Datong Travel Guide

The city of Datong is wedged between the Inner and Outer Great Wall, at the junction of Shanxi Province, Hebei Province and the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. As the second largest city in Shanxi Province, Datong is famous for coal resources, and known as “Phoenix City” and “Coal City of China”
 

History

In ancient times, Datong used to be the political, economic, cultural and religious center in northern China. It's also regard as a military fort where lots of leaders strived for. The origin of Datong can be traced back to 398 AD when it was the capital of Northern Wei. And then Liao, Jing Yuan built their capital in this place successively. The Western Wei is highly advocated Buddhism, so the famous Yungang Grottoes was constructed during that time. Nowadays, it becomes a resort for many people from home and abroad to pray and tour.
 

Attractions

Datong tourism is the product of religious culture, nature force and human activities. As the representative of Datong, Yungang Grottoes is added on the List of World Heritage by UNESCO in 2001. Hanging Temple is the mix of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Pingxing Pass, Yanmen Pass, Niangzi Pass are the relics for military activities. Apart from that, Mt. Hengshan is the best gift coming from nature.
 

Transportation

As the second largest city in Shanxi, Datong offers a variety of ways for travelers to get into and get around. Datong Airport is located 15 kilometers from downtown, connecting Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Datong railway station offers direct trains to Beijing, Tianjin, Taiyuan, Baotou, and Hangzhou, etc. Besides, there are four bus stations in Datong: South Long-Distance Station, North Long-Distance Station, New Pingwang Station and New South Station. In Datong, the price for is urban buses is ¥1, and the flag-fall rate of taxies is ¥6. As a result, you can choose any way to reach and visiting Datong as you wish!
 

Weather

Datong City enjoys a continental monsoon climate, featured with sharp temperature difference between day and night. Winter is long, cold and dry. Summer and autumn are cool and agreeable. The annual average temperature is 5.5 °C, while the annual rainfall averages 400 millimeters.

The temperature in Datong normally changes sharply between day and night; therefore, it is highly advisable that a thick overcoat should be taken to keep out the cold, even in summer.
 

Food

As a large city in northern China, Datong is well-known for noodles. Locals in Datong can make different dishes with flour, such as Knife-Cut Noodles, Yellow Cake, Cat Ear Noodles, Pea Noodles and so on. Apart from these delicious food made of flour, the Instant boiled Lamb and Guangling Dried Bean Curd also draws many travelers’ attention. If you are interested in these dishes, Xinkai Road and Yingbin Road will be the best place you are looking for!
 

Restaurants

Datong has a large number of good restaurants with their own specialties, so dining in Datong is an enjoyable and also an eye widen thing. Most restaurants are clustered in Xinkai Road and Yingbin Road in Xinrong District of northwestern Datong.

Here are some famous restaurants following

Chuan Sao Ti Hua Duck Soup: offers nice and tasty duck soup. Duck soup has medical function of clearing heat and toxic elements.
Address: South Gate of Xinshiji, Xinkai Xi Er Lu. Datong, Shanxi
Telephone: +86 352-8861083

Hetian Sliced Noodles and Chaffy Dish: serves sliced noodles and chaffy dish. It features simple decoration clean ambience.
Address: First Building, No.93 Xi Jie (West Street), Bin Xi Road, Datong, Shanxi
Telephone: +86 352-7627943

Tai Fu Lou Restaurant: offers some local dishes, especially the Mixed Meat in Chafing Dish, which is a kind of hotpot with local flavor. Besides, you can find out who cooks this dish for they will provide a serial number of the chief.
Address: NO. 179 South Xinkai Road, Datong, Shanxi
Price: ¥40-¥60
Tel: +86 352-2030234

Dong Guan Sliced Noodles: offers local flavor noodles, dried bean curd (dou fu gan) and meatball. Many tourists will come to here to enjoy the special Knife-sliced noodles, so they can sell 2000 bowls of noodles in the busiest day.
Address: T-crossing of Yu He Nan Lu (Yu He South Road), Datong, Shanxi
Price: ¥10-¥20
Tel: +86 352-5101788
 

Shopping

The local specialties such as Wool Carpet, Wool Carpet, Yungang Juanren and paper-cutting are sold in many shops in Daxi Street and Si Pai Lou. Here are some markets that you can find what you want: Hualin Department Store, Zhongbai Supermarket, Datong Art Sculpture Center etc.
 

Nightlife

Nightlife in Datong may be not as swinging as that in modern metropolises like Shanghai or Beijing, but there are still some places that can be found for your nightlife.
 

Tips

1. Datong has Yungang & Mt. Hengshan Tourism Festival in July or August every year.

2. Currency exchange is available in Bank of China, and here are some of its branches in Datong:
Datong City Branch
Address: No.62, Yingbin Road (West)

Xinjian Road (South) Branch
Address: No.83, Xinjian Road (South)

Xisanhuan Branch (Western Third Ring Road) Branch
Address: No.29, Western Third Ring Road

3. Here are some hospitals in Datong:
Datong No. 1 People’s Hospital
Address: Dasehou Street
Phone: 0352-2052556

Datong No. 3 People’s Hospital
Address: North Xinjian Road
Phone: 0352-2043891

Datong No. 2 People’s Hospital
Address: West Yantong Road
Phone: 0352-6024082

Tongxiang Red-cross Hospital
Address: New Jiannan Road
Phone: 0352-2023980

4. Datong could be rather cold in winter, so May to October will be the best time to travel around in Datong.