Knowledge Base

The goal of Discover Dalian is to introduce this special city to the world in English. Even if a people never come for a visit, or use these services, they can still enjoy what Dalian has to offer. Every effort has been made to compile an extensive index of original and useful information. It is by no means the most complete or authoritative resource, but closer to it than exists otherwise. While SongLi does have connections with the Municipal Government of Dalian and is recognized for his efforts to promote the city, Discover Dalian is a private venture with no outside influences or attachments.

Question: What are the basic city statistics of Dalian? Answer: Location: 3843' - 4010' North latitude and 12058' - 123 East longitude, at the southernmost point of Liaodong Peninsula, with the Yellow Sea to its East and the Bohai Sea to its West. Neighboring Areas: Jilin Province, Hebei Provinces, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Physical Features: Surrounded by sea on three sides it is one of China's three most mountainous regions. Population: 6 million + Area: 12,578 sq km Nationalities: Han, Korean Early History: In the Tang Dynasty, it was called "Lion Mouth" for its inaccessibility. In 1371, it was settled by troops sent by the Emperor of Ming Dynasty, when the Port of Lushun was reinforced from the population of Shandong. It was then known as "Qingni Wa" under the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Climate: located in the warm temperate zone of the North Hemisphere, it has no extreme coldness in winter or harsh heat in summer and enjoys four distinct seasons. Average Temperature: 8.4C - 10.5C with a high of 35C and a low of 24C Rainfall: annual precipitation of 600 mm to 790 mm Agriculture: grain, corn, potato, soybean, cotton, peanut, tobacco Local Specialties: Apples, Yellow Peach, Grapes, Cherries, Shrimp, Abalones, Sea Cucumbers

Question: What is the tour experience? Answer: My idea is that visiting Dalian should include interacting with the environment, not being isolated from it. Taking a tour that is little more than driving around on a sealed limobus all day is slightly better than watching a documentary on your TV at home. Discover Dalian tours allow you to touch, and not just look. As your personal tour guide, you will get 100% of my attention, which is why tour groups are limited in size.

Question: Why the need to offer a personal touch? Answer: You can always hire a driver to move you from point A to point B in any city in any country in the world. So why rely on a friend to show you around when you arrive in a new town? Obviously, because a friend will show you the real side of it that a tourism brochure will not. Even if you go to "tourist" places, the context and pace is not the same. Think of my tour as visiting a friend in another city. There will be the personal touch that you would expect, along with a high level of professionalism you can trust.

Question: Where did your interest in Dalian come from? Answer: The region of "Manchuria" still holds much mystery in the minds of Americans. My grandfather was a famous American Civil War historian. As I grew up outside of Atlanta, I began to share his passion. So when life brought me to Dalian's doorstep, I was immediately intrigued by its fascinating yet little remembered history.

Question: What inspired the various tour packages you offer? Answer: There is not a street in this city that I have not walked. So it is with this knowledge that I formulated different combinations of attractions for visitors to enjoy. Some people like to be active, while others prefer a slower pace. I am proud to say that Dalian enjoys so much diversity that I can offer numerous tour packages without overlapping a single destination. The content of tours originated from private excursions I organized for visiting family and friends.

Question: With your celebrity status and accomplishments, why would you want to be a tour guide? Answer: I don't think of myself as a tour guide, some guy in a uniform leading a pack of people around by waving a colored flag. I love Dalian and feel that it is my city. I want to share my interest with the world, and this opportunity allows me to use my other talents and interests in a creative way. This is also why I offer free photographic services, to document a visitor's adventure during my tour. Plus, if people share my interest and want to see Dalian, then these are the kind of people I want to be around. My idea for Discover Dalian has the dual benefit of filling a service void for this city and letting me do the things I enjoy most.

Question: Why do you offer photographic services on your tours? Answer: I am an internationally recognized, award winning photographer. You certainly do not need my level of skill to take your tourist photos,. But since I am already your personal guide, taking your picture is an extra service I like to offer. No more pictures with someone missing because they were taking the photo. No need to find a trusted stranger who has some idea of how to compose a picture. No worry about how the photographs will turn out. No waiting for your disposable film camera to be developed. And no worry about low resolution digital images that turn out blurry. I provide a photo documentary of your visit as an extra service. It will not be an extensive moment by moment account, since I cannot guide and take photos at the same time. But with my photo journalistic style, I can guarantee a wide selection of images covering key moments in your tour. What better way to remember your trip and share the adventure with friends and family?

Question: Is the photo documentary service completely free? Answer: Yes, it is part of the tour service. In addition, these high resolution images will be organized and edited overnight and made into an interactive CD-ROM. When you get home, you can have prints made of any image you want up to 8 x 10 in size. This disc will be delivered to your hotel room first thing the next morning, so you can take it along if you are departing for another destination without delay. Also, a private web site will be produced containing your snapshots. It will be posted over-night so you can instantly share your day's events with friends around the world. No need to wait until you get home and unpack from a long trip. Leaving for Beijing tomorrow? Because of the difference in time zones, your family back home can see what you did in Dalian today - while it is still today.

Question: Do you offer any other photographic services? Answer: A DVD slide show can also be produced overnight for early morning delivery for $19.99. If you plan to be in Dalian an extra day and want to have actual photographic prints developed, I also offer this same day service. Most travelers prefer not to carry more things around, like photos and photo albums. And sorting through images will also take some time. However, if this is something that interests you, we can work out the price and details to suit your needs.

Question: Where do you get the photographs of tour locations presented on this site? Answer: Local organized tour companies use approved stock photos from the tourism administration. I use only photos that I have personally taken. In most cases, I think these photos are actually better, but certainly they offer a more realistic presentation of what will be seen. Instead of the same, over used, and out-of-date image to represent numerous locations, I have tried to offer a representative sample. The pictures are by no means an extensive walkthrough. After all, I am not offering a Virtual Tour. Unless otherwise noted (as with the historical images) all photography on this site was taken by me and for which I hold copyright ownership. Anyone interested in obtaining a copy of these images may do so from the Discover Dalian Shop.

Question: Do any of your tours overlap their content? Answer: While some tours crisscross general areas that are required to pass through, no tour offers any duplicate location or activity. So if a visitor wanted to take every tour featured by Discover Dalian, they would never see the same thing twice. No tour service in Dalian offers such a complex and diverse listing of tours.

Question: How did your idea for Discover Dalian develop? Answer: After my novel Blue Sky Red Tears met with popular success in America, the story inspired a renewed interest in Dalian, where the story was based. Requests for more information about the city, including its influence in the Chinese Civil War, became overwhelming. My family and friends from America also came to Dalian, and enjoyed my efforts to show them around. I had to do a lot of research to write my novel, and still travel the city daily for my photographic interests. So it gave me a complete look at Dalian from its current and historic perspectives. When I realized that there was no service to meet the growing need of English speaking tourists, and no one who knew the city with as intimate of a connection as I did, creating Discover Dalian seemed like a logical step.

Question: Are there any other tour companies like Discover Dalian in the city of Dalian? Answer: No. However, having said that, as my tour service becomes more and more popular, clients should please be aware of imitations. Can you really trust a company that ripped-off my ideas and materials? China is noted for intellectual property rights violations. Which is why all my photography has my copyright mark on it. If you see these images reprocessed on other web sites, you know they were stolen and used without permission. Also, if other tour packages are identical (or very similar) and their prices are far less, then these companies have also taken all my web pages and research without authorization. Note: I am diligent in my research and respect for IPR. If, in the course of your internet viewing, you come across another site which you feel has pirated my content, please let me know. I am always happy to reward for such information.

Question: Are there cheaper tour companies in Dalian? Answer: Yes, this is China so you will always find someone willing to do something cheaper. But you do get what you pay for (and sometimes not even that). Clients can always hire a local student who speaks a little English to guide them around. The Discover Dalian web site already provides a wealth of information, so that resourceful and adventurous clients can take some tours by themselves. But I offer a premium service as a complete and worry-free package, for what I believe is a reasonable price. There is nothing in Dalian like my service to even compare to. But as soon as someone does copy me, you will have to judge for yourself what is the better value.

Question: Why are your rates more than a local tour service? Answer: That's like asking why a fast food hamburger is cheaper than a meal at a steakhouse. Local tours in Dalian are geared for Chinese people, with the exception being the thriving Japanese tourist market (which are both exclusive and expensive). In either case, neither the language nor style is a good fit for tourists from native English speaking countries. There are plenty of tours where visitors can endured the cattle car style bus rides, where they are herded from one location to another almost by conveyor belt. And remember, Chinese advertising is not bound by strict laws. Often ploys such as bate and switch are used, like offering off-season prices during tourist season, or cheap tickets that cannot be found at the time of purchase. Another common trick is to offer a low tour price, which slowly becomes inflated as additional hidden costs are revealed along the way.

Question: What discounts do you offer? Answer: I prefer to give one-to-one tours, but not everyone travels alone. Couples or groups of three are preferred, and why I offer discount incentives to reduce the total cost. Please refer to the discount section for complete details.

Question: How do you define a tour group? Answer: The term "group" refers to how many people are in a tour party. If it is just you, or you and a spouse, that is considered a group. All members of a group must have a personal connection, which means no member can be a stranger enlisted to join the group.

Question: What is your policy for relationships within a tour group? Answer: A basic tour company has seats on a bus that need to be filled. One body is as good as another, and the bus does not leave until the seats are filled. This is not the case with the Discover Dalian service. I fill by date, regardless of the tour group size. I do not take strangers and put them together as a group to fill my schedule. So if one person books a tour for a particular day, and three other people want the same day, I do not combine them. All bookings are given on a first come, first serve basis. You will never travel with someone in our group that you do not know. My tours are limited to a maximum group of four people. A tour cannot be personal if it herds around too many people who do not know each other.

Question: Is bike riding a good way to explore Dalian? Answer: While the bicycle is a symbolic icon of transportation in China, it is an excluded feature of Dalian. The coastal city is located in one of the most mountainous regions in the country, which makes riding any non-powered vehicle a great labor. So it is no surprise that Dalian is truly a car city, and lacks even bike paths found in other urban Chinese towns. (Note: Dalian does have an extensive bus and trolley system, in addition to a plentiful and inexpensive taxi network.)

Question: What type of transportation is used on your tours? Answer: Discover Dalian offers personalized tours, which means it is a balance of both commercial, public, and private transportation. How clients will travel in the city will depend on a few factors, chiefly being their hotel location and the tour selected. For example, if their hotel is in the historic area, which is on a walking tour they have selected, then there is little need to use an air conditioned bus all day. Tours that require transportation between long distances will either use a private care (4 people in a group will use a van), public taxi service, light rail, or other public transportation depending on logistical and time considerations. While taking a local city bus or vintage trolley is not the chief method for clients to move between locations, the experience is fun and unique. All tours are built around this principle, of exposure to a local feel and way of life. Many clients are comfortable with the idea and take certain tours just for this reason. Each tour details the transportation methods used. Clients with special needs should present their request during the reservation process.

Question: How does Dalian compare to other national-level cities? Answer: People are finally discovering that there is so much more to China than the usual Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Hong Kong tours. There is the "museum" China which is wonderful for tourists to see. And there is the "real" China, which is every bit as interesting if less historical. Just as there are many different types of tourists, I offer different types of tours. And just like some destinations do not appeal to every taste, my tours are not for everyone either.

Question: How fast is Dalian changing? Answer: This is a historic era, and not just for China. As the nation grows into a legitimate world power, it is perhaps the most interesting time to see the effects first hand. Dalian is no exception to these sweeping changes. Considered the best example of modern Chinese city, Dalian is fair representation for the country and its direction of development. It is one thing to read about the opening up of a country, another to see it with your own eyes. Not since Japan opened up to the West in the 1870s has any country gone though such a rapid drive to modernize. History is in the making now in China, and Dalian is one of the major cities at its center.

Question: Why should I visit Dalian if so much of the old colonial charm is now torn-down? Answer: Dalian is the largest seaport in Northern China, and is an international hub for Korea and Japan. Because of this close proximity to these two countries, it has a long history connected to them. Russia also had a special relationship, having occupied the city on more than one occasion in its history. Only until recently have American and Europeans begun to discover the city, and what a true jewel it is. The Dalian Tourism board tries very hard to promote the city. But simply calling it the Hong Kong of the Northeast is not a fair comparison in the minds of most Western thinkers. If I had to compare Dalian to any American city, I would say it is like Seattle (minus the rain). It is the best kept secret in China. This is not because it is kept as a secret as much as the mega-cities like Beijing and Shanghai overshadow everything else in the country when it comes to tourism. Dalian does not have all the historical marvels like Xi'an or other ancient cities. And because it was once both a Russian and Japanese colony, it is hard for the Chinese pride to promote this fact. While certainly interesting to foreigners and one of the most compelling reasons to visit the city, it is at the same time an issue that the city government does not feel comfortable to promote. The Lushun District is a good case in point

Question: What is left of Dalian's colonial past? Answer: For decades it seemed as if Dalian was frozen in time. Historical reference photos around town show little change from the Japanese surrender in 1945 to the mid-1980s. However, within a short span of time after that, Dalian has rejuvenated its look by leaps and bounds. New high rise office buildings and shopping centers go up, old Japanese and European homes come down. Every year brings more renovation, reconstruction, and demolition to the city. As a result, many of the vintage areas have been erased and replaced. Yet many of the chief historical landmarks remain and are protected. But it is becoming harder to find old neighborhoods where visitors can stroll, as if they were walking back in time to the colonial era. Even though these locations are rundown and generally thought to be an eyesore, they are becoming extinct on a daily basis. This should not discourage travelers from visiting Dalian, but should make them mindful that this city (like any other caught in China's economic boom) is undergoing a metamorphisis. Beijing and Shanghai have wiped-out most of their ethnic and historical areas, so Dalian is not alone in this process.

Question: How did events in Dalian city effect the world? Answer: It is hard to simply state historical events of such dramatic proportions. But the evolution and influence of Dalian is evident when considering the following: The tactics and strategic thinking for the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese fleet came from the sneak attack on the Russian Fleet anchored at Port Arthur (Lushun) in 1904. The American Naval fleet was attacked to prevent America from stopping Japan's expansion through Asia. This expansion began after the first Sino-Japanese War in 1894-95, and was later reinforced by the conquest of Manchuria. As the source responsible for expansion into China, The South Manchuria Railway was based in Dalian, which was the chief economic port and naval base in Manchuria.

Question: Is there any way I can get into the restricted "Foreigner Forbidden" zones in Lushun District? Answer: Lushun District is home to some of the most historic battlefields in the former Manchurian region. Most of the major land battles took place there, and were pivotal to Russia's loss during the 1904-05 war which allowed Japan to colonize then entire region. Even though China has opened up in the past few decades, many aspects of its closed door policy remain. Distrust of foreigners is a complex issue, related to sensitive historical points. Many Japanese tourists want to visit Lushun, but it is the memories of this troubled history that do not make them welcome. Nor does the local government want other foreigners to pass judgment on these past events. This even includes Russians, who also have a special connection to the area, first as colonizers then as liberators. The fact that China's largest Northern Naval fleet is located in Lushun is also the most compelling reason why foreigners are forbidden from many areas in the district. These historic battlefields were fought on mountains and in locations that all give strategic vantage points to the deployment of China's Naval forces. Obviously, in today's world a satellite or local spy could give a much better view, but some old-style thinking remains.

Question: Can you offer travel information about coming to visit China? Answer: There are many complete and extensive sources of travel information about coming to China. It is impossible for me to compete with them and offer the same service, without directly copying their resources and materials. Therefore, the focus of this site and my service is centered directly on my relationship to Dalian. I live here, I know the city, and sharing it with the world is what I can do best.

Question: Can you make a hotel reservation for me in Dalian? Answer: I am happy to make recommendations about places to stay in Dalian, based on taste and budget. However, I am not a hotel reservation system and I have no wish to be one. Each hotel has a dedicated web site and staff for helping visitors book their rooms. I am always happy to help clients of my tours with many value added services, but I do not have the time, interest, or resources to offer a public-wide system.

Question: Why do you not offer hotel and other local information, like nightlife and places to eat, on your web site? Answer: There is no central clearing house of information about Dalian. Many sources provide information that has been re-copied from unverifiable sources and then not kept up-to-date. Instead of offering half-baked information to appeal to limited tastes, I prefer to take the personalized approach and help clients on an individual basis. Nightlife attractions and eating preferences differ drastically, and Dalian's social scene changes are rapidly as its commercial expansion. My tours are based on my experience and personal knowledge, so I will not take the cheap way out and reprocess a list of venues I have no direct knowledge of.

Question: Can you help me find companionship during my visit? Answer: Discover Dalian is not an escort service. Nor are such references provided. Like a Concierge, recommendations about nightlife and popular social spots can be offered. After that, clients are on their own to pursue any private arrangements. Please remember that foreigners seeking "companionship" are often targeted by police or hustlers seeking to extort a profit.

Question: Do you have any special arrangements with locations offered on your tours? Answer: No, I do not have any preferential relationships. I get no discounts and accept no fees, kick-backs, or other promotional considerations. The destinations on the tours offered by Discover Dalian are either certified places of note by the city, or places of interest I think people will want to see. That is why a variety of tours are offered, to appeal to the various tastes of visitors.

Question: Can you help me shop during a tour? Answer: I enjoy shopping in Dalian, and the market bazar style atmosphere of many venues. I can speak Chinese well enough to help clients negotiate the best prices for things we discover along the way. Plus, I have lived here long enough to know what items are counterfeit, or where to go to find particular things. I even offer a complete day of shopping as a tour for bargain hunters and collectors. Local products in general are still fairly cheap, so foreigners do not realize how much they are over charged. Of course, it is the worst during tourist season when the flow of money and visitors to the city adds incentive to increase profits.

Question: Can you offer any safety tips? Answer: Whatever advice I could offer about being safe in Dalian could apply to any city in China, or any city in the world for that matter. They generally involve common sense things, and are usually noted in virtually every travel guide. Compared with many other countries, China is considered one of the safest destinations in the world for personal security. Although petty crime has increased in recent years, serious crime against foreigners is relatively rare. Visitors should also be aware of political sensitivities with the Chinese government, and avoid any actions or behavior that would bring attention from the Public Security Forces.

Question: Are any UNESCO's World Heritage sites near Dalian? Answer: The Imperial Palace in the city of Shenyang, is three hours North of Dalian by train. The site was included in the extension of the Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties sites in Beijing, inscribed in 1987. The property is now to be known as the Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang. The Imperial Palace of the Qing Dynasty in Shenyang consists of 114 buildings, constructed between 1625-26 and 1783. It contains an important library and testifies to the foundation of the last dynasty that ruled China, before it expanded its power to the center of the country and moved the capital to Beijing. This palace then became auxiliary to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its remarkable architectural edifice offers important historical testimony to the history of the Qing Dynasty and to the cultural traditions of the Manchu and other tribes in North China.

Question: Does Discover Dalian offer any franchising opportunities to other Chinese cities? Answer: This is a very specialized and unique tour service, so it is impossible to duplicate it in other cities since I live in Dalian. However, I do have clients who move on to visit other cities and always seek my recommendations. Therefore, if you share my vision to offer high quality and personalized tours of other cities, I would consider adding you to my affiliate network. Please contact Discover Dalian for our guidelines. Note: I have very high standards and will not recommend any private service that is not qualified. Prospective affiliates must know their city intimately, be able to plan and manage tours at a professional level, and have a high level of photographic and English speaking abilities.

Question: Does Discover Dalian have any affiliate services in other Chinese cities? Answer: Not at present, but work is under way to offer such services in two other locations: Discover Shenyang and Discover Qingdao.

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