Liujiawan Seaside Foraging Park

The Liujiawan Seaside Foraging Park covers a total planned area of 5.15 square kilometers and boasts a 5.4-kilometer-long golden coastline. During low tide, there is a 13,000-mu intertidal zone with flat, fine-sand beaches and vast space, rich in over 40 types of shellfish and crabs, mainly including razor clams, cockles, square clams, whelks, mud snails, horseshoe crabs…

Liujiawan Seaside Foraging Park

Liujiawan Seaside Foraging Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a science education base.

I. Overview

The Liujiawan Seaside Foraging Park covers a total planned area of 5.15 square kilometers and boasts a 5.4-kilometer-long golden coastline. During low tide, there is a 13,000-mu intertidal zone with flat, fine-sand beaches and vast space, rich in over 40 types of shellfish and crabs, mainly including razor clams, cockles, square clams, whelks, mud snails, horseshoe crabs, and flower crabs.

The original tourism project at Liujiawan Seaside Foraging Park was simply foraging for seafood, with visitors mainly coming from inland cities within the province, as well as Henan, Beijing, Nanjing, and other places. The "seaside foraging" activity has become a highlight of the city’s tourism industry. Starting in 2005, to better utilize this resource, the Donggang District government redesigned the park, focusing on upgrading its quality, and successively commenced construction on a number of scenic spots. Currently, the first phase of the project, including park road construction and landscaping, has been completed. The second phase, featuring the main square, scenic spots, and landscape facilities, has also been finished. The third phase, which includes office buildings, a comprehensive tourism service center, an open-air swimming pool, a boardwalk extending into the sea, and a sandy beach bathing area, has been planned and is awaiting construction. The government’s investment in the third phase is expected to reach 160 million yuan, with over 80 million yuan already invested.

II. Featured Scenic Spots in the Park

1. Sun Towers. The park’s main structures are five Sun Towers. Since Rizhao is the birthplace of Dongyi culture, the ancient Dongyi people created a splendid sun culture and worshipped the sun by building platforms for sun worship. These Sun Towers were specially designed to fully showcase Rizhao’s ancient civilization. They are also the best spots to watch the sunrise, gaze at the sea, and listen to the waves.

2. Coastal Folk Culture Museum. Three of the five Sun Towers have been converted into a Fishing Folk Museum, a Marine Life Museum, and a Sea God Hall.

The Fishing Folk Museum consists of three exhibition halls: Fishing Homes, Fishing Boats, and Fishing Gear. Visitors can learn about the local fishermen’s customs and even try fishing activities such as net-making and steering. The Marine Life Museum displays major marine species—fish, shrimp, crabs, shellfish, and algae—classified by type, allowing visitors to gain a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of marine knowledge while enjoying the fun of foraging. The Sea God Hall is a new attraction built on the ruins of the Fish Bone Temple, inspired by a real local folk tale—the legend of the “Turtle Saving the Day”—adding a touch of mystery to the ocean culture.

3. Wooden Boardwalk. The wooden boardwalk connecting the five Sun Towers is over 1,300 meters long and made of imported Finnish preservative wood that is insect-resistant and resistant to seawater erosion, forming a beautiful scenic belt.

4. Amusement Park. Beneath the wooden boardwalk lies a large area of pristine greenery, where an all-age-friendly fishing garden, wild garden, and Three Friends Garden have been specially designed to let visitors enjoy the pleasure of leisure tourism.

5. Marine Life Replicas. To enhance the marine life atmosphere of the foraging park, a series of marine life replica attractions have been planned. The main highlights include the Golden Cuttlefish, Xi Shi Fairy, and Giant Razor Clam—also known as the “Three Treasures” of the foraging park and former tributes. Other decorations such as large conch shells, flower crabs, swimming crabs, and octopuses keep visitors mesmerized and reluctant to leave.

6. Sail-Shaped Sculptures. Six sailboat-shaped sculpture landscapes have been built in the main square, adding vitality to the area and providing resting spots for visitors.

7. Sea Gate Performance Square. The Sea Gate is the iconic landmark of the foraging park. People can enter the foraging area through here and also enjoy various folk performance shows.

8. Ocean-View Wooden Cabins. Along the coastline south of the Sea Gate, ten ocean-view wooden cabins have been built. They serve as spots for visitors to enjoy the sea view and rest, while also forming a beautiful scenery line.

III. Foraging Activity Arrangements

1. Low-Tide Foraging. During big tides, the flat, fine-sand beaches are abundant with various marine creatures. Visitors can fish for razor clams, collect sea snails, catch crabs, and more. Outside the Sea Gate, eight fish-catching and crab-catching ponds have been specially built for visitors to play freely.

2. High-Tide Foraging. After the tide rises, the shallow waters provide opportunities for traditional maritime activities such as pushing shrimp paste, scooping jellyfish, fishing for shrimp and crabs, and pulling nets, as well as activities like surfing and swimming in the sea.

3. Other Foraging Activities. Plans include building some wooden sailboats (wind boats) for visitors to sail and enjoy the sea view during high tide and use as photography backdrops during low tide. Experienced fishermen will also set up mystery nets for visitors to enjoy the thrill of harvesting from them.

IV. Folk Culture

To enrich the cultural depth of the foraging park, the park management committee and the Taoluo Town Party Committee and government jointly created a large-scale situational performance representing local folk characteristics—“The Charm of the Sea.” Main acts include aquatic dances, “The Flood on Mount Jinshan,” “The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea,” “Nezha Causes Havoc in the Sea,” “The Fisherman’s Daughter by the Sea,” and “Foraging Romance,” among other traditional programs. There are also year-round performances of local operas such as dry-land boat shows, stilt walking, and Lü Opera.

This is also an ideal place to watch the tide rise and fall. Due to the especially flat beach, visitors can witness the wonder of the tide rising and falling twice a day: during low tide, the seawater quickly recedes, leaving only the exposed 10,000-mu tidal flats and the fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish that couldn’t make it back to the sea in time; during high tide, the seawater surges in from all directions in a very short time, submerging the vast tidal flats simultaneously—a truly spectacular sight.

V. Other Supporting Service Facilities

1. Underground Shopping Mall. Visitors can purchase satisfying travel souvenirs and dried seafood such as prawns, shrimp paste, shrimp, squid strips, and salted fish. There are also specialty products like ready-to-eat jellyfish and grass shrimp paste.

2. The park also has a dedicated on-site production area for crafting handicrafts such as sailboat models, black pottery, and sand paintings.

3. The district tourism bureau is working with the Taoluo Town government to develop fishing home stay tourism in Liujiawan Village and Qiaodongtou Village. The Rizhao Coastal Resort Center and Rizhao Biying Coast Resort, developed by Rizhao Dongchen Group, are already capable of hosting over 1,000 high-end business guests at the same time.

Customer service hotline: 0633-2957006 2957009

Business hours: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Tour duration: Approximately 4 hours

Scenic area website: http://www.rizhaoganhaiyuan.com

Price: 60 RMB per person