Dandong travel guide
丹东
Dandong travel guide with a day by day itinerary, 7 places with tickets and opening hours, where to eat and stay, and how to get there.
7 places · In the guidebook: pages 2266–2273
Dandong, Liaoning Province · AI illustration for China Trip
Quick itinerary
Dandong in 3 days
- Day 1
- Fenghuangshan (Phoenix Mountain)→
- Hushan Great Wall→
- Kuandian (overnight)
- Day 2
- Qingshan Valley or Tianqiao Valley (full day)→
- Dandong
- Day 3
The feel of the place
Dandong isn't widely known, but mention the Yalu River and nearly everyone recognises it. Dandong sits on the China–North Korea border, and from its banks you can look across the river to Sinuiju in North Korea. As a border city, it holds many historical memories. Its “well”-shaped street grid, with streets named after “jing” (longitude) and “wei” (latitude), such as First Jing Street, Tenth Jing Street and Sixth Wei Street, was laid out by Japan for military purposes in its time. The Broken Bridge over the Yalu River is a vivid reminder of the Korean War. Dandong enjoys a pleasant climate and an orderly layout, and is often likened to the “little Jiangnan” of the Northeast, attracting more and more leisure travellers.
Things to see
Fenghuangshan (Phoenix Mountain)
0.5–1 day · ¥80; cable car ¥50
A visit to Phoenix Mountain is all about the thrill of climbing. Although its height is far below that of Mount Hua, its steepness is strikingly similar. The ridge on Laoniubei on the western route is the best proof: the path is slippery and hard to navigate, and no steps have been carved, so you must pull yourself up by the iron railings. There is also the plank road known as 'Unrivalled Under Heaven,' cut into the cliff face with no iron railing for protection, which seems almost like a dead end. Yet perhaps only in such places can you truly savour the meaning of finding life in desperate straits. Visiting Phoenix Mountain in October, you will also see red maple leaves covering the hillsides, so the danger is at least balanced by splendid scenery.
Yalu River
Nature
The Yalu River's water is a deep green, resembling a duck's head, which gave it its name. It rises in the Changbai Mountains of Jilin, flows past Changbai, Ji'an, Kuandian and Dandong, and empties into the Yellow Sea to the south. Stretching 795 kilometers, it forms the border between China and North Korea. Two bridges stand side by side across the river: the Broken Yalu River Bridge, half of which was destroyed by American forces in 1950, and another bridge built in 1940, which remains a key transport route between China and North Korea today.
Hushan Great Wall
Located on the bank of the Yalu River in northeastern Dandong, Hushan Great Wall marks the easternmost end of the Great Wall built during the Ming dynasty, facing North Korea across the river. Climb to the top of the wall for views of both China and North Korea. Here rivers wind like ribbons, fertile plains stretch out, and villages dot the landscape. With the Great Wall itself, the Sleeping Buddha, Tiger Mouth Cliff and 28 scenic spots in total, it is an excellent destination on the outskirts of Dandong.
3–4 hours · ¥60
Qingshangou Scenic Area
Qingshan Gou is a renowned tourist destination, with cascading springs, waterfalls, green hills, clear lakes and numerous historic sites. It is one of the few unpolluted areas in the world. Its distinctive draws include the famous 'Chinese Painters' Village,' the Hutang Valley, which is called the 'Finest Secluded Place Under Heaven,' the bells of the thousand-year-old Qingfu Temple, and the unique Manchu culture.
1 day · Qingshan Lake ¥40, boat ticket ¥55; Hutang Gully ¥40; Feipu Gully ¥40; Manchu Culture Park ¥30; combined pass ¥185 (includes boat ticket)
Lüjiang Village
Across the river from North Korea, Lujiang Village has beautiful scenery and simple, genuine local customs. Its landscape changes with the seasons, making it an ideal place to get close to nature and return to it. Climb Shenxian Peak to photograph spectacular sunrises and seas of clouds.
1–2 days · Free
Tianqiaogou
Tianqiaogou is known for offering a view of three counties from one mountain. Besides natural scenery such as forests, peaks and oddly shaped rocks, it also has cultural sites, including relics of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. The seasons here are distinct. Autumn is especially beautiful, with the mountains aglow in red leaves, earning it a reputation as the place where China's maple leaves are reddest and most brilliant. It is also an ideal summer retreat.
1 day · ¥120
Memorial Hall of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea
A great place to revisit the history of the War to Resist America and Aid Korea. The museum's panoramic gallery combines painting, sculpture, lighting and sound effects with high technology to vividly recreate the battle scenes of the encirclement and annihilation fight on the banks of the Chongchon River in Korea.
1–2 hours · Free
Getting there & around
By Air
Taxi Fares
Taxi flagfall is ¥6 for the first 2.5 km; beyond 1 km, ¥2 per kilometre.
Dandong currently has flights to Beijing, Chengdu, Jinan, Weihai, Sanya, Shanghai Pudong and Shenzhen.
By Rail
Dandong has 260 km of railway lines, mainly the Shenyang–Dandong Line (沈丹线) and the Fengshang Line (风上线). Dandong Station is the terminus of the Shenyang–Dandong Railway. Direct trains run between Dandong and Beijing, Qingdao, Shanghai and other cities in the province.
By Road
The total road network stretches 3,887 km, including 619 km of Class II or higher highways. There are currently 527 passenger routes and 1,059 stops along the way. Centred on Dandong Passenger Station, 24 sub-stations are overseen, including those in Fengcheng, Kuandian, Donggang and Guanshui. Roads connect to Beijing, Shenyang, Dalian and Tonghua. The long-distance bus station in the city runs shuttles to scenic areas such as Dagushan (大孤山) and Phoenix Mountain. The Shenyang–Dandong Expressway is now open, and the trip between the two cities takes only 4 hours, with a fare of ¥77.
By Sea
Dandong Port has two port areas, Langtou Port (浪头港) and Dadong Port (大东港). Ships sail to Guangzhou, Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin, Yantai, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao and Lianyungang.
Air Ticket Office
Air Ticket Office- Address:
- Jinshan Avenue (Lantian Hotel Finance & Education Centre)
- Phone:
- 0415-2217999
Railway Information Hotline
Railway Information Hotline- Phone:
- 0415-2023392
Bus Station
Bus Station- Address:
- 98 Tenth Wei Road
- Phone:
- 0415-2134571
Dandong Port
By Sea- Address:
- No. 7 Xingwu Road
Eat & drink
Snack Street
The Xin'an and Qijing Street districts form Dandong's snack street, where delicious aromas fill the air after dark. In Dandong you can sample the distinctive flavours of its ethnic communities: the sour, glutinous and sweet dishes of the Manchu; the grilled, roasted and hot-pot dishes of the Hui; and the spicy, sour and salty flavours of the Korean community. Antong Old Street is another local highlight, combining nostalgic sightseeing, classic cuisine and shopping. It recreates Dandong's old streetscape, with century-old heritage brands, branded restaurants, northeastern specialities, seafood, local snacks, regional opera performances and folk arts.
Arirang Seafood Hotel (Yinzuo Branch)
Recommended RestaurantsA popular local chain serving Korean-style dishes. The flavours are fairly authentic and the prices are good value. Seats are hard to come by at lunch and dinner, so booking ahead is advisable. Recommended dishes include spicy braised pollack (辣焖明太鱼) and the squid and scallop duo (鱿贝双鲜). For drinks, try Yalu River beer; the sweet-sour rice wine is also delicious, and you won't get drunk no matter how much you drink.
- Address:
- Building 2, Binjiang Middle Road Redevelopment Community
- Phone:
- 0415-3111333
Lekao Barbecue
Recommended RestaurantsThis restaurant uses special grills so the meat never sticks, keeping the flavour fresh and delicious. It is very popular.
- Address:
- 233 Jinshan Avenue
- Phone:
- 0415-3146688
Where to stay
Dandong has many star-rated hotels, as well as restaurants and guesthouses, so finding accommodation is no problem.
Jiangbin International Hotel
Recommended Accommodation- Address:
- Next to the Cultural Palace, Building 5, Fangba, Yanjiang Development Zone
- Phone:
- 0415-4136666
Dandong Zhonglian Grand Hotel
Dandong Zhonglian Grand Hotel- Address:
- No. 62 Binjiang Middle Road
- Phone:
- 0415-2333333
Shopping
Dandong's busiest shopping street is the Xin'an Road Pedestrian Street in Yuanbao District. Shops along Tenth Wei Road in front of the railway station and along Qijing Street also see crowds. Tussah silk, glassware, ginseng, chestnuts and Yalu River noodlefish are all local specialities.
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 2266–2273. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version