Licun Riverextends seven kilometers and covers an area of 31.4 square kilometers, with an investment of about 500 million yuan ($80.4 million).

As the 2014 Qingdao International Horticultural Exposition （QIHE）draws near, Licun River Ecological Park has introduced several season-based travel guides for visitors to enjoy the flowers in the park. The park's infrastructure facilities and services will also be further improved, according to the Licang tourism administration.

Licun River Ecological Park has introduced several season-based travel guides for visitors to enjoy the flowers in the park.

As one of the five branch venues of the 2014 QIHE, Licun River Ecological Park can be described as a well-designed paradise with flowers and streams. Tourists can appreciate various flowers in spring, lotuses in summer, chrysanthemums in autumn and plum blossoms in winter. The ecological park is expected to become a 3A tourism area.

The Licun River, which is the biggest river system in Qingdao, can be tracked directly into the expo park. Licun River Ecological Park lies north of 2014 QIHE Avenue and south of the Qingdao-Yichuan Expressway. The river extends seven kilometers and covers an area of 31.4 square kilometers, with an investment of about 500 million yuan ($80.4 million).

Several special landscape areas, including Qinglongshan Park, a natural wetland landscape, the Star Theater art plaza, the landmark bridge, and natural waters and streams are set in the park. Approximately 20 kinds of water plants, such as a water lily, lotus and water chestnut, and more than 40 kinds of arbors, including deodar, dragon juniper and Ligustrum lucidum, are planted in the park. In addition, tourists can appreciate about 50 kinds of shrubs, such as sweet osmanthus and Chinese redbud, and 30 kinds of ground cover plants, including fleur-delis and Radix ophiopogonis, in the park.

"We would like to take advantage of the branch venue's botany resources and the unique ecological landscape to help citizens and visitors enjoy the beauty of nature," said an official of the Licang tourism administration. Some tourism activities, featuring riverside landscapes, will be introduced in spring, summer and autumn of 2014 successively to correspond with the theme of the 2014 Qingdao International Horticultural Exposition.

Licun River Ecological Park will host an activity named "Licang Kite Flying in 2014 Qingdao International Kite Festival" to feature kite-making skills and award-winning kites. In addition, many activities, such as a citizen hiking game, roller skate contest, sunny sports show, Licang beer festival and fishing contest, will be held in Licun River Ecological Park in 2014. The upstream area of the Licun River will be a great place for citizens and visitors to go sightseeing. Facilities and services, including 220 parking lots, seven themed plazas, three administrative rooms, five wash rooms and nine gyms, are set in Licun River Ecological Park. In order to improve the park's service, the expo-licensed products shopping area, International Horticultural Exposition exhibition area, tea houses and leisure spots will be set up for visitors.