14 Days in Yantai

On the 42-metre harbour hill the consulates that moved in after the 1861 treaty-port opening still stand; the southern promenade runs on to the First Bathing Beach.

1. Yantai Hill lighthouse
2. Binhai Square

Suochengli wraps around a Ming garrison of 1398; the Fujian Guild Hall, begun in 1884, was assembled from carved timber shipped north, and Chaoyang Street takes the evening.

1. Suochengli old garrison town
2. Fujian Guild Hall
3. Chaoyang Historic Street

Founded in 1892 with its cellar dug from 1894 to 1905, Changyu closes its tour with a tasting; the city museum adds the treaty-port years and the local fruit trade.

1. Changyu Wine Culture Museum
2. Yantai Museum

About 10 kilometres of sand west of downtown; summer swimmers fill the water and shore stalls grill the morning catch — an unhurried full day.

1. Golden Beach

Over the short bridge — legend says the First Emperor pastured horses here on his eastern tour of 219 BC — for cove walks, a seafood lunch and village lanes away from the crowds.

1. Yangma Island

The pavilion has watched the strait since 1061 and the eight-immortals legend still runs the souvenir stalls; Qi Jiguang, born 1528, has his own street. An overnight in Penglai sets up the islands.

1. Penglai Pavilion
2. Qi Jiguang hometown streets

About 40 minutes and 45 yuan one way by ferry, with year-round sailings that thin in winter and stop in high winds; on the 32-island chain between two seas, Jiuzhang Cliff drops near 70 metres and Moon Bay is all round white pebbles. Homestay night.

1. Changdao islands
2. Jiuzhang Cliff
3. Moon Bay pebble beach

The island's Mazu temple of 1122 anchors the archipelago's seafaring faith; loops past the bird island sail April-October only — June is gull-chick season. Boat and rail back to Yantai by evening.

1. Miao Island Mazu temple
2. Changdao islands boat loop

A deliberately slow day — market stalls in the morning, a long seafood lunch, an afternoon of coffee on the promenade; cherry carts appear in May and June, apples from September.

1. Yantai seafood market
2. Binhai Square

Southeast in Muping district, the range tops out at Taiboding, 923 metres; after Wang Chongyang began teaching nearby in 1167 his disciples trained in caves such as Yanxia, and trails mix with a cable car.

1. Kunyu Mountain

Intercity rail covers the hop east to neighboring Weihai in under an hour; the island fortress offshore housed the Beiyang Fleet from 1888 and its museum ships tell the 1894-95 war. Overnight in Weihai.

1. Liugong Island

A long day best done with a hired car — Rongcheng's headland, an hour and a half east of Weihai city, is billed as the mainland's easternmost point, with sea cliffs, a lighthouse and heavy surf; expect most of the afternoon on the road back to Yantai.

1. Chengshan Headland

An inland detour to Qixia county for the walled manor begun in the early 1700s, with several hundred rooms of courtyard halls — and apple country all around, at its busiest from late September. Return to Yantai for the last night.

1. Mou's Manor

A market breakfast and one last walk along the water before the train; boxes of apples, cherries in season and dried seafood all travel well.

1. Yantai seafood market
2. Binhai Square