate—a secret recipe unavailable anywhere else like McDonald’s Coke. Take a break in Qingdao, but set an alarm for the 240 hours or you’re going to need to go get a tourist visa. 

Scott Huntsman is an American expert in Chinese culture based in Los Angeles