This Chinese Coastal City Serves Fresh Seafood for $5 a Plate
Bayuquan in Yingkou, Liaoning has some of the freshest seafood in China at prices that will make you do a double-take. $5 for a plate of crab. Almost no foreign tourists.
Key takeaway
Bayuquan in Yingkou, Liaoning has fresh seafood for $3-5 a plate at a local night market. Almost no foreign tourists. Best in September-October for crab season.
Full report
What Changed?
When people talk about China's best seafood, they usually mention Qingdao, Xiamen, or Sanya.
Nobody mentions Bayuquan.
That is exactly why you should go.
Bayuquan is a coastal district in Yingkou, Liaoning Province - in northeast China. It is not a tourist destination. It is a working port city where locals eat really, really well.
The seafood here comes straight from the Bohai Sea to the night market. No middlemen, no markup for tourists.
Detailed walkthrough
The main event is the Bayuquan Seafood Night Market. It is open every evening, and it is packed with locals - which is always a good sign.
For $15-20 per person, you can eat like royalty. Steamed crab for $4-5 a plate, clams for $3 a bowl, grilled oysters for $1.40 each.
The night market is right by the water. You can smell the sea, watch the boats come in, and eat seafood that was caught that morning.
How to get there
Fly to Shenyang, take the high-speed train to Yingkou East (about 1.5 hours), then taxi to Bayuquan (about 30 minutes).
Best time to go: September to October for crab season. The crabs are fat and full of roe.
If you have already been to Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, and you want to see a different side of China, Bayuquan is worth the trip.
What to do next
Fly to Shenyang, take the high-speed train to Yingkou, then taxi to Bayuquan. Visit the seafood night market in the evening.
What may vary
Seafood availability and prices vary by season. Winter has limited seafood but excellent hot pot.