Zhalantun
The Suzhou and Hangzhou beyond the Great Wall on the eastern slopes of the Greater Khingan Range, with Chinese Eastern Railway buildings, Suspension Bridge Park and Xiushui, and the Yalu River winding around the city.
Zhalantun lies in southeastern Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, on the eastern slopes of the Greater Khingan Range, with the Yalu River running through town. Its green hills and clear waters have earned it nicknames like the Suzhou and Hangzhou beyond the Great Wall and the Jiangnan of the North, and in 2002 it was designated a National Key Scenic Area. The city grew up around the Chinese Eastern Railway (today's Binzhou Line) in the early 20th century and preserves a group of Russian-style buildings, including the railway club, station buildings and a wooden water tower, now listed as a national heritage site.
The main sights are compact: Suspension Bridge Park, the former Chinese Eastern Railway Club (now a history museum), the Chinese Eastern Railway Museum and the train station in the north of town can all be linked on foot, and about 2 km further north from Suspension Bridge Park is the Xiushui Scenic Area. In winter you can ski at Jinlong Mountain west of town; in summer, go rafting on the Yalu River at Luming Resort in Nanmu Township on the northern outskirts. About 185 km to the southwest, Chaihe Town has volcanic landscapes such as Moon Heavenly Lake, Woniu Lake and the Ten Bends, which make a long day trip by car or a stop on the way to Arxan.
The best time is Jun–Sep for cool summers, with autumn colors in mid-to-late September; winters are cold but good for skiing and snowy scenery. Getting there: the Binzhou Railway runs through the city, with direct trains from Harbin, Qiqihar and Hailar, and there is also Zhalantun Genghis Khan Airport. Allow 1–2 days for the city, plus an extra day for Chaihe.
Top sights
- Suspension Bridge Park – A century-old park built during the Chinese Eastern Railway era, with a wire-cable suspension bridge over a tributary of the Yarlu River, R…
- Xiushui Scenic Area – River bends and islets formed where the Yarlu River emerges from the mountains, with green hills, clear water and lush trees, a representat…
- Zhalantun History Museum – A museum housed in the former Chinese Eastern Railway Club built in 1903, where the Russian-style wood and stone building is itself an exhi…
- Chinese Eastern Railway Museum – A thematic museum centered on the Chinese Eastern Railway, telling the story of the railway's construction and the rise of Zhalantun as a c…
- Zhalantun Station & Wooden Water Tower – An old station on the Binzhou Railway that retains a wooden water tower rare from the Chinese Eastern Railway era, a popular stop for railw…
- Jinlongshan Ski Resort – A ski resort and mountain scenic area northwest of the city, with beginner, intermediate and advanced runs. Zhalantun is among the first na…
- Luming Resort & Yalu River Rafting – A holiday resort in Nanmu Oroqen Ethnic Township, where Yaluhe River rafting is billed as the ‘No. 1 rafting trip in the north’.
- Chaihe Moon Lake – A high-altitude volcanic crater lake in the Chaihe volcanic cluster, its surface as round as a full moon. From the summit you can overlook…
- Woniu Lake – A volcanic barrier lake in the Chaihe scenic area, with a stone island shaped like a reclining ox. The autumn foliage along its shores is r…
- Arxan Grand Canyon – A volcanic lava canyon carved by the upper reaches of the Halaha River. The gorge is deep and forested, with walkways along the cliffs for…
Where to eat
- Liuguo Restaurant – Russian-style Western food in a century-old building from the China Eastern Railway era, a few minutes' walk from Diaoq…
- Shiqiao Restaurant (Yalu Street Branch) – A long-established Northeastern Chinese restaurant in Zhalantun with authentic guobaorou, Demoli stewed fish, beef shao…
Itineraries
- Hulunbuir & Arxan Grand Loop – Combine the northern grassland and forest loop with a journey south to Arxan's volcanic heavenly lakes, returning to Ha…
- Arxan & Chaihe Volcanic Forest Autumn Tour – In and out of Ulanhot, see the Arxan Heavenly Lake and Shitanglin, and drive along the Mo'a Highway to Chaihe.