If you are not willing to venture taking Beijing North Korea tour, but still want to have a glimpse of the hermit state of North Korea, a short trip to Dandong is a good alternative. Separated by Yalu River, Dandong is a border city opposite to Sinuiju, North Korea. For more tour information on Datong, check out Dantong tour.
Dandong can be easily reached from Beijing by taking train and flight, or you may drive to Dandong from Beijing along the freeway for about 8 and half hours on a 840km road trip.
Dandong offers a good choices of accommodation including the luxury stay at Wanda Realm Dandong and Crowne Plaza Hotel Dandong. For cheaper hotels, you may choose Chinese chain hotels – Home Inn, Huating Express and 7 Days Inn.
Traveling around the city of Dandong is easy and comfortable, a pedestrian friendly city. Taxi rides are cheaper and convenient.
I’ve rounded up the top things to do or the Top 10 Attractions in Dandong which may help you plan your own trip to Dandong.
1. Yalu River Park 鸭绿江公园
South of downtown Dandong, Yalu River Park is about 3.4km long with boardwalk along Yalu River. It is a comfortable stroll along the boardwalk in the park. Lots of activities are going on in the park,especially during summer time. You may see the border area of North Korea from here and take boats to have a closer look.
Having a picnic in the park is a great way to spend your day; Browsing souvenirs from North Korea (North Korean postage stamps & currency notes): Renting Korean dresses to take photographs, and buy snacks; tasting authentic North Korean food and the list could be much longer.
Entrance Fee: free
How to get there: Just walk there
2. Yalu River Broken Bridge 鸭绿江断桥
The “Broken Bridge” is the first bridge ever built over Yalu River. It was constructed between August 1909 and October 1911, an iron bridge, 944.2 meters long, 11 meters wide with 12 arches.
In December, 1950, the bridge was bombed by US Air Force during the Korean War. The bridge has been left less than halfway cross the river from Chinese riverside, hence the name of Duanqiao ( Broken Bridge).
Now it has become an intriguing sight in Dandong. You can stroll along the Broken Bridge, feeling the Korean War by looking at the bullet and shell holes and bomb-damaged remains.
Entrance Fee: RMB30
How to get there: Just walk there
Add：0 Jiangan Road, Yanjiang Development Zone, Dandong City
3. 中朝友谊桥
About 100 meters on the upper reaches of the Broken Bridge is the second bridge on Yalu River, now also known as China and North Korea Friendship Bridge. The built was originally built between April, 1937 and 1943. The bridge is 940.8 meters long with 569.9 meters on China’s side.
Several over-all renovation and repairs have been done to make the bridge both stronger and supportive. The bridge is the official border crossing between China and North Korea. Now tourists can walk through the bridge to enter North Korea for sightseeing. No photos on the bridge.
Entrance Fee: RMB20
How to get there: Just walk there
4. North Korean Border at Dandong 朝鲜边境
So Dandong is within a toss of a baseball to the North Korean shoreline. A glimpse of the stark shoreline is one of the purposes of many tourists who make trips to Dandong. The stark and sharp difference between the two shorelines of China and North Korea is quite interesting.
There are two ways for having a glimpse of the North Korean Border. One is standing on the Hushan Mountain (Tiger Great Wall ) where you can have an-eye bird view of the river the shoreline. The other is to take the speed boat from the pier at the foot of Hushan Mountain. The 30-minute boat ride allows you to come very closer to the North Korea’s Border.
5. Memorial of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea
抗美援朝纪念馆
The memorial was inaugurated in 1958 and renovated and expanded in 1984. The whole memorial comprises three principal buildings – the Memorial Pagoda, the Exhibition Hall and the life-sized Diorama Hall. The Exhibition Hall has 10 show rooms displaying over 500 valuable pictures and 1000 artifacts, reproducing the magnificent scene of the War.
The Diorama Hall is 24 meters high with a diameter of 44 meters, using the comprehensive modern technology to depict the war scenes. The museum shows the war from Chinese perspective.
The museum is located on the foot of the west Jinjiang Mountain. Taxi ride to the museum costs about RMB 10 from downtown,or you may visit the museum on your walk to Jinjiang Mountain.
Entrance Fee: Free ( closed on Monday)
How to get there:
You may walk or take buses no. 1,2,3,4,5
Add: 7 Shanshang Street, Zhenxing District, Dandong city
6. Jinjiangshan Park 锦江山公园
The pleasant Jinjiang Park is named after the same name mountain – Jinjiang Mountain. The park is on the south slope of Jinjiang Mountain, the largest comprehensive park in Dandong, a well-tended expanse of forested slopes.
On the top of the mountain is the Jinjiang Pagoda. The park is free to the public. On the park, you can see people doing lots of activities. There is a pond and a small zoo in the park. It has an entertainment area for kids and it is the ideal venue for a family outing or for lovers. Standing on the top, you can have an unparalleld views of the whole Dandong and Sinuiju in North Korea.
Bus: Bus 23 to get there
Add: 93 Shanshang Street, Yuanbao District, Dandong city
7. Tiger Mountain Great Wall 虎山长城
Tiger Great Wall is named after the same name Tiger Mountain ( Hushan Mountain ). It is located by the Yalu River, opposite to the North Kore’s Yuce Island and the old Shinuiju, about 15km to the east of Dandong’s city center.
Tiger Great Wall is a restored stretch of the Wall with a length of 1250 meters with a sea level of 146.3 meters. Tiger Great Wall was built in 1469, often regarded as the eastern tip the Great Wall built in Ming Dynasty. In the scenic area, there is a Great Wall Museum – Tiger Great Wall Museum, one of the four Great Wall Museums in China.
Entrance Fee: RMB60
How to get there:
Take bus Line 15 for the Wall
8. Anton Old Street 安东老街
Since the Establishment of Andon County by the Qing Government in 1876, “Andon” is the name of Dandong from 1876 until liberation in 1949.
Andong Old Street is a revamped street featuring the splendid history. The facades of the buildings on the Andong Old Street mainly demonstrate the buildings of the old street in the 1920s and 1930s in Dandong.
It is divided into two parts: Old Andon Food Street and Andong Tourism Reception and service Center. Is a collection of nostalgic sightseeing, classic food, travel and shopping, one of the multi-functional cultural business street. Street.
During the Spring Festival, Dandong Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center organizes inheritors of intangible cultural heritage to display sugar figures, sugar paintings, paper cutting, gourd soldering, porcelain carving and other skills in Andong Old Street, so that the general public and tourists can taste the taste and beauty of intangible cultural heritage.
Entrance Fee: free
Add: 49 Renmin Road, Zhenxing District, Dandong
9. Phoenix Mountain 凤凰山
Phoenix Mountain is one of the four famous mountains in Liaoning Province, 57km to the northwest of Dandong’s city center. In Tang Dynasty, Emperor Li Shimin visited the mountain and named it “Phoenix Mountain” according to the legend of “Phoenix Paying Respect to Ancestors”.
Phoenix Mountain is well known both for its natural landscape and religious culture. It is an intriguing place where Buddhism and Taoism go hand in hand and live peacefully. You could find many Taoist temples and Buddhist temples.
Entrance Fee: RMB80
How to get there:
Take buses from Dandong Long-distance Station, a one-hour bus ride, RMB 12
10. Dalu Island 大鹿岛
Dalu Island is the largest island off the northern tip of the coastline in China. Dalu Island is 9 nautical miles off Gushan Township, about 92 km to the southwest of Dandong’s city center.
Now Dalu Island is well developed like a city on the sea with good accommodation facilities. It boasts a fine natural beach. It is a good getaway ffom the hubbub of the downtown Dandong.
Entrance Fee: free
How to get there:
Take buses from downtown Dandong to Gushan Township and then take a ferry (RMB30 ) for Dalu Island.
Tip: Hassle-free Northeast China Escorted Tours
Don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route? No worries, We at Tour Beijing have some options for Northeast China guided tours with English-speaking tour guides:
Harbin Tour
Harbin 3 Day Tour Package
Changchun Tour
Shenyang Tour
Dalian Tour
Dandong Tour
North Korea Tour
Northeast China Tour
Further Readings
Top Attractions in Northeast China
Top 10 Attractions in Harbin
Top 6 Things to Do in Heilongjiang
Top 10 Attractions in Shenyang
Top 10 Attractions in Dandong
Top 10 Attractions in Ji’an
Top 10 Attractions in Panjin
Top 10 Attractions in Dalian (Tips, Photos and Maps)
Best Time to Visit Harbin
Where to Stay in Harbin
Harbin West Railway Station
Top Things to Do in Winter in Harbin
Harbin Ice and Snow Happy Valley
Harbin Ice and Snow World
Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo
Harbin Winter Swimming
Madieer Popsicles in Harbin
Harbin Jihua Ski Resort
Suan Cai Jiaozi – New Year’s Soul in Dongbei
What to see in Harbin, things to do in Harbin
China Snow Town
Scenic Drive from Harbin to China Snow Town
Shuttle Bus from Harbin to China Snow Town
Harbin – Yabuli – China Snow Town Shuttle Bus
Sunrise Glow over China Snow Village
Night View of China Snow Village
Qiqihar Taxi: Qiqihar Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Mudanjiang Taxi: Mudanjiang Taxi Fares, Tips and phones
Harbin Taxi: Harbin Taxi Fares, Tips and Phone
Yanji Taxi: Yanji Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Jilin Taxi: Jilin Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Changchun Taxi: Changchun Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Dandong Taxi: Dandong Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Shenyang Taxi: Shenyang Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Any questions, just drop a line.