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Best Things to Do
Top 50 Best Things to Do near Dorbod Banner [2025]
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Yungang Grottoes
4.8
/5
31268 reviews
8.9
From £ 1.07
Based on 996 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +8603527992666
Address: No. 1, Yungang Town, Yungang District, Datong City, Shanxi Province
Recommended sightseeing time: 3–4 hours
Highlights:
Stroll through the grottoes and explore Forty Caves
59,000+ stone sculptures inside caves
Saved by 825 users24375 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
I chose to visit the attractions in the afternoon during the National Day holiday. I heard the number of visitors was about two-thirds less than in the morning, but it was still incredibly crowded. Even seeing just one cave involved a long wait. Personally, I think traveling during the off-season would have been a much better experience.
My first visit to the Yungang Grottoes was primarily an enriching experience, learning about the concepts of "dryness" and "comfort."
Then, I gained a deeper understanding of the historical stories depicted in the murals, truly appreciating the wisdom of the ancients and the backbone of our nation.
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Yingxian Wooden Pagoda
4.8
/5
16137 reviews
8.4
From £ 5.13
Based on 182 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +8603495088889
Address: Northwest corner of Yingxian city, Shuozhou city
Recommended sightseeing time: 1–2 hours
Highlights:
11-foot Buddha statue inside
Panoramic views of nature & history
Saved by 144 users14876 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
I learned about the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda from the National Museum, and so I made a point of visiting it this week. Having done my research beforehand, seeing it in person evoked a mix of admiration, a sense of history, and a feeling of regret, as it's now leaning at a 12-degree angle.
The location is rather remote, requiring a bus ride to get there. A quick tour is quite fast, but it's said to be tilting every year, which makes me worried I might not be able to see it again. After exiting, walk straight ahead to reach the temple, but an entrance fee is required. Then, take a bus to the next attraction. The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is a great spot for taking photos.
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Xuankong Temple
4.7
/5
9949 reviews
8.4
From £ 3.10
Based on 793 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +8603528333081
Address: At the foot of Hengshan Mountain in the southeastern suburb of Wuyuan County, Datong City
Recommended sightseeing time: 1–2 hours
Highlights:
Admire Exquisite Wood Carved Murals Along the Plank Road
Cliffside's breathtaking architecture
Saved by 763 users7489 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
The Hanging Temple of Mount Heng, the Northern Sacred Mountain, truly deserves its title as a "magnificent spectacle under heaven"! Built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, this thousand-year-old temple is suspended from a hundred-meter cliff by mortise and tenon joints alone. Its half-inserted flying beams cleverly utilize the mountain's terrain, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship amidst its perilous grandeur. The temple buildings blend Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist cultures, with wooden structures reflecting the surrounding rocks. Climbing to the top and overlooking the rushing Hun River is breathtaking. Though small, it is stunning, a pinnacle of nature and human ingenuity, encapsulating the wisdom and courage of the ancients—definitely worth a special trip!
It's worth experiencing, but the problem is that tickets are hard to get; you have to try to book online a week in advance, and they sell out in seconds. Seniors can still manage to get tickets by joining a local tour group at the on-site tourist service center; the tour guide is very important.
No.
4
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Dazhao Temple
4.7
/5
7954 reviews
8.3
From £ 3.74
Based on 139 reviews
Dazhao Temple / Saishang old street | 80.6 km from downtown
Phone +8604716303154
Address: Dazhao Street, Yuquan District, Hohhot City
Recommended sightseeing time: 2–3 hours
Highlights:
10-yard golden dragon & mural
Grand blessing ceremony on Lantern Festival
Saved by 350 users5116 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
It's very large inside; it would take about three hours to explore it at a leisurely pace. After 3 PM, there are fewer tourists and tour groups, making it a very comfortable place. It feels like the temple has finally been restored to its original, authentic state.
Photography is prohibited in many areas of the temple, but it has a distinct Tibetan Buddhist style, and some of the statues clearly date back to the past. Overall, it's well worth a visit.
No.
5
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Whistling Dune Bay
4.3
/5
4796 reviews
8.2
From £ 12.82
Based on 81 reviews
Xiangshawan | >100 km from downtown
Phone +864008785550
Address: Dalad, Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5–1 day
Highlights:
Breathtaking desert views & panorama
Camel rides in the desert
Saved by 328 users3081 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
Today, Ordos is increasingly green, and it's rare to find such a small patch of desert left for tourists to experience. There are plenty of recreational activities, and the service is generally good. My summer trip was long ago, but the dark clouds and lightning over the desert during the thunderstorms remain vividly in my memory.
A day at Xiangshawan was like stepping onto a joyful alien planet!
The fun can be summed up in two words: pure and simple! Walking barefoot into the soft, warm sand was incredibly satisfying. Riding in a giant cable car deep into the desert, your heart and mind expanded along with the expansive view.
The most exhilarating ride was the dune buggy – like a roller coaster, plunging and drifting between dunes, everyone screaming and laughing. Riding camels in a line, listening to the tinkling camel bells, slowly swaying across the boundless sea of sand, felt like stepping onto the Silk Road.
For the adventurous, sandboarding is a must. Swooping down dunes dozens of meters high, the wind whipping past your ears – so thrilling! When you're tired, lie on the sand and watch the clouds; the world is just blue and yellow, so pure it makes you want to sing.
This place isn't just scenery; it's a giant playground. All your worries are blown away by the wind, leaving only a wild and carefree heart!
No.
6
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Huayan Monastery
4.8
/5
10561 reviews
8.1
From £ 4.28
Based on 147 reviews
Ancient City Tourist Cultural Area | >100 km from downtown
Phone +8603522042001
Address: No. 459 Xia Sipo Street, Datong City
Recommended sightseeing time: 1–2 hours
Saved by 170 users8699 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
During the tour guide's explanation, I noticed similarities between the architecture of Huayan Temple and Fengguo Temple in Liaoning. The guide mentioned that the people who built Fengguo Temple had come to Huayan Temple to learn from their experience! You could go and see for yourself!
It is one of the oldest and best-preserved Liao and Jin dynasty temple complexes in China. It is divided into Upper Huayan Temple and Lower Huayan Temple. Upper Huayan Temple is centered around the Mahavira Hall, while Lower Huayan Temple is centered around the Bhaga Sutra Repository Hall; both are worth visiting.
No.
7
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Yanmenguan
4.7
/5
5943 reviews
8.0
From £ 5.88
Based on 5 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +8603506100519
Address: Daixian, Xinzhou, Shanxi, China
Recommended sightseeing time: 3–4 hours
Highlights:
Yang Family's legendary statue
Walk ancient Great Wall path
4994 positive reviews10K views in last month
Verified user reviews
Yanmen Pass, the first pass of China. This trip with my parents was a bit cold, the temperature dropped suddenly, but thankfully I brought down jackets! You really need to bring some warm clothes when visiting Shanxi in November, otherwise you really can't stand it!
Yanmen Pass is an important pass on the Great Wall, renowned for its strategic importance and hailed as "China's First Pass." The Tianxian Gate is the south gate of the pass, with its original Ming Dynasty bluestone slabs inside. The Dili Gate is the north gate, originally housing the Ningbian Tower, now the Yang Liulang Ancestral Hall, showcasing the evolution of ancient cold weapons. Within the pass are also historical sites such as the Li Mu Ancestral Hall and Jingbian Temple.
No.
8
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Wulanhada Volcano Geopark
4.1
/5
790 reviews
7.7
Ulan Hada Volcano Geopark | >100 km from downtown
Phone +8604744811717
Address: Chahar Right Wing Hou Banner, Wulanchabu City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5–1 day
Highlights:
Safe volcano summit & entry
Explore 20+ new volcano relics
Saved by 168 users600 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
We arrived at the volcano on the afternoon of the first day of the National Day holiday. It wasn't crowded. No need to exchange tickets for self-drive vehicles; you can enter directly at the self-drive entrance. There are manual ticket checks and exchange. Each volcano has a parking lot, but the parking order is a bit chaotic. We drove a go-kart for 80 yuan per car (negotiable). It went around the volcano. There was a fireworks show at night, but it was too cold to watch.
My first visit to Ulahada Volcano was high, but upon entering the scenic area, I was somewhat disappointed. The volcano wasn't as majestic as I'd imagined. The most unpleasant experience was the traffic jams. During the National Day holiday, the area was packed with tourists, and the roads were one-way, resulting in frequent traffic jams. Self-driving tourists were constantly cutting in line, ignoring the one-way traffic rules. The management of the scenic area was also quite disorganized, truly no more than a AAA-rated scenic spot. To enhance its influence and service levels, much work needs to be done, such as improving scenic area management and implementing appropriate vehicle flow control measures. Furthermore, I personally feel that the sanitation management of the scenic area needs improvement, with a strong whiff of commercial development. I hope the scenic area management will address these issues and not wait until the tourists have stopped visiting before regretting it. By then, it's too late. Remember this!
No.
9
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Heng Shan Mountain
4.5
/5
4722 reviews
7.5
From £ 3.10
Based on 41 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +8603528333077
Address: At the foot of Hengshan Mountain in the southeastern suburb of Wuyuan County, Datong City
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5–1 day
Highlights:
360° views of nature
Hanging Temple: ancient wooden architecture
Saved by 130 users2960 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
Having a cable car makes things easier, but climbing to the top is still quite challenging. I had to rest several times, but reaching the top was still very rewarding, and the scenery was beautiful. The only downside was that one side was under construction, so there was a lot of dust at times.
Architectural Wonder: A Millennium-Standing "Castle in the Sky"
Upon first sight of the Hanging Temple, one is struck by its breathtaking spectacle: "Reaching the heavens above, silencing the clamor below." The entire vermilion complex is nestled into a 58-meter-high cliff, supported by just a few dozen wooden pillars. From a distance, it resembles an exquisite relief, while up close, its soaring eaves and angled corners, connected by plank roads, are a visual feast. Even more remarkable is its resilience, withstanding over 1,500 years of wind and rain. Originally constructed during the Northern Wei Dynasty, the wooden structure remains unshaken despite numerous earthquakes. The hemlock beams half-inserted into the cliff face engage the rock like expansion screws, while the traditional mortise and tenon joint structure absorbs wind vibrations. The ancients' mechanical wisdom is truly astonishing. This fusion of "strangeness, danger, and ingenuity" is no wonder it has been selected as one of Asia's 100 Must-See Destinations and was named one of the world's most dangerous architectural wonders by Time Magazine.
Cultural Core: A Spiritual Treasure of the Coexistence of Three Religions
The Hanging Temple's most unique charm lies in its cultural heritage of "the integration of three religions." In the Hall of the Three Religions on the highest floor, Confucius, Sakyamuni, and Laozi are enshrined together. The harmonious coexistence of Confucian benevolence, Buddhist compassion, and Taoist naturalness perfectly embodies the inclusive spirit of Chinese culture. The bronze and stone statues and murals within the hall remain vibrant after millennia. Relics such as the remains of a Northern Wei plank road and the Ming Dynasty cliff carving depicting "Buddha in the Sky" make every visit a conversation with history. This cultural fusion that transcends religious boundaries makes it not only an architectural marvel but also a spiritual landmark.
No.
10
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Datong Ancient City
4.7
/5
259 reviews
7.3
From £ 1.07
Ancient City Tourist Cultural Area | >100 km from downtown
Phone +8603527699269
Address: 山西省大同市平城区御河西路
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 day
Highlights:
Unique blend of ancient & modern
Ancient & modern city vibe
Saved by 174 users237 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
Datong Ancient City, located in the central part of Pingcheng District, Datong, Shanxi Province, is one of the best-preserved ancient city walls in China. Covering an area of 3.28 square kilometers, the existing city walls were added by Xu Da in the fifth year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, based on the old city walls of the Northern Wei, Tang, Liao, and Jin dynasties. The ancient city's streets are laid out in a chessboard pattern, and it boasts several cultural relics protection units, including Huayan Temple, Shanhua Temple, and the Nine-Dragon Wall. It is a crossroads of nomadic and agricultural cultures, showcasing the charm of multicultural integration.
Teacher Wang is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and responsible. Her historical narratives were clear and engaging, and the children were captivated. She thoughtfully allowed us time to take photos and even helped us take group photos. If you're visiting the ancient city to learn about its history and see the Nine Dragon Screen and Upper City Wall, I highly recommend Teacher Wang!
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