Boasting a newly recognized "national tourism and resort zone", the Phoenix Peninsula in Qingdao West Coast New Area is heading towards being among China's top resort destinations.

Phoenix Peninsula covers 21 square kilometers and stretches out over 54 km of coastline that includes the 3.5-km long Golden Beach, which is a national-level 4A scenic spot, China's second-highest such ranking.

With cautious protection of its natural environment, tourism products in the zone have diversified in recent years, including the addition of several high-end hotels, such as a Wyndam, The Lalu and a Hilton, entertainment parks, yacht and cruise ship ports, sports centers and museums.

A private shell museum in the zone displays the area's natural history with about 4,260 kinds of shell samples and more than 130 varieties of shell fossils. The museum's collections come from over 60 countries.

Riocarnival, a mixed functional commercial compound, features an ultra-large indoor water sports theme park, luxury hotels, restaurants, and villa condos.

Traditionally a fishing area, the peninsula is strewn with seaborne angling programs and seafood restaurants along the coastline to its affiliated island, Zhuchadao.

It is also home to three famous mountains - Langyatai, an ancient sea worshipping site graced by China's first emperor, Qinshihuang, Zhushan Hill and Cangmashan Hill.

The Zhushan National Forest Park, dubbed as the area's green lung, has recently undergone expansion of its green coverage by 50,000 square meters.

The park has also enhanced infrastructure with 19 new bathrooms, 550 dust bins and 45 km of newly built roads.

It will also accommodate Wanda Group's $4.5 billion film studios which are under construction.

From last summer, Phoenix Peninsula has been the venue for the Qingdao International Beer Festival, and has China's largest coastal beer plaza.

A carnival, a drifting game, and a circus show bring additional fun to visitors apart from beer drinking and partying.

This year the 26th Qingdao International Beer Festival Huangdao Main Venue again takes place along the Golden Beach from July 29 to Aug 29.

Featuring a "smart" beer festival, organizers have upgraded the landscape, infrastructure and the number of the venue's operational features. They have also built a beer garden street featuring wooden houses, a museum of beer culture and a beach boardwalk.

The festival highlights Qingdao's first live outdoor show, a newly built beer culture museum, a robot dance show, beer tents run by multinational beer brands, light shows and a boulevard of stars.

Contact the writers at xiechuanjiao@chinadaily.com.cn and huqing@chinadaily.com.cn

Visitors to Qingdao cheer at the main venue of the 26th Qingdao International Beer Festival located in Huangdao. The event will last for a month in August.

(China Daily 08/02/2016 page12)