# Chengde travel guide (承德) Hebei Province · North China, China · 12 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/hebei/chengde ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Chengde Mountain Resort - **Day 2:** Eight Outer Temples → Qingchui Peak - **Day 3:** Mulan Weichang (or Bashang Grassland) ## The feel of the place - **Compact:** Anyone who has visited Chengde comes away with the same impression: it is a small city. In fact, Chengde has never been a large place. It became famous only because the Kangxi Emperor, who never forgot his roots on horseback, built a imperial summer retreat here. This “imperial retreat,” once reserved exclusively for the Aisin-Gioro family, is now full of visitors, and the pop music drifting from the streets has somewhat dispelled the solemn atmosphere. - **Changeable Weather:** Qianlong Emperor valued Rehe not only for hunting but also as a summer resort. However, the weather here is unpredictable. One moment the sun blazes and you must endure the glare; the next, rain may set in and continue for hours. - **Touting:** As soon as you step out of the railway station, many people speaking with local accents will swarm towards you, claiming to be tour guides who can help you find a hotel or join a tour group. Anyone with some travel experience can see through these tricks at a glance. ## The feel of the place ### The Scenic Beauty of Chengde Chengde boasts not only rich cultural landscapes but also simple, natural scenery. Around the urban area lie several clusters of strangely shaped red rock formations, which geologists call “Danxia landforms,” a rarity in northern China. Compared with Danxia Mountain in southern China, these landforms are not only uniquely shaped but also a little more majestic. The main natural peaks include Qingchui Peak, Hamashi (Toad Rock), Luohan Mountain, Sengguan Peak, Tianqiao Mountain, Shuangta Mountain and Jiguan Peak, among more than ten others. ### Local Festivals Mulan Weichang Forest-Grassland Festival: June 29 to the end of February the following year. Jiulong Zuibei Dragon Boat Race at Chengde Mountain Resort: every June. ### Sun Protection Is Still Essential Don't assume a summer resort means you're off the hook. Bring an umbrella and apply sunscreen. ### Preparation and Advice ### Language Speaking Mandarin usually works fine when communicating with locals. ### Climate and Travel Seasons Chengde has four distinct seasons. Surrounded by mountains, it is shielded from the cold currents sweeping in from the Mongolian Plateau. Winters are cold but still warmer than other places at the same latitude. Summers are cool, with rainfall concentrated in this season and essentially no scorching hot period, which is why the city has earned its reputation as a summer resort. In addition, the grassland scenery in autumn is picturesque, making it another good season to visit. April to October is the best time to travel. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There and Away Chengde is close to Beijing, just 230 km away. It can be reached by following Jingmi Road and the Jing-Cheng Expressway, both in good condition. Travellers coming from Wuling Mountain Scenic Area can first head to Miyun, then take the Jing-Cheng Expressway straight to Chengde. Visitors heading toward Jinzhou or Shenyang also have convenient transport options. ### By Air Chengde has a small airport south of the city, with irregular charter flights between Beijing and Chengde. ### By Rail Chengde borders Beijing and Tianjin to the south, Chifeng and Xilin Gol League to the north, and Qinhuangdao, Tangshan and Zhangjiakou to the east and west, making it an important hub linking Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia. With the full opening of the Beijing–Harbin High-Speed Railway, Chengde has entered the high-speed rail era. Travellers can now take high-speed trains to and from the three northeastern provinces, Beijing, Hebei and Inner Mongolia. Chengde Station (承德站) runs regular trains, while Chengde Nan Station (承德南站) runs high-speed services. ### No Need to Fly Rail and road links between Beijing and Chengde are both very convenient. The drive takes about 4 hours, so flying over this distance is neither necessary nor time-saving. It only costs more. ### Trains Are Recommended It is best not to travel to Chengde by long-distance bus. Most of the route runs through mountainous, hilly terrain, where rain makes the roads slippery and slows buses down. During peak tourist season, traffic jams are common, and a journey that should take 4 hours can stretch to 7. Trains avoid these problems. ### Road Transport to Chengde 1. During peak tourist season, tour buses run directly from Beijing and Tianjin to Chengde. At other times, scheduled long-distance buses also run regularly between these cities and Chengde. 2. Chengde Long-Distance Bus Station also operates express coaches to Beijing and Shijiazhuang. ### Highways Chengde has a well-developed road network: north to Inner Mongolia, east to Liaoning, southwest to Beijing, and southeast to Tianjin. ### Getting Around the City Chengde offers many local transport options, including driverless buses, minibuses and taxis, which are very convenient for visitors unfamiliar with the area. - tip: 1. Driverless buses: pay ¥1 in coins when boarding. Routes 6 and 11 from outside the main gate of Chengde Mountain Resort reach the Eight Outer Temples. 2. Minibuses: routes and schedules meet visitors' needs, and nearly all sights, with a few exceptions, can be reached right at the entrance. Fares are usually just ¥1. 3. Taxis: flagfall of ¥7 for the first 2 km, then ¥1.4 per km thereafter. 4. Chengde is phasing out three-wheeled motorcycles. Although they are slightly cheaper than taxis, they carry higher safety risks, so they are not recommended. ### Recommended Route Chengde Mountain Resort is vast. If you only have one day, the following route covers most of its highlights: Lizheng Gate → Inner Noon Gate → Danbo Jingcheng Hall → Sizhi Study → Yanbo Zhishuang Hall → Yunshan Shengdi Tower → Cailing Ferry → Ruyi Islet → Yanyu Tower → Canglang Islet → Changhu Lake → Wenjin Pavilion → Rehe Spring → Jinshan Pavilion → Shuixin Pavilion → Eastern Palace Ruins → Dehui Gate. ### Don't Stay Inside the Resort There are plenty of hotels around Chengde Mountain Resort, while those inside the resort have average facilities and high room rates. Staying there just to save on entrance tickets is hardly worthwhile. The only real advantage is that you can enjoy the resort's scenery at night. - **Chengde Station (承德站)** — (No. 235 Zhanlu Road, Shuangqiao District) - **Chengde Nan Station (承德南站)** — (East side of Dongnan Shanzhong Street, Shuangqiao District) ## Eat & drink Unlike the cuisine of the imperial capital, Chengde cuisine, the representative of court-style dishes from beyond the Great Wall, relies mainly on mountain delicacies and is typically prepared by dry-braising (干烹) and fragrant-braising (香烹). Well-known specialties include Pingquan frozen rabbit meat, five-spice venison, stir-fried pheasant rolls, wild game hotpot, braised venison and wild pheasant. Everyday home-style dishes are mainly stir-fried mushrooms with shredded pork and Maren Dabian. ### Must-Try Delicacies Among Chengde's specialty snacks, Pupang venison and fragrant-braised venison skewers are excellent and worth trying. The main street south of Chengde Mountain Resort is lined with restaurants serving local specialties. In the evening, roadside stalls sell grilled sweet corn, whose aroma fills the air. ### Chengde's Youmian Noodles and Nectarines 1. Youmian food is a common staple, much like Beijing's zhajiangmian. There are many Youmian restaurants in Chengde, from well-established 'old-brand' shops to ordinary small eateries. 2. Youmian has a very pleasing texture, but it is not easy to digest. 3. Chengde's nectarines are both delicious and inexpensive. ### Beware of Adulterated Goods When buying packaged local specialties, be cautious to avoid adulterated products. ### One of China's Unrivalled Crafts Tengshi cloth-paste painting, Fengning paper-cutting, silk hanging tapestries, and a range of ingenious root carvings, nut carvings, porcelain engravings and penjing (potted landscapes) are all unique to Chengde. They are known as 'China's unrivalled crafts.' ### Local Food Tends to Be Salty For southerners, Chengde's meals are generally on the salty side, and soups often include ground white pepper. ### Recommended Restaurants ### Specialty Snacks As a specialty of the frontier region, Youmian wowo (rolled Youmian cakes) and Youmian jiaozi (dumplings) are the snacks you'll find most easily in Chengde. Youmian wowo is made by rolling Youmian dough into sheets, rolling them up and steaming them, then eating them dipped in sauce. Youmian dumplings filled with sour cabbage are especially distinctive. Lü Da Gun (donkey rolls), Qiaomian Heliu (buckwheat noodle strands) and Wantuo are also famous Chengde snacks. - **Xin Qianlong Restaurant** — A long-established Chengde restaurant with an elegant setting. It is now ranked No. 1 in the city, although the portions are on the small side. (No. 7 Xinhua Road, Dijingyuan Building, Chengde, 0314-2072222) - **Daqinghua Dumpling Restaurant** — Located right across from Chengde Mountain Resort, so you can drop in for a meal when you're tired from sightseeing. Two wooden swings stand at the entrance, along with a few antique-style carts, which keep waiting for a table from feeling dull. (19 Lizhengmen Street (丽正门大街19号), 0314-2036222) - **Qiao Family Manchu Eight Bowls** — By local standards, this is considered a relatively upscale restaurant. It is built around Manchu 'Eight Bowls' cuisine and focuses on Manchu flavours, and the dining hall is decorated mainly with Manchu portraits and photographs. Recommended dishes include garlic boneless fish, dry-pot bullfrog, four small dishes and venison, all good value for money! Be warned that the food here is quite oily, so you may find it a little greasy if you eat a lot. (No. 1 Taiping Bridge, Liushuigou, Huoshenmiao, city centre, 0314-2037888) ## Nightlife Kuixing Tower is the best vantage point for admiring Chengde's night view. Below you will see a sea of twinkling lights, and on a clear night, the starry sky adds extra charm. You can also wander through the night market, which offers a rich variety of local specialties. - transport: Take Xinglong Bus Route 2 (North Line) from Xinglong County Station (兴隆县站) or Xinglong County West Station (兴隆县西站) to Dongmeisi Village stop, which is 4.6 km from the Bashang Grassland. From there, you can take a taxi. - duration: 1 day ## Shopping ### Recommended Local Specialties - **Apricot Kernels** — Chengde produces more apricot kernels than anywhere else in the world, and it is famous for their plump kernels and rich nutritional value. Lulu brand almond milk is made from bitter apricot kernels, while the large, flat kernels, which have no bitter taste, are a more nutritious variety. When buying, ask locals about the differences between the two; they will also be happy to explain how to cook them. - **Kou Mushrooms** — A local mushroom considered a delicacy among mountain produce. The main varieties are white mushroom, qingtuizi, malian gan and xingxiang, with white mushroom being the finest. They are very fragrant when braised, stewed or made into soup. - **Chestnuts** — Chengde grows many varieties of chestnut. Those from Xinglong and Kuancheng are of the highest quality and are regarded as excellent varieties nationwide. ## Where to stay You won't have trouble finding accommodation in Chengde. The city has hotels of every grade, from star-rated hotels to budget guesthouses, as well as Mongolian yurt hotels, though prices and standards vary considerably. ### Chengde Accommodation 1. Before setting out, it is best to call ahead to check hotel availability, as many hotels accept phone bookings. 2. Nanyingzi Street is the heart of Chengde, with excellent transport links, and it is not far to walk from here to the Chengde Mountain Resort, so this street is a good place to look for accommodation. 3. There are plenty of hotels near the Chengde Mountain Resort and the Outer Temples, with convenient transport and reasonable prices. Qianyang Grand Hotel, Yunshan Hotel, Honglou Guesthouse and Shenghua Hotel are all star-rated hotels, invested in by national and provincial-level institutions, with excellent facilities. - tip: There are many hotels around the Chengde Mountain Resort and the Outer Temples. Their greatest advantage is convenient access to the sights, and prices are fairly reasonable. ## Things to see - **Chengde Mountain Resort** (★★★★★): Admission Peak season ¥130; off-season ¥90; Opening hours 7:30–17:00 (April); 7:00–18:00 (May–October); 8:00–16:40 (October–March); Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chengde-mountain-resort - **Eight Outer Temples** (★★★★★): Time needed 3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/eight-outer-temples - **Mulan Paddock Scenic Area** (★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mulan-paddock-scenic-area - **Saihanba** (★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/saihanba - **Xinglong Karst Cave** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xinglong-karst-cave - **Yudaokou Grassland and Forest Scenic Area** (★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yudaokou-grassland-and-forest-scenic-area - **Xinglong Mountain** (★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xinglong-mountain - **Baili Tianlu Scenic Road** (★★★): Admission ¥120; Time needed 4–6 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/baili-tianlu-scenic-road ## Day trips & beyond - **Eastern Qing Tombs** (★★★★★): Admission ¥138 (includes sightseeing shuttle); Opening hours 8：30—17：00; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/eastern-qing-tombs - **Jinshanling Great Wall** (★★★★): Admission Peak season ¥65; off-season ¥55; Opening hours 5:00–18:00 (April–October); 6:30–17:30 (November–March); Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jinshanling-great-wall - **Wuling Mountain Scenic Area** (★★★): Admission ¥120; cable car ¥50 one way or ¥80 round trip per person; Time needed 1–2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wuling-mountain-scenic-area - **Bashang Grassland** (★★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/bashang-grassland --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1745–1768. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.