Must-Visit Route in the Capital of Zhili
I am a travel blogger who loves the small-town charm and echoes of history. Today, I’ve customized a super-value 3-day, 2-night travel guide for Baoding, all-inclusive for 800 RMB per person, perfect for students, budget travelers, and weekend short-trip enthusiasts! Don’t think Baoding is only about “Donkey Meat Sandwiches” — here you’ll also find millennia-old temples, the legacy of Zhili, the vibrant university town atmosphere, and the serene beauty of northern gardens.
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🏯 "Explore Baoding with Me" 3 Days 2 Nights · 800 RMB All-Inclusive Guide
📍 Theme: Capital of Zhili · Fragrant Fire Roasts · History Meets Everyday Life
📅 Duration: 3 days 2 nights (ideal for weekends + days off)
💰 Budget: 800 RMB/person (economical budget travel)
🎯 Suitable for: Students, couples, culture lovers, food explorers
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💰 Budget Breakdown (Per Person)
| Item | Cost |
|------|------|
| Accommodation (2 nights, hostel/economy hotel) | 200 RMB (100 RMB/night) |
| Food (6 meals + snacks) | 300 RMB (150 RMB/day, authentic eats) |
| Transportation (round trip + local bus/taxi) | 200 RMB (high-speed train/bus round trip + local transit) |
| Tickets + Experiences | 80 RMB (Zhili Governor’s Office + Ancient Lotus Pond) |
| Emergency/Souvenirs/Tea | 100 RMB |
| Total | ✅ About 800 RMB |
> ✅ Tip: High-speed trains from Beijing/Shijiazhuang take 30-50 minutes, tickets cost about 50-80 RMB!
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🗓 Detailed Itinerary
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Day 1: Arrive in Baoding · First Encounter with the "Capital of Zhili"
🚄 Recommended to arrive in the morning at 【Baoding East Station】
🚌 Take K1 bus or taxi (about 20 RMB) to downtown
- Accommodation recommendations:
- “Heyi Zhishang” or “Home Inn” near the train station (100 RMB/night)
- Or “Lianchi District Hostel” (60 RMB/bed, for a backpacker vibe)
- Afternoon: Visit 【Zhili Governor’s Office】 (✅ Ticket 50 RMB)
🏛 The only fully preserved Qing dynasty provincial government office in China, where Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang once governed
📸 Photo spots: Main hall, second hall, official residence — feel “One Governor’s Office, Half a Qing History Book”
- Evening: Stroll 【West Street】 (reopened after renovation)
🏮 A century-old street blending Republic of China style with modern cultural creativity, great for night photos
- Dinner: Have your first authentic 【Donkey Meat Sandwich】!
🔥 Recommended: Lao Wang Fire Roast or Hao Ziwei Fire Roast (with green peppers, crispy and juicy)
💰 8 RMB each, plus a bowl of millet porridge, all for 15 RMB
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Day 2: Ancient Lotus Pond + Hebei University Food + Ranzhuang Tunnel Warfare Site
- Morning: Tour 【Ancient Lotus Pond】 (✅ Ticket 30 RMB)
🌸 One of the top ten gardens in northern China, formerly the Lotus Pond Academy, exquisite pavilions and waterside terraces
📸 Photo spots: East Water Tower, Gentleman’s Longevity Hall, small bridge with weeping willows
- Noon: Walk to the area around 【Hebei University】
🍜 Eat at “Hebei University Food Street”:
- Hot and sour noodles (6 RMB)
- Grilled cold noodles (8 RMB)
- Candied hawthorn sticks (5 RMB)
- Student canteen meals available (10 RMB to fill up)
- Afternoon: Take bus/carpool to 【Ranzhuang Tunnel Warfare Site】 (40-minute ride)
🎫 Free admission (reservation required), optional 20 RMB guided tour
🕳 Crawl through tunnels, experience wartime ingenuity, the original site of the movie “Tunnel Warfare”
📸 Wearing military uniforms for photos is very atmospheric (rental 10 RMB)
- Evening: Return to downtown, rest or visit 【Wanbo Plaza】 night market
- Dinner: Another fire roast + cold noodles, a perfect ending
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Day 3: Morning at Daci Pavilion + Return Trip
- Early morning: Visit 【Daci Pavilion】 (✅ Climbing ticket 10 RMB, exterior free)
🏯 Baoding landmark, built in the Yuan dynasty, climb up to overlook the old city morning mist
📸 Capture the flying eaves in the morning light and the city waking up
- Optionally visit 【Baoding Military Academy Memorial Hall】 (✅ Free)
🎖 China’s first modern formal army academy, attended by Chiang Kai-shek and Ye Ting
- Noon: Pack two 【Donkey Meat Sandwiches】 for the road (16 RMB)
- Afternoon: Head to 【Baoding East Station】 for your return trip, ending your 3-day, 2-night journey of everyday life and history 🚄
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🍜 Baoding Must-Try Food List (Authentic and Affordable)
| Food | Recommended Place | Price |
|------|-------------------|-------|
| Donkey Meat Sandwich (round flatbread) | Lao Wang Fire Roast, Hao Ziwei | 8 RMB each |
| Donkey Meat Soup | Morning market stalls | 6 RMB/bowl |
| Cold Noodles | West Gate of Hebei University | 7 RMB |
| Hot and Sour Noodles | Student Street | 6 RMB |
| Sugar Cake | Night market stalls | 3 RMB each |
| Millet Porridge | Breakfast stalls | 2 RMB/bowl |
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📌 Handy Tips:
1. Best seasons: Spring and autumn (April-May, September-October) with pleasant weather, perfect for walking.
2. Transportation advice: The city is small; bus + walking + shared bikes suffice, taxi starting fare is 6 RMB.
3. Donkey Meat Sandwich secret: Look for the “round flatbread” (unique to Baoding), with green peppers but no scallions!
4. Many free attractions: Daci Pavilion exterior, West Street, Military Academy Memorial, parks are all free.
5. Cultural bonus: Baoding is a “strategic area near Beijing,” once the capital of Zhili Province, with a very high historical status.
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🎯 In these 3 days, you will gain:
- A tour through Qing dynasty government offices
- An immersive experience of wartime tunnel warfare
- Countless delicious fire roasts and local life scenes
- A heartfelt embrace with a forgotten northern ancient city
800 RMB brings you a triple treat of history, flavor, and slow living.
If you want, I can prepare a PDF guide + food map + bus route map + donkey meat sandwich pitfalls guide for you too~
May you hear the bell and take your first crispy, piping hot bite of fire roast in Baoding’s morning light 🥙🌅
—— | Travel Blogger · Small Town Catcher ✨