# Yinchuan travel guide (银川) Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region · Northwest, China · 11 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/ningxia-hui/yinchuan ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Huangsha Ancient Ferry → Nanguan Grand Mosque → Chengtian Temple → Drum Tower and Yuhuang Pavilion (a quick look, no need for a detailed visit) - **Day 2:** Yinchuan → Shahu Lake in Pingluo → Yinchuan - **Day 3:** Yinchuan → Helan Mountain → Zhenbeibu Western Film Studio → Western Xia Royal Tombs → Yinchuan ## The feel of the place - **Under Heaven, the Yellow River Enriches Ningxia:** Ningxia, one of the smaller provincial regions on China's map, is like a treasured jewel cradled in the arms of the motherland. The Yellow River tumbles out of the mountains of Gansu and pauses to rest here. Fertile loess lies in layered deposits, and plump carp and boundless rice paddies gave rise to the saying “the Yellow River makes Ningxia rich.” It is no wonder that nearly a thousand years ago, the once-mighty Western Xia Empire built its foundations here and expanded across a vast territory that stretched for thousands of kilometres. ## The feel of the place ### The Five Duties The Hui are the main ethnic group in Ningxia, and they follow Islam. Muslims must observe the “Five Duties”: Recitation (reciting the Shahada, the Islamic profession of faith); Prayer (praying five times a day facing the Kaaba in Mecca, and attending Friday congregational prayers at the mosque); Fasting (observing a month-long fast each year); Almsgiving (paying zakat, a religious tax, in proportion to one's wealth); and Pilgrimage (Muslims who are able must make the Hajj to Mecca at least once in their lifetime). Beyond these Five Duties, there are also annual celebrations and festivals to take part in. The well-known Eid al-Fitr, Mawlid and Eid al-Adha are the three major traditional festivals of Islam. - tip: 1. Climate: Ningxia's dry climate may cause some travellers to experience dry, sore nasal passages, a parched mouth and throat, and chapped skin. Bring commonly used medicines such as oil-based nasal drops or ointment, Shangqing Pills, Jiegeng Pills, petroleum jelly or moisturising cream, and drink plenty of boiled water and eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. 2. Altitude: Ningxia lies at a high elevation. People with high blood pressure, heart disease, bronchitis or asthma may experience dizziness, a racing heart, shortness of breath or wheezing on first arriving. It is therefore advisable to bring some protective medication when visiting Ningxia. 3. Sand: This is a photographer's paradise, but the winds and sand are strong, so take care to protect your camera. Pack sand-protection items such as sunglasses and a hat, and it is best not to wear contact lenses. ### Geography Ningxia's terrain is high in the south and low in the north, with an average elevation of 1,000 metres. West of the north-south Helan Mountains in the north lies the vast Mongolian grassland; the Liupan Mountains in the south are a green island on the Loess Plateau; and the alluvial plain of the Yellow River in the centre is known as “the Jiangnan of the North.” ### Preparation and Advice ### Climate and Best Time to Visit Ningxia receives little rain or snow and has a fairly dry climate. The large difference between day and night temperatures suits crops, but it also makes it easy to get sunburnt. Spring is windy and sandy; summer and autumn are the best seasons for travel. Winters are milder than in northern China and fewer tourists visit, making them a good time for a solitary trip in search of quiet. ### Festivals and Events Each May or June, you can catch Ningxia's annual Hua'er Song Fair; in mid-September, you can join the Yinchuan International Yellow River Culture Festival. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There and Away Yinchuan's eastern urban area is the old city, with bustling commercial streets and many scenic and historic sites scattered throughout. The western part of the city is home to the railway station, schools and residential areas. Visitors are advised to stay in the lively eastern districts, which makes it easier to plan sightseeing around town. ### By Air Hedong Airport is about 19 kilometres southeast of central Yinchuan. A dedicated shuttle bus runs between the airport and the city centre, departing according to flight schedules, for a fare of ¥20. Shuttle route: Airport to Minhang Building (民航大厦). A taxi from the airport to Yinchuan's old city costs around ¥30, and to Xixia District about ¥90. ### By Rail Yinchuan Railway Station is located in the east of the New Urban District. Buses 15, 30, 39 and 45 run from within Yinchuan to the station. A taxi from the old city to the station costs around ¥15. ### By Road Yinchuan South Bus Station has buses to out-of-province cities such as Beijing, Taiyuan, Lanzhou, Xi'an and Zhengzhou. ### Long-Distance Bus Stations ### Getting Around Town Yinchuan's city bus routes serve the old city, the New Urban District and the newer development zones, and there are also buses to and from Yongning and Helan counties. - tip: 1. Taxis: Yinchuan's taxi flag fall is ¥9, which covers the first 3 kilometres. Beyond 3 kilometres, the rate is either ¥1.5 or ¥1.7 per kilometre, depending on the vehicle. Drivers change shifts between 18:00 and 19:00, when taxis are very hard to find. 2. Chartered car: Yinchuan's best-known attractions (the Western Xia Tombs, the Helan Mountain Rock Art, Suyukou Forest Park and Zhenbeibu Film and TV City) lie along the Helan Mountains west of the city, while the Sand Lake scenic area in Pingluo, north of the city, is also far from the centre. These sites can only be reached by chartered car, and prices vary greatly between peak and off-peak seasons. The starting point for haggling is the lowest chartered-car rate in Northwest China: ¥1 per kilometre plus waiting time. - **Central Ticket Office** — - **Airport Information Desk** — - **Yinchuan South Bus Station** — (Near the Longpan Furniture City bus stop, Qinghe South Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan) - **Yinchuan Tourist Bus Station (North Gate Bus Station)** — (No. 570, Qinghe North Street, Yinchuan) - **Yinchuan Bus Station** — (No. 1382, Qinghe South Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan) ## Eat & drink Hui people make up only 18% of Yinchuan's population, yet halal restaurants account for nearly two-thirds of the eateries on its streets. In the past, the Yingbin Lou Halal Restaurant on Jiefang West Street had the finest reputation. Nowadays, the better-looking restaurants are all fairly similar in quality. We recommend strolling along Xinhua Street at night to enjoy the city's night views and grilled skewers from the street stalls, which give a taste of Yinchuan after dark. Be sure to try Yinchuan roujiamo, which is very different from the version popular elsewhere in Northwest China: stir-fried green vegetables and diced lamb are cooked in a wok, then stuffed into a sesame flatbread (shaobing). It is delicious. Other local specialities include whole roast lamb, hand-grabbed lamb, lamb offal, lamb paomo (lamb soup with broken flatbread), a variety of noodle dishes and local hotpot. ### Laozhang Qingdun Lamb Restaurant ### Entertainment In Ningxia you can enjoy Hui “Hua'er” folk songs and mouth harp music, both with a strong northwestern flavour. “Hui Hua'er” is a distinctive high-pitched mountain folk song popular across Northwest China, with soaring, lilting melodies and simple, fresh lyrics. The “kouxian” (mouth harp), also called “kou'er,” is a small plucked instrument favoured by Hui women in Ningxia. Its tunes are pleasant to the ear and fairly fixed in form, with set pieces such as “Water Dripping from the Eaves,” “Camel Bells” and “Pearls Rolling Up the Curtain.” Recommended Restaurants - **To taste something truly distinctive in Ningxia** — You should head to Laozhang Qingdun Lamb Restaurant in Yanchi. The restaurant is small, but the lamb is excellent. The snacks are a highlight and very inexpensive. Once you've tried them, you'll never forget the flavours of Ningxia! (100 metres south of the Lanhua Hua Grand Hotel, Qinghe South Street, Yinchuan) - **Guoqiang Hand-Grabbed Mutton (Beijing West Road Branch)** — A great place to try hand-grabbed mutton: it is fresh, tender and smooth. Dip it in vinegar and garlic sauce, and it is neither greasy nor heavy, leaving a lingering fragrance. (No. 237 Beijing West Road, 0951-2031199) - **Meng's Snack Shop** — Be sure to order the gaodan niangpi (cold wheat-gluten noodles), which have a chewy texture and taste excellent. The grey bean dessert is also highly recommended: it tastes slightly sour at first, but the aftertaste is surprisingly sweet. (Huimin Lane, No. 1-6, 0951-6034981) ## Shopping Recommended Shopping Yinchuan has plenty of shops selling local specialties, but head to the Beijing Hualian Supermarket underground at the South Gate instead: it is cheaper and reliable! For shopping malls, the old pedestrian street district is enough, as Xinhua Department Store has more or less monopolised Yinchuan's department store business. - **Ningxia's Five Treasures** — These are red goji berries, yellow licorice, Helan stone, white Tan sheepskin and black fat choy (hair seaweed). Licorice and fat choy are wild grassland specialties, but in recent years overharvesting has damaged the vegetation, and the government has banned their digging. To help protect the land from desertification and to reduce ignorant damage, please understand and refuse to buy the illegally harvested “black and yellow treasures”. ## Where to stay Yinchuan's affordable cost of living will make travellers from big cities envious, so there is no need to worry about finding a cheap yet comfortable place to stay here. - **Xinhua Hotel** — (No. 203 East Xinhua Street, 0951-6031353) ## Things to see - **Chengtian Temple** (★★★★): Admission ¥10; ¥20 to climb the pagoda; Opening hours 9:00–17:30 (summer); 9:00–17:00 (winter); closed on Mondays; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chengtian-temple - **Huangsha Ancient Ferry National Wetland Park** (★★★★): Admission Combo ticket ¥218 (includes more than 20 activities, such as desert surfing buggy, wetland dragon boat, sheepskin raft, camel riding, sand sledding and Yellow River surfing); Opening hours 8:30–18:30 (May–September); 9:00–18:00 (October–April); Time needed 5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/huangsha-ancient-ferry-national-wetland-park - **Nanguan Grand Mosque** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 8：00—17：00 — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/nanguan-grand-mosque - **Haibao Pagoda** (★★★): Admission ¥10; Opening hours 9：00—17：00; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/haibao-pagoda - **Mingcui Lake National Wetland Park** (★★★★): Admission ¥40 in peak season, ¥20 in off-season; Opening hours 9：00—17：30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mingcui-lake-national-wetland-park - **Lanshan Park** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 8：30—22：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/lanshan-park ## Day trips & beyond - **Shahu Lake, Ningxia** (★★★★): Admission ¥150 for admission plus speedboat ride; Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shahu-lake-ningxia - **Shuidonggou Archaeological Site** (★★★★): Admission ¥60; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 3–4 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shuidonggou-archaeological-site - **Helan Mountain National Forest Park** (★★★★★): Admission ¥80 (admission plus round-trip shuttle bus); Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/helan-mountain-national-forest-park - **Western Xia Imperial Tombs National Archaeological Site Park** (★★★★): Admission ¥68; round-trip shuttle bus ¥20; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/western-xia-imperial-tombs-national-archaeological-site-park - **Zhenbeibu Western Film Studio** (★★★★): Admission ¥80; Opening hours 8:00–18:00 (April 16–October 8); 9:00–17:00 (October 9–April 15 of the following year); Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zhenbeibu-western-film-studio --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 784–800. 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.