Travel to Yinchuan, Hohhot, and Datong this May

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I live in Kunming, and am flying to Yinchuan (Ningxia) on May 8 for about 4 days to visit a friend. Since I’ve never been to that part of China, would like to see the sights while I’m there. After Yinchuan, I plan to go north to Hohhot (Inner Mongolia) for 3 or 4 more days. Then hope to head east to Datong (Shanxi) and spend a few days there.

Have a total of two weeks, and will fly from Beijing back to Kunming. Not interested in Beijing as a travel destination on this trip (been there enough before.)

1. Would appreciate suggestions on those three places and surrounding areas: Yinchuan, Hohhot, and Datong.

2. Wondering about the train between Yinchuan and Hohhot. Looks like an overnighter. Any thoughts on that?

3. From Hohhot to Datong, looks like that will be by bus. Thoughts on that?

4. From Datong to Beijing, the train looks good. Thoughts on that?

Thanks.

[anonymoose]

As it happens, I went to those three places on a trip last summer. All three are very interesting in their own way. In Yinchuan, you can go to Xi Xia Wang Ling (Xi Xia Tombs). It's a bit out of the way, and not much by way of public transport goes all the way there (there are a couple of buses per day), but you can get almost there by public bus from the city centre (I forget which number bus it was) and then at the end stop take a "black" cab for about 30 yuan to the tombs. (Although it is not very far, due to the lack of alternative transport, you don't have a lot of bargaining power with the drivers).

Hohhot has a different atmosphere, with Mongolian script on many shop and road signs. There are a number of temples around town worth seeing (if you like that kind of thing).

As for Datong, well presumably you're going for the Yungang Caves. The city itself is a fairly regular city by Chinese standards. The caves are interesting, again, if you're into that kind of thing.

As for transport, you can fly on Joy Air on their Chinese-built MA60 propeller aircraft between Yinchuan and Hohhot. The fare was quite reasonable as far as I recall.

I did Datong to Hohhot via Shijiazhuang. I'm not sure if there are direct trains.

[abcdefg]

Thanks very much for the tips, @annonymoose. Flying from Yinchuan to Hohhot indeed might be best. I see now that it only takes an hour and costs as little as 300 Yuan.

In and around Datong I was hoping to visit not only Yungang Grottoes, but also the Hanging Temple built into the face of a cliff near Mount Heng.

I've been told that early May is probably too early in the year for the grasslands near Hohhot, such as Xilamuren or Gegentala, to be green and lush. But Hohhot, like you say, still has enough tombs and temples to keep me busy for a couple days. Not sure about a side trip to Batou (Genghis Khan Mausoleum, etc.)

[daofeishi]

Not sure if this could be of interest:

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/33354-nightlife-in-yinchuan/

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#4 -- Very helpful. Thanks for the link and for posting the information previously.

Yinchuan is split into two parts, the "new city" built around Ningxia University, and the "old city" which is the bigger and more exciting part.

If I'm looking at a Yinchuan map, what landmarks would indicate the "old city" area?

[daofeishi]

Xinhua street/新华街 would be smack in the middle of the old city. Other landmarks to go by are the 光明广场 and 中山公园.

The official name for the old city disctrict is 兴庆区. What is called the new city falls mostly within 西夏区. The only thing notable about 金凤区, the third and last official district, is as far as I remember that that is where the train station is located.

[abcdefg]

#5 -- Thanks, that gets me oriented. Appreciate the help.