If you want to learn Chinese in a coastal city in China, you may choose Dalian as your destination in north China and Xiamen in south China.

Dalian is the capital city of Liaoning province. It’s an important city and port in north China and a beautiful touring destination.

What is it like to study and live in Dalian? Is it the best destination on your list? We will find it out together!

Climate of Dalian

Dalian is located at the southern end of the Liaodong Peninsula in north China, bordering Yellow and Bohai. The climate of Dalian is characterized by a warm temperate semi-humid monsoon climate and an oceanic climate. Coupled with Dalian’s geographical environment, which is surrounded by mountains on one side and the sea on three sides, the climate of Dalian is characterized by four distinct seasons, mild climate, humid air, concentrated precipitation period, and strong wind. The annual average temperature here is 8-11°C, decreasing from the south towards the north, making it the warmest area in Northeast China.

However, there are scorching days in the summertime as well. It is possible that you cannot settle well with the heatwave from June to September. If you’re looking for a more liveable city to stay in, I would recommend Kunming city for you. You would even need no air conditioner in the summertime; the highest temperature of Kunming in summer is no more than 28℃. There are more interesting facts about the climate of Yunnan province, where Kunming city is located. Finding out more through this post, Climate of Different Places in Yunnan

Main transportations in Dalian

Dalian is a hilly area with a lot of slopes. It is not safe and convenient to ride a bicycle here. Therefore, there are no bicycle lanes on the roads, and some Dalian people even do not know how to ride a bicycle. If you want to travel a little farther, public transportation is a more convenient option. Moreover, the buses in Dalian are electric, which is relatively stable and environmentally friendly. Dalian’s bus signs are also well planned; the routes and stops are very clearly marked on the board. Dalian also has a subway system. There are three lines in total, which can basically reach every corner of Dalian. Like other big cities in China, Dalian subways will be crowded with people; the buses and private cars on the road will lead to a traffic jam during the morning and evening peak hours, which sometimes will last for more than half an hour.

What types of transportation can you take in China? Learn about the 6 TYPES OF MAIN TRANSPORTATION WHEN YOU LIVE IN CHINA

The commodity price

Though Dalian is not a top-tier city in China, the costs of living in Dalian are not that low as you imagine. The price of most of the commodities here is as high as it costs in Beijing. The price of fruits is also high here for Dalian is located in the north, and most of the fruits here are transported from other places.  

The advantage of living here could be the house renting fee. The renting price here is much lower than in Beijing, but still not that economical compared with other liveable cities, such as Kunming.

As the capital city of Yunnan province, Kunming city is praised as the eternal spring city of China. It boasts the mildest climate and the cleanest air, but it won’t charge you a penny on this top-quality feature. The price of both commodities and houses here is relatively low compared with other capital cities.

If you’re learning here with the best Chinese language school, Keats School, you will find it even much cheaper to live and study in Kunming. Your tuition fee of learning at Keats School will cover almost every daily expense item, including meals, accommodation, entertainment events, exercise facility, and other facilities for Keats Students.

Reading the post to have a more comprehensive view of how much it costs to learn Chinese in China. 

Spots to visit

In a coastal city like Dalian, many pretty scenes of the city are distributed next to the seashore, the bay, and the beach. Aside from the view of the sea, there are also lots of modern squares in Dalian for daily entertainment activities, enjoying foods and drinks from different places, and other characteristic shops for shopping.

The scenery of Dalian is good but not diverse enough when you want to explore more. When talking about the place with the riches touring spots and resources, it must come to Yunnan province, where Kunming belongs.

Not only the cultural and historical sites you can visit here, such as the Daguan Building, Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in Dali, and Courtyard of Bai group, but more natural amazing landscapes to enjoy. The Tibetan group live in the Shangri-La of north Yunnan can bring peace and tranquillity into your trip; the Lugu lake and Naxi group will present you both primitive Matriarchal system and pure of nature; the tropical Xishuangbanna will bring you so much fun with the Songkran festival and its representative dai cuisine.      

If you are studying in Kunming, there are 6 PARKS YOU MUST SEE IN KUNMING.

Delicious Foods to try

As a coastal city, you can find various kinds of seafood to enjoy in Dalian. However, I’m sure you are willing to try more authentic Chinese foods, especially the cuisine of ethnic minority groups in Yunnan, China. 

As a land inhabited by 25 minority groups and benefited from its rich natural resources, you can enjoy a large range of characteristics cuisines here. From fancy restaurants to vendors and stands on the streets, there is a series of typical foods of Yunnan, including the 10 DISHES YOU MUST TRY WHEN YOU LEARN CHINESE IN KUNMING.

Dalian is a pretty coastal city to enjoy the beach and sunshine, but when summer is gone, Kunming, the city as fresh and soft as the spring season, can bring you more joy and surprise for learning Mandarin in China.