# Datong travel guide (大同) Shanxi Province · North China, China · 10 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/shanxi/datong ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Yungang Grottoes → Guanyin Cave → Huayan Temple → Great Mosque → Nine-Dragon Wall - **Day 2:** Datong Earth Forest → Hanging Monastery → Yingxian Wooden Pagoda ## The feel of the place - **Coal Culture:** There was a time when Datong’s streets were lined with mounds of bituminous coal, and one overloaded coal truck after another struggled along the roads. The grey air was thick with a pungent smell. Those scenes are gone now. The city’s air quality has steadily improved, and its greenery is pleasant. Yet Datong, a major coal-mining city, still has deep and countless ties to coal. - **Faded Grandeur:** Once one of the Nine Border Garrisons (九边重镇) of the Ming dynasty, Datong was protected by tall, imposing city walls, including an inner city and a northern outer city. Beyond the city, several garrison forts, the inner and outer Great Walls, and a network of beacon towers formed a tight defensive line that made Datong’s city walls seem impregnable. Times have changed. Today only broken stretches of earthen walls remain, and it is hard to imagine their former grandeur. Only the small Wild Goose Pagoda, still standing in the southeast of the city, quietly recalls the past amid the modern city. ## The feel of the place ### Historic and Cultural City Datong is one of China’s historic and cultural cities. It was once the capital of the Northern Wei dynasty and a secondary capital during the Liao and Jin dynasties. It has long been a key military stronghold and a place where the Han people and northern ethnic groups frequently interacted in ancient times. The city has a distinctive frontier character, with many scenic and historic sites of considerable number and scale. ### Datong Ancient City Walls Datong’s city walls have a long history and are tall and sturdy. However, due to war, history, nature and human activity, they have suffered considerable damage. Even so, as of the late 1980s, more than 70% of the adobe city wall remained intact. ### Tigu Yangge Dance Also known as “di yangge” (ground yangge) or “tigu zi”, and called “gushi” (story) by the people of Hunyuan County, this is a traditional folk dance that originated in the Song and Yuan dynasties. Its performances fall into “large-scale”, “small-scale” and “street-crossing” forms. The performances are lively and vivid, and the music has a brisk rhythm. ### Direct Buses to Scenic Areas Direct buses run from Datong Long-Distance Bus Station to tourist areas such as the Yungang Grottoes and Mount Heng. ### Preparation and Information ### Language Locals can all understand and speak Mandarin, so there are no language difficulties, although they speak with a Shanxi accent. ### Climate and Best Time to Visit Datong has cold winters and cool summers. The annual average temperature is 5.5°C, with a summer high of 37.7°C and a winter low of -20.9°C. Temperature differences are large over the year, and temperatures can change quickly within a single day. The four seasons are clearly defined, and there are big gaps between morning, midday and evening temperatures. The best time to visit is May to October. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There and Around ### By Air The airport is located in Beijiazao Town, Yunzhou District, 15.2 km north of Datong’s city centre. Between the city and the airport you can take a civil aviation shuttle bus or a taxi. The airport shuttle departs from the entrance of Datong Hotel in the city, and the journey from the hotel to the airport takes 25–30 minutes. ### By Rail Datong’s rail network is well developed. The Jingbao, Jingyuan and Dazhang railways have all been upgraded to electrified double tracks. From Datong, trains run to Beijing, Taiyuan, Xi’an, Yinchuan, Shijiazhuang, Baotou, Shenyang and other cities. ### By Road More than ten new trunk highways leading out of the city have been built, including the Dayun, Datang, Dahuai, Dalai, Dayang, Daqing and Dazhang highways. There are long-distance buses to Taiyuan, Hohhot, Xuanhua, Shuozhou, northern Shaanxi, the county-level districts within the city, Wutai Mountain and Mount Heng. ### City Transport The main roads in Datong's urban area include Daqing Road, Yungang Road, Xinkai North Road, Yingbin Road, the North and South Ring Roads, the Third Ring Road, Gongnong Road, Nanguan Street and more than ten others. Within the city you can take buses or taxis. Over 70 bus routes serve the urban area, and traffic generally flows well. Taxis start at ¥7, plus ¥1.6 per kilometre. ### City Transport Fares Bus fares are ¥1–3. Note that Datong's buses run for shorter hours: service stops at 18:00 (buses to the railway station stop at 21:30). When no buses are running, minibuses (面的) cruise the streets picking up passengers, charging the same fare as the buses. - **Airport Information** — - **Datong Railway Station Information Desk** — - **Datong Long-Distance Bus Station** — ## Eat & drink Like the rest of Shanxi, Datong's cuisine centres on noodles. They are good quality and inexpensive, and the hand-shaved noodles (刀削面) are the most famous. ### Local Snacks Worth trying: pea noodles, lamb offal soup with noodles, oat noodles, buckwheat gedou (qiao mian gelao), Yanggao apricot kernel strips, Guangling dried tofu, Datong yellow cake, Hunyuan crispy roasted soybeans, Yingzhou beef tenderloin, lamb offal stew and mianma pian. - **Dongfang Xiaomian Restaurant (Yingze Street branch)** — Specialises in Shanxi hand-shaved noodles. The noodles are wide and thin with a satisfying chew, and the broth is delicious. The decor resembles fast-food chains such as McDonald's, and food arrives quickly. (West side of the western section of Jianshe Li Residential Compound, Yunzhong Road, 0352-7688890/13613522570) ## Shopping Datong's main shopping streets are Daxi Street and Sipailou Xiaonan Street. Along these two streets are several large shopping centres. In the evenings, they turn into a night market, selling a wide variety of goods at low prices. With a discerning eye, you can find some good bargains here. ### The Custom of Buying “Dolls” In the Ming and Qing dynasties, people in the Datong area already had the custom of buying “clay dolls” or “cloth dolls” at temple fairs. Many people, hoping for a child, longevity, protection from misfortune or healing, would buy a “doll” for their child at a fair as a good omen. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, clay dolls gradually fell out of favour, while cloth dolls became ever more refined. Made from fine silks such as ling, luo, chou, duan, sha, juan, zhou and jin, they have distinct local character and have earned the nickname “Yungang silk figurines.” ### Shopping Recommendations Datong copper hotpot, Datong art porcelain, yellow flowers (daylilies), Hengshan old white spirit, egg carving and corn-husk weaving are all specialities of Datong. In addition, Hunyuan County produces the Chinese medicinal herb huangqi (astragalus root), which is high in quality and affordable, so visitors who need it may want to buy some. ## Where to stay Datong is one of Shanxi's main tourist cities, with hotels of various grades, and prices are not too high. Several well-equipped upmarket hotels are concentrated along Yingbin Road in the south of the city. Guesthouses near the stations are basic but very cheap. Air pollution in the city is fairly serious, so be prepared for it. - **Datong Old Town Manxin Hotel** — The hotel blends the design styles of the Yungang Grottoes with folk brick and wood carving, creating a place where history meets the contemporary. Staying here, you can feel the culture of the old town. (Building 10, Beixinxi Garden Residential Compound, West Ring Road, 0352-5068555) ## Things to see - **Yungang Grottoes** (★★★★★): Admission ¥120 (April–October); ¥100 (November–March); Opening hours 9：00—17：00; Time needed 4–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yungang-grottoes - **Nine-Dragon Wall** (★★★): Admission From ¥10; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/nine-dragon-wall - **Great Mosque** (★★★): Admission ¥12; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/great-mosque - **Datong Volcano Cluster National Geopark** (★★★): Admission ¥5; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/datong-volcano-cluster-national-geopark - **Huayan Temple** (★★★★): Admission ¥32; Opening hours 2026.11.01-2027.03.31 08:30-17:00; 2027.04.01-2027.10.31 08:30-17:30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/huayan-temple - **Shanhua Temple** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 40–60 minutes — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shanhua-temple ## Day trips & beyond - **Yingxian Wooden Pagoda** (★★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yingxian-wooden-pagoda - **Laoniuwan on the Yellow River, Pianguan** (★★★★): Admission ¥96; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 08:00-17:00; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/laoniuwan-on-the-yellow-river-pianguan - **Datong Earth Forest** (★★★★): Admission ¥60; Opening hours 8：00—19：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/datong-earth-forest - **Mount Heng** (★★★★): Admission ¥45; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mount-heng --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1840–1852. 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.