A statue of Qi Jiguang, the Ming Dynasty pirate hunter, in Penglai. [Photo by Mark Frank]

During the nineteenth century steamships replaced sail-powered ones and Penglai sank into virtual obscurity as most marine activity moved to the nearby deepwater port of Yantai. Today Penglai is a welcome escape from the crowds that smother some of Shandong's other attractions. If you're tired of looking for a place to lay down your beach mat in Qingdao or dodging peddlers and pilgrims at Taishan, you will probably appreciate the relative serenity of Penglai's coastline.

Visitors to Penglai should travel to the city of Yantai and catch a minibus from there to Penglai's bus station. Travel between Yantai and Penglai takes a little over an hour. Penglai Pavilion (Penglai ge in Chinese) is within walking distance from the bus station, and you should ignore the hoard of pedicab drivers that mass around the bus station. Once you are inside the walls of Penglai Pavilion, the peddlers and pedicabs will mostly disappear.

A good day or two can be spent climbing the various pavilions, inspecting the ramparts and museum exhibits (including the recovered hull of a centuries-old junk) and admiring Su Dongpo's immaculate calligraphy. Because of its association with the Eight Immortals, Penglai is also a sacred site in Taoism and has a rich assortment of temples dedicated to Taoist deities.

And if you visit during the summer, keep your fingers crossed for a mirage sighting as you stroll along the small quartz-strewn beach at the foot of the cliffs.