A Parent-Child Travel Pitfall Guide for Changbai Mountain Tianchi! Avoid These Traps and Enjoy an Easy Trip with Kids

Just got back from Changbai Mountain Tianchi with the kids and ran into a few pitfalls. Luckily, we adjusted in time and ended up having a great time. Here’s a pitfall avoidance guide for moms to read before taking their kids, so you can avoid detours and start your parent-child trip with ease~

Pitfall 1: Choosing the wrong scenic area entrance wastes time. At first, we didn’t plan and randomly chose the West Scenic Area. It turns out you have to climb 1,442 steps to reach Tianchi there. The kid got tired and cried halfway up, so we had to give up. The right approach: prioritize the North Scenic Area with kids. It has shuttle buses, so you don’t have to climb many steps and can easily get to Tianchi. Plus, the North Scenic Area has more attractions, making it more fun and suitable for kids.

Pitfall 2: Not checking the weather in advance, resulting in a wasted trip. We didn’t check the weather forecast the day before, and it rained heavily on the mountain top that day. We couldn’t see anything and had to wait at the visitor center, which made the kid cranky. The right approach: monitor Changbai Mountain’s weather starting 3 days before your trip. Tianchi is easily affected by weather; on rainy or foggy days, you probably won’t see the lake. Try to go on a sunny day. If the weather is bad, visit other spots first, like Changbai Waterfall or Little Tianchi, and go to Tianchi when the weather improves.

Pitfall 3: Buying things inside the scenic area is ridiculously expensive. We bought a bottle of mineral water at the Tianchi summit for 10 yuan and a small toy for the kid for 50 yuan—super overpriced. The right approach: bring enough water and snacks before you go, like mineral water, biscuits, and fruit. You can save a lot inside the scenic area. Toys can be bought in town, which is at least half the price of those inside the park.

Pitfall 4: Not preparing non-slip shoes for the kid, almost causing a fall. There are many wooden boardwalks in Changbai Mountain, and in the morning they are covered with dew and very slippery. The shoes we put on the kid weren’t non-slip, and the kid almost fell, which scared us. The right approach: have the kid wear non-slip sports shoes, preferably with tread, for safer walking. If you go in winter, make sure the kid wears snow boots to prevent slipping.

Pitfall 5: Missing out on hot spring boiled eggs, very disappointing. At first, we didn’t know you had to buy the hot spring boiled eggs near Changbai Waterfall. We went there after visiting Tianchi, but they were already sold out, and the kid was very disappointed. The right approach: after coming down from Tianchi, go to Changbai Waterfall first. Along the way, you’ll see vendors selling hot spring boiled eggs. Buy a few for the kid—they taste amazing and let the kid experience the magic of hot spring boiled eggs.

Pitfall 6: Staying too far away, making daily commuting exhausting. We wanted to save money and stayed an hour’s drive from the scenic area. We had to get up early every day to catch the bus, and the kid didn’t get enough sleep and was tired while playing. It was very exhausting. The right approach: stay in Erdaobaihe Town, which is close to the North Scenic Area—only a 20-minute drive. The town has many accommodation options, including many kid-friendly hotels, so your stay will be comfortable and the kids will have fun.

Taking kids to Changbai Mountain Tianchi can be super easy and fun as long as you avoid these pitfalls. The scenery at Changbai Mountain is truly beautiful. The kid played every day and didn’t want to leave, already saying they want to come back next time~

Post by MACY NORRIS | Oct 11, 2025