Datong Must-Visit Millennium Buddha Caves

Who says Datong is only for slow travel? This special forces soldier personally tested a two-day whirlwind tour of the millennium-old capital's highlights! Although we only checked in at two places, each one was a blockbuster-level shock✨

Day 1️⃣: 【Yungang Grottoes Walking Guide】
🕒 Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (until 5:30 PM in peak season)
📍 Address: Yungang Town, Southern Suburb District, Datong City
💰 Ticket: 120 RMB (buy online in advance to skip the line)
📸 Must-see: Cave 20 outdoor giant Buddha (same as in textbooks!), Cave 5 colorful Buddha statues (remember to look up at the lotus on the cave ceiling), Cave 6 continuous relief carvings (bring a wide-angle lens!)
💡 Walking Tip: Spend 15 RMB at the entrance to take the electric cart to the deepest part of the caves, then tour in reverse to avoid crowds. Tested: after 3 PM the lighting is best for photographing Buddha side profiles!

Day 2️⃣: 【Hanging Temple Extreme Climb】
🕒 Opening hours: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM (until 5:00 PM in winter)
📍 Address: At the foot of Mount Hengshan, southeast suburb of Hunyuan County
⚠️ Note: Climbing fee 100 RMB + ticket 15 RMB (not recommended if afraid of heights)
🏯 Experience: Holding iron chains while climbing stairs, wooden boards creak + mountain wind howls, more thrilling than a roller coaster! The corner on the second floor is the perfect spot to shoot the temple’s aerial panorama (keep your hands steady!)

💥 Tips to avoid trouble:
1. Be cautious about the "local food street" recommended by taxi drivers! For lunch, we ordered takeout from Zini 369 Coarse Grain Season (Drum Tower branch) — their yellow rice jelly is amazing.
2. When taking a taxi back from Yungang, insist on the meter; unlicensed taxis start at 80 RMB (metered fare is under 40).
3. Hanging Temple queues start at 2 hours on weekends; it’s best to arrive by 7:30 AM (don’t ask how we know😭).

🏨 Accommodation bonus:
Stay inside the ancient city at Pipa Old Shop Inn, 300+ RMB for a Northern Wei style kang room, and you can enjoy a free intangible cultural heritage pipa performance at night~