A Yellow Sea-weekend getaway

Besides Lyushun, Dalian in Liaoning province, offers travelers an off-season weekend destination that's relatively untouched by mass tourism. There, Dawangjia Island on the Shicheng Archipelago of the Yellow Sea, serves as a pleasant surprise for adventurous travelers.

To begin the journey, maybe on a Friday, you could first fly to Dalian, which is among Northeast China's most prosperous cities and is perched on the Liaodong Peninsula, bordering the Yellow Sea to the north. On landing in Dalian, take a road trip to Zhuanghe, which is a town some 170 kilometers northeast of Dalian.

Zhuanghe is closest urban area to the archipelago that is a chain of more than 70 islands and big reefs. A taxi ride should cost you about 400 yuan ($64) and take two hours.