Spectator guide
Qingdao city information
All sailing events of the Olympic Games will take place in Qingdao, "the Capital of Sailing". The city is well-known for its history, culture, scenery and ocean views, and is an important tourist destination. The city covers 10,654 square kilometers with a population of 7.4 million.
Climate
Qingdao is in the temperate monsoon belt and has a pleasant maritime climate with four distinct seasons. Between July and September, the temperatures range from 20 to 28 degrees Celsius, or 69 to 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the ideal tourist season. August is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 25.3 degrees Celsius, or 77.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual average rainfall is 680.5 mm, falling mainly in July and August.
Transport
The city has a well developed and extensive bus service. This is the cheapest way to get around. Fares start at 1RMB, air-conditioned buses at 2 RMB. Taxis are also cheap, starting at 7 RMB.
Accommodation
Qingdao provides all grades of accommodation. There are 143 star-rated hotels with a total of 30,000 beds. There include six five-star, 17 four-star, 71 three-star, 47 two-star and two one-star establishments.
Banking
Banks are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, weekends from 9:30 to 16:00. There are 24-hour ATM machines all over the city with regular deposit and withdrawal services.
Useful Telephone Numbers
Police: 110
Fire: 119
Ambulance: 120
Maritime rescue: 12395
Traffic information: 122
Directory assistance: 114
Weather forecast: 12121
Consumer Association Hotline: 12315
Railway information:(+86 532) 8601-1111
Qingdao Air China Ticket information (International): (+86 532) 8573-3017, 8289-5577
Qingdao Air China Ticket information (Domestic): (+86 532) 8577-5555, 8287-4275
Ferry information: (+86 532) 8261-9279
Long distance bus information: (+86 532) 8371-8060
Jinan-Qingdao Expressway information: (+86 532) 8786-0848
For more information on Qingdao, please go to the
Qingdao Olympic Sailing Committee official website at: http://www.sailing2008.org
Qingdao Tourist Bureau website at: http://www.qdta.gov.cn
Qingdao Municipality website at: http://www.qingdao.gov.cn
Venue Information
The Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center is located on Fushan Bay. At the southeast side of the center, there are five sailing zones totaling 49.48 square kilometers.
Olympic events: Sailing
Olylmpic dates: August 9-21,2008-7-23
Opening hours for onshore viewing areas: Everyday 10:00-17:00
Ticket check for boat spectators: Begins 15 minutes prior to the start of competition, until five minutes before the start of competition. We recommend spectators get to the venue 45 minutes before the start of the race.
Entry and transport
a) Entry
There is one spectator entry on the south side of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, approximately 800 meters from the junction of ZENGCHENG Road and Macao Road.
b) Transport
During the sailing events, all roads around the Olympic Sailing Center are closed to public traffic and no parking is allowed, so use public transport. Bus Lines serving the Olympic Sailing Center are: 210,224,231,317.
Free shuttle buses run between the Theme Park, DONGHAI Road (Jiashike supermarket) stop and the Sailing Center.
Spectator Tip
1. Special boat tickets are required for spectators who watch the competition from boats.
2. Land tickets are required for those who will watch the races from the viewing areas on the shore.
Boat spectators take note:
1. Weather: take a sun hat, sunglasses, raincoat or other necessary equipment to cope with all conditions at sea.
2. Safety: do not wear high-heel shoes, and refrain from vigorous activity in the boat. When watching from the deck, hold the handrail and avoid crowding. Mind your children and the elderly in your party at all times. In an emergency, remain calm and follow the instructions of the captain. In case of seasickness or any other discomfort, rest in the cabin and contact medical personnel.
3. Do not throw litter or objects overboard.
4. Competition schedule changes: if the competition has to be delayed because of weather, the Organizing Committee will make arrangements for changing your tickets.
5. For the most current information, refer to http://www.sailing2008.org, local media, or call (+86 532) 6677-2008
