XINJIN TAO

I had the luxurious knife-cut noodles, which were so generous in portion that even I, who don't really like noodles, praised their appearance. I highly recommend the classic minced meat version, which comes with egg, dried tofu, and pickled vegetables, saving you the trouble of adding extra ingredients.

✨Three days and two nights in Datong, and my spending sense has completely collapsed! 🏯 Sisters! Just got back from Datong, and my wallet isn't even empty! This ancient city, known as the "capital of three dynasties and an important town of two dynasties," let me be a "time-traveling heroine" for three days with a budget of 800+ RMB per person! I originally thought that historical and cultural cities would be expensive, but I found that the Yungang Grottoes ticket was 120 RMB, Huayan Temple was 50 RMB, and a bowl of knife-cut noodles was 12 RMB. Even the ancient city wall is free! Save this mind-blowing travel guide below 👇 💰 Budget Breakdown (800 RMB per person, 1500 RMB quality experience) Accommodation: I chose budget hotels in the ancient city or near the train station, only 200+ RMB for two nights! Food: 50 RMB per day for a royal experience, 12 RMB per bowl of knife-cut noodles, 20 RMB per basket of shumai – food freedom achieved! Transportation: mainly by bus and shared bikes, less than 100 RMB for three days. Most attractions have affordable tickets, with half-price discounts for students, and even museums are free! These prices are so good I could cry! 🌄 Itinerary (15,000 steps daily, no repeats) 🏯 Day 1: Ancient City Journey & Liao-Jin Architecture Tour • 8 AM: Head straight to Huayan Temple to see the Liao Dynasty temple. A 50 RMB ticket allows you to see the "Oriental Venus" sculpture in the Bojiajiaozang Hall. Climb the Huayan Pagoda for a panoramic view of the ancient city! Don't forget to catch the free guided tour to hear historical stories, and take photos in Hanfu to instantly transform into a leading lady in an ancient drama! • **10 AM:** Explore the free area of ​​Shanhua Temple, a Tang Dynasty temple. Take stunning photos in front of the Five Dragon Wall; the red walls, green tiles, and ancient cypress trees create perfect shots! Walk 5 minutes to the Drum Tower to see the center of the ancient city. • **12 PM:** Enjoy the same mutton shumai as Empress Dowager Cixi at Longjuxiang Shaomai Restaurant. Thin-skinned, generously filled mutton shumai costs 20 RMB per basket, served with mutton offal soup for a heartwarming and comforting experience! • **2 PM:** Free access to the Datong Ancient City Wall. Bicycle rental: 45 RMB/2 hours for a city tour. Stunning silhouette photos against the sunset! • **7 PM:** Watch the nighttime light show at the Daiwangfu (Prince Dai's Mansion). 50 RMB ticket includes a live performance, giving you the feeling of stepping back in time to a Ming Dynasty prince's residence! 🌿 Day 2: Grotto Wonders & Hanging Temple Adventure • **7 AM:** Share a ride to the Yungang Grottoes. 120 RMB ticket to see 45 caves and 59,000 Buddha statues! The open-air Buddha in Cave 20 is breathtaking; remember to hire a guide or download an audio guide app. • **12 PM:** Have a light lunch outside the scenic area, or return to Xijin Road in the city for knife-cut noodles. 12 RMB/bowl for chewy, smooth noodles; add minced meat for an irresistible aroma! • **2 PM** Climb the Hanging Temple for an adventurous experience! 115 RMB including temple entrance fee. Experience the thrill of this "perilous building"! Remember to arrive early to avoid queues. Those with a fear of heights should proceed with caution, but it's definitely worth it. • **6 PM** Visit the Datong Museum for free. See the Sima Jinlong Tomb lacquer screen, a national treasure. Air-conditioned and less crowded, perfect for escaping the heat! 🚶 Day 3: Leisurely Stroll & Unique Experiences • **9 AM** Visit the Nine Dragon Wall, China's largest glazed screen wall. 10 RMB entrance fee for photos of the nine lifelike dragons! Walk to Fahua Temple for a free visit to the Lama Pagoda. • **11 AM** Enjoy the Zini 369 Coarse Grain Season at Zini 369 Coarse Grain Restaurant. Savor yellow millet cake and charcoal-grilled pork knuckle. 50 RMB per person to sample the specialties of northern Shanxi! Remember to get a number online at 4:30 PM to avoid queues. • **2 PM** Visit the Datong Earth Forest for photos of its magical landforms, or hike for free at the Volcanic Cluster Geological Park to see the spectacular volcanic cones. • **6 PM: Bring home local specialties! Vacuum-packed millet and Yanggao dried apricots are 30% cheaper at supermarkets than at tourist attractions!** 🍜 Food Radar (Eat your way through Datong 24/7 without going bankrupt) • Breakfast Must-Try: Knife-cut noodles (12 yuan/bowl, chewy and smooth), mutton offal soup (15 yuan/bowl, heartwarming and stomach-warming). • Main Meal Must-Try: Shaomai (20 yuan/steamer, thin skin and generous filling), assorted copper hot pot (warm and comforting), braised pork strips (fresh, fragrant, and tender). • Snack Recommendations: Hunyuan cold noodles (8 yuan/bowl, sour and spicy), marrow oil cake (golden and crispy), all for around 20 yuan per person at the night market! • Refreshing Drinks: Sea buckthorn juice, apricot peel tea – a super refreshing drink after a heavy meal! 💡 Money-Saving Secrets That Will Change Your Mind 1. Cleverly Save on Entrance Fees: Ancient City Wall, Museum, and Fahua Temple are all free! 1. **Student ID:** Half-price admission to most attractions; even better deals when booking one day in advance through online platforms. 2. **Transportation Boost:** Public buses cover all areas for 1-2 yuan; shared rides between attractions cost around 20 yuan per person, much cheaper than taxis! 3. **Off-Peak Dining:** Small shops in residential areas are 50% cheaper than in scenic areas; night markets offer the most choices when they first open! 4. **Accommodation Tips:** Choose hotels outside the ancient city or near the train station; they are 50% cheaper than inside the scenic area, and there are discounts for staying two consecutive nights! ✅ Travel Bonus Tips • **Best Time for Photos:** Yungang Grottoes are beautifully lit in the morning; the ancient city walls are best photographed at sunset! • **Avoidance Tips:** Beware of "free guides" who are actually salespeople; local products are 30% cheaper at supermarkets than in scenic areas! • **Climate Tips:** Pleasant weather from May to October, but bring a jacket due to large temperature differences in the mountains! Datong's prices are more historically significant than its actual prices!🏯 A bowl of noodles, a cave, a city—with a budget of just over 800 yuan, you can collect the entire thousand-year civilization of the Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin dynasties! This trip completely cured my "fear of luxury when visiting ancient cities"! 💬 Interactive Topic: In which historical city did you experience a consumerist shock? Looking for travel buddies in Datong in the comments! 👇 #PlacesMyWeChatIsExtremelyAskedAbout #RoadScenery #PersonalizedTravelPhotographyGuide #AJourneyLikeASong #MyLEGOPark

🚂Transportation: Tianjin → Datong 22:22～6:35🕰️ Save on one night's accommodation fee and maximize your time! 📍Day 1 🔺7:00 After leaving the train station, I ate some traditional Chinese knife-cut noodles nearby. The hot soup noodles instantly revitalized me! 🔺8:00 I took a bus directly to Yungang Grottoes. I arrived just in time for it to open and spent 3-4 hours there. It was truly breathtaking! The wisdom of the ancients is amazing! Successfully high-fived the popular Buddha statue for a photo opportunity ✋ Also encountered many "Buddhist-like" cats – so therapeutic! 🔺 13:00 Huayan Temple The underground palace and relics truly amazed me. The Huayan Pagoda's underground chamber is a hidden paradise; remember to climb to the top for a panoramic view of the ancient city! 🔺 15:00 Xijin Road When queuing, I was stunned – there were still 108 tables ahead of us! So we decided to walk back to the hotel (about a 13-minute walk). After resting at the hotel for a while and dropping off our things, we went out and waited in line for about five minutes before it was our turn. We ordered a few of their signature dishes (braised pork knife-cut noodles 🍜, pork knife-cut noodles 🍜, green pepper 🌶️, braised chicken feet, and two skewers of grilled meat). The taste was just average 🤣 🔺 19:00 Night Stroll in the Ancient City After eating noodles, we strolled around the ancient city and drank sea buckthorn juice 🧃. Afterwards, I only had one feeling: sour! So sour! The owner was very kind and poured me a small cup first, asking if I liked it and if I wanted more sugar. The sea buckthorn bread from Lao Mianbao (Old Bread) 🍞 was amazingly delicious 🥰 It was huge! I even bought some more before leaving! 📍Day 2: Chartered car day trip Average cost: 110 RMB per person Route: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda 👉🏻Hanging Temple 👉🏻Hengshan Mountain 🔺Yingxian Wooden Pagoda | 50 RMB I bought paper tickets at the window because I wanted a souvenir 🎫. Bring a notebook for stamping! There were many stalls along the road from the parking lot to the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. The owners were very kind and said you could get stamps even without buying anything, but I felt a little embarrassed and bought a fridge magnet instead. The owner even gave us a discount! 🔺Hanging Temple | Extremely windy! 🌪️ 🚗After having lunch at the Hengshan Visitor Center, we took the shuttle bus to the Hanging Temple. We bought paper tickets from a staff member, but you need your ID card to buy them 🎫! The wind was incredibly strong as soon as we got off the bus, it was so cold! I bought a hat and gloves at a nearby shop, they were lifesavers! 🔺Hengshan⛰️|45 RMB The shuttle bus was very convenient, but the wind on the mountain was unbearable. The cable car was closed that day, so I had to wait at the foot of the mountain 🥹. 🔺 19:00 Fengling Pavilion The architecture is very grand, I thought it was a tourist attraction. You can order half portions of food. I recommend Mapo Tofu! It's great with rice! Average price per person: 60+ RMB. 🔺 21:00 Ready to go back I bought some creative ice cream bread and a Coke with aged vinegar 🥤, and went home satisfied with the taste of Datong! 💡Tips: 1️⃣ It's windy on Hengshan Mountain, so be sure to wear a hat and gloves. 2️⃣ Remember to bring your ID if you want paper tickets. 3️⃣ Sea buckthorn juice is quite sour, so I recommend adding lots of sugar! Already planning my second trip! 🥰 #DatongTravel

I. Basic Information 📍Core Area: Pingcheng District (Most restaurants are concentrated here) 🚗Driving Directions: Taiyuan → Datong (3.5 hours, Erguang Expressway); Qingdao → Datong (8 hours, Jingkun Expressway) 🚄High-Speed ​​Rail: Taiyuan South → Datong South (1.5 hours); Qingdao North → Datong South (5 hours) ⏰Best Time to Visit: March-May/September-November, avoiding the harsh winter (discounts on cold dishes like liangfen) 💡Core Principle: Order less, eat more; two people can enjoy more dishes together. II. Food Category List (By Scene) 🔥 Must-Try Meals (For Sharing/Indulging) 1. Hongya Restaurant (Local High-End Restaurant) ◦ Must-Orders: Beef, Eight Treasure Rice, Custard-Flavored Old-Fashioned Bread ◦ Average Price: 76 RMB | Highlights: A top choice for local gatherings, very generous portions, bread can be packed to go. ◦ Tips: Arrive before 11 AM to avoid queuing; bread can be purchased separately and does not require dine-in. 2. Kaige Restaurant (Most Popular) ◦ Must-order: Wind-dried Chicken, Sea Buckthorn Cake (6 for 9.6 yuan) ◦ Average Price: 65 yuan | Highlights: Fast table turnover, affordable prices, souvenirs available at the stall ◦ Tips: Get a number in advance; Wind-dried Chicken is made to order and requires a 15-minute wait. 3. Khan Roasted Lamb Leg (Kangle Street Branch) ◦ Must-order: Roasted Lamb Leg (with small flatbread and lettuce) ◦ Average Price: 89 yuan | Highlights: The lamb is not gamey; it is pre-roasted by the restaurant and can be heated by yourself. ◦ Tips: Half a lamb leg is enough for two people; pair it with a refreshing drink. 4. Cliffside Sheep Herder (For lamb offal lovers) ◦ Must-order: Lamb Offal Noodles, Smoked Lamb Foreleg Meat Patties ◦ Average Price: 48 yuan | Highlights: Rich chili aroma, lamb offal without any unpleasant smell, heartwarming and stomach-warming. ◦ Tips: Spicy is optional; meat patties and rice noodles are a perfect match. 🥘 Snacks/Breakfast (for snacking/staple food) 5. Xiaoxifu Liangfen (Near Hengshan Scenic Area) ◦ Must-try: Yellow millet rice cake (sweet and glutinous, not greasy), Hunyuan liangfen (smooth and refreshing) ◦ Average price: 53 yuan | Highlights: A hidden gem near the scenic area; rice cake can be taken away separately. ◦ Tips: Be cautious about ordering liangfen on cold days; it's recommended to eat the rice cake fresh. 6. Lao Xu Breakfast (Delivery friendly) ◦ Must-try: Sesame leaves, boiled tofu ◦ Average price: 16 yuan | Highlights: Local breakfast staple, high cost-performance ratio ◦ Tips: Delivery available if staying in the city center; even more refreshing with porridge. 7. Garden Hotel (Specialty Main Dishes) ◦ Must-try: Walnut pie, sea buckthorn and snow pear, oil cake with marrow filling ◦ Average price: 76 yuan | Highlights: Walnut pie can be taken away; oil cake has generous nut filling. ◦ Tips: Sea buckthorn and pear are appetizing and suitable for eating before a meal. 🍰 Desserts/Drinks (for cleansing/finishing) 8. Magnolia Tea Smoked Chicken Leg ◦ Must-order: Five-spice/Spicy Chicken Leg (freshly roasted) ◦ Average price: 15 RMB | Highlights: Firm meat, rich aroma ◦ Tips: Buy only when in stock to avoid long queues 9. Heshengcai (for sour food lovers) ◦ Must-order: Sea buckthorn juice, sea buckthorn ice bread, apricot ice bread ◦ Average price: 99 RMB | Highlights: Pure sweet and sour juice, ice bread with a prominent sourness ◦ Tips: Not suitable for those who don't like sour food; ice bread can be stored at room temperature. 10. Xijindao (shopping mall casual dining) ◦ Must-order: Daylily Assorted Knife-cut Noodles ◦ Average price: 75 RMB | Highlights: Unique texture of daylily, chewy knife-cut noodles ◦ Tips: Elegantly decorated, suitable for a snack while shopping. 11. Mulan's Ice Cream ◦ Must-try: Fenjiu flavored ice cream (slightly better than vinegar flavor) ◦ Average price: 16 yuan | Highlights: Regional flavor, visually appealing ◦ Tips: Eat freshly made to avoid melting and affecting the taste III. 4-Day Food Itinerary (Efficient and Non-Repetitive) • Day 1: Arrival → Kaige Restaurant (Dinner) → Mulan's Ice Cream (Final Dinner) • Day 2: Lao Xu's Breakfast (Takeout) → Hengshan Scenic Area → Xiaoxifu Liangfen (Lunch) → Hongya Hotel (Dinner) → Heshengcai (Dessert) • Day 3: Xijin Road (Lunch) → Garden Hotel (Afternoon Tea) → Khan Roasted Lamb Leg (Dinner) → Mulan Tea Smoked Chicken Leg (Late Night Snack) • Day 4: Cliff Shepherd (Lunch) → Purchase souvenirs (Kaige Sea Buckthorn Cake, Hongya Bread) → Return Trip IV. Useful Tips 1. 1. Average Budget: Daily food expenses 150-200 RMB, totaling 600-800 RMB per person for 4 days. 2. Queuing Tips: Arrive early at Hongya and Kaige to avoid queuing; items like Mulan Chicken Leg are readily available and quick. 3. Packing Suggestions: Walnut pie, old-fashioned bread, and sea buckthorn juice are suitable for long-distance transport. 4. Avoidance Tips: Be cautious about ordering cold noodles on cool days; avoid Heshengcai Ice Bread if you don't like sour flavors.

This restaurant offers free hot noodle soup with your meal! Entering the restaurant feels like a five-star hotel buffet! The entrance features an open kitchen! The chefs prepare the noodles right in front of you behind the bar! You can see the delicious noodles! There are many elegant sofas inside! And the lighting is just right! Eating a bowl of noodles here feels like a real treat! The price is also very reasonable, around 30 RMB per person! I ordered the traditional minced meat noodles! The noodles were chewy! The toppings were plentiful and generous! I also got a lion's head meatball and a braised pork knuckle! Delicious! The noodles were smooth and tender! Opening hours: 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM! I'll definitely eat here again next time I'm passing by Huayan Temple! #FoodShunweihui