Apart from the cold, there are no drawbacks to visiting Datong in the off-season

The tickets are cheaper during the off-season The scenic spots are less crowded You can take your time to visit the Yungang Grottoes, which are usually too crowded to get into You don't have to worry about not getting tickets, you can buy them on the day The temperature is bearable for someone from the south, wearing a down jacket, you can walk outdoors for 2-3 hours. Just try not to go out after sunset. D1 Shanhuasi Huayansi D2 Yungang + Tulin (didn't go to D3 Hanging Temple Yingxian Wooden Tower in the end Tips: 1 Personally, I think Shanhuasi is better than Huayansi. Firstly, Shanhuasi doesn't charge an entrance fee, and secondly, its ancient relics are more visually stunning. Most of Huayansi has been restored. 2 Yungang has a combo ticket with Tulin. At first, I thought they were not far apart, but after visiting the grottoes, I realized they were about 30km apart. By then it was after four o'clock and the temperature had dropped, so I decided to give up (the customer service refunded me 3 Apart from Yungang, the other attractions can be done in about an hour, so you can plan your time accordingly. I was taking it slow, not rushing. 4 The food in Datong didn't really suit my taste. I tried all the popular restaurants and they were just average. The portions are large, two people can order 2-3 dishes, the average cost per person is 70-80 5 Before you go, you can watch documentaries about the attractions on Bilibili. 'Yungang', 'A Thousand Years in One Tower: Yingxian' and 'Shanhuasi and Huayansi' by Kaogongzhi. Especially the documentary about Yingxian Wooden Tower, because you can't climb it, you can do your homework online beforehand. Otherwise, you'll feel regretful only being able to look up from below after paying a hefty entrance fee.