Guide to Dalian (大连)

[roddy]

[h2]Bookstores[/h2]

For Chinese learning material, you can try

• Heishijiao Test Bookstore, 黑石礁考试书店, next to the KFC at the Heishijiao bus / light rail stop. Small collection of general textbooks and HSK material.
  
• The Xinhua Bookstore, 民康街, third floor. Take 友好路 north from 友好广场 (NB: that street runs both north and south, so make sure you are heading north), turn right at 民康街 and it's on your left up ahead Fourth floor also has some linguistics material that might be of interest.
  
• Foreign Languages Bookstore. 外文书店. From the Xinhua Bookstore head south, first alley on your right. Head about 100 meters down that alley and it's on your left. Chinese textbooks are on the second floor. .
  

[h2]Wireless Internet[/h2]

Places confirmed as having reliable and free wireless Internet access.

• Starbucks Olympic Square. Not a huge number of power points, but you can usually find one.
  
• All's Well Cafe. Head west from the above Starbucks a couple of blocks, not sure of the exact address.
  
• i55 on Gorky Street (爱伍伍，高尔基路). Two access points, one strong 11Mbps signal and a weak 55Mbps one which I suspect comes from another cafe. The 55Mbps one works out faster, but you may need to sit in the non-smoking section to pick it up. Some power points.
  
• West Coast. Opposite the 高新区 light-rail stop on 火炬路.
  
• Amici Coffee. On 友好路 just north of 友好广场. There's also one on 西安路 next to Mykal. Probably the closest location for 辽师大 students.
  

[h2]Real Estate Agencies[/h2]

• Dalian Good Friend House Agency Office (大连好朋友房屋中介办公室）. On Lanyu St. (兰玉街) next to the Korean grocery store near the northern campus of 辽宁师范大学. Very popular with international students. They also have their own short-term stay apartments for 100RMB a night.
  

Edited September 19, 2008 at 07:03 AM by WilsonFong
added a real estate agency and another place for wireless internet

[roddy]

Created a Dalian guide, have added a bit of info, hopefully will pad it out a bit in the coming months . . .

[kayro]

Hi Roddy, wondering if the above are still valid? Planning to stop by Dalian in two weeks to check out the place to see if I can picture myself studying there for 6 months next year. Thanks!

[roddy]

Don't know, haven't been there since.

[anonymoose]

I may be wrong, but I think the Foreign Languages bookstore has gone.

[kayro]

Sure.. no worries, thanks guys.

[DalianXpat.com]

Well some are still active

You can ad SPR to your Wireless Internet list

Name (Chinese) 大连SPR咖啡

Address (Chinese) 大连市西岗区民政街109号奥林匹克附件广场星巴克后身

Address (Pinyin) 109, Min Zhang Street Olympic Square

District Shahekou

Its also has a lot of western people on Sunday mornings

[GaHanna]

I might be in Dalian (work permitting) next week with my wife and two year old.

What are the things to do?