One of the world’s most crowded beaches, spanning less than a kilometre and attracting up to 30,000 visitors daily during peak season, is Dalian Beach. Situated in northeast China’s Liaoning province, this 500-metre stretch of sand grapples with overcrowding during the summer months. From May to August, the beach is so packed that visitors might struggle to even glimpse the sand, let alone secure a spot for their towel and umbrella.
Its immense popularity is partly due to its convenient transport links with nearby towns, providing a welcome escape from blistering 40C temperatures. Visitors often find themselves jostling elbow-to-elbow in the heat, with local news reporting over 30,000 visitors flocking to the beach during hot weekends.
Last year, a spokesperson from the Xinghaiwan resort revealed that since the onset of summer, they’ve been welcoming up to 60,000 visitors on weekend days, compared to the usual 20,000 on a typical day.
While not a popular destination for European tourists, photographs taken during the summer months attest to its extraordinary appeal among Chinese locals.
Images from the summer depict a vibrant mosaic of umbrellas against the backdrop of a sea teeming with people seeking respite on inflatable lilos and rings.
The staggering influx of visitors poses a significant challenge for cleaners, as beachgoers generate up to 20 tonnes of rubbish daily.
Visitors to Dalian Beach have taken to TripAdvisor to comment on the surprisingly small size of the beach.
One visitor noted: “The beach is really really small. I was there early morning in early May so there weren’t too many people, but I can imagine that it is super packed later in the day and summer. Easy to get to via bus,”.
Another likened it to “more Brighton beach than Miami”.
They further described: “The water itself seemed on sighting in reasonably good nick and the sand was packed with row after row of beach shelters.
“The park area abutting the beach has some interesting sculptures and a giant seashell you can pose in front of. Two kiosks (one bearing the tag “No tea no fun”) sold all the beach wear, sand buckets and shovels and inflatable plastic toys any keen Chinese surf-adventurer could require.”