An Ancient City Comparable to Datong: Handan

Listen up! Stop following the crowd to line up in Datong! This 3,000-year-old city in Hebei that has never changed its name—Handan—boasts grottoes more stunning than you’d expect, addictive local cuisine, and best of all, fewer crowds. You can explore it thoroughly in just 2 days, making it the ultimate weekend getaway 🌟

🚗 Essential No-Brainer Guide

- Transportation: High-speed train from Beijing to Handan East takes 2 hours. A taxi from the station to downtown costs about 15 yuan. Taxi fares within the city are very cheap, more convenient and cheaper than driving yourself.

- Accommodation: For luxury, choose Wyndham Congtai for amazing city night views; for value, Zhe·Fei Hotel offers a variety of breakfast options and is close to the high-speed rail station.

- Pitfall Warning: Attractions are spread out, so carpooling on the second day is recommended. It costs about 300 yuan per person for transportation, which is cheaper than taking taxis alone.

- Must-Have Items: Comfortable sneakers (expect to walk 15,000 steps daily), a camera (100% chance of great shots at the grottoes and old city), and an empty stomach (too much delicious food to fit in).

📸 2 Days 2 Nights Leisure Trip (Foodie + Photography Edition)

Day 1: The Old City’s Vibrancy Meets History

Start breakfast at Wang Ji Tofu Pudding, 15 yuan for tofu pudding, baked flatbread, and fried dough sticks—warm and energizing to start your day.

In the morning, visit Congtai Park. The free areas are enough; the bamboo grove at Qixian Temple is very atmospheric, perfect for photos pretending you’re in Jiangnan. For 15 yuan, you can climb to the top for panoramic views—great value.

At noon, dine at Zhao Du Yan Cultural Restaurant, with an antique ambiance and tea ceremony performance. Must-try dishes are King Zhao’s stewed dishes and Cizhou kiln crispy fish. For 80 yuan per person, you’ll feel like a VIP, and your photos will get tons of likes.

In the afternoon, stroll to Huiche Alley, where old houses have been transformed into artsy shops. Don’t miss the donkey meat wraps at “Xiang Li · Ji Wei” restaurant, paired with a Xuebu IPA—locals love to show off this combo.

At dusk, catch the Fuyang River light show, with water curtain projections every Friday and Saturday. Rent a shared bike to ride to Longhu Park; the evening breeze is so refreshing.

For dinner, head to the Trade Street Night Market. Try grilled lamb kidneys, fried maltose candy, and sweet fermented rice—delicious and affordable, plus you get to experience local nightlife.

Day 2: A Perfect Blend of Nature and Culture

Get up early and charter a car to Xiangtangshan Grottoes, a 40-minute drive. The Great Buddha Cave in North Xiangtang is magnificent, with Buddha statues smiling gently—very soothing. The mountain has pine forests and ancient trails, perfect for a light hike and fresh air. It’s ten times quieter than some grottoes in Datong.

For lunch, try a bowl of fresh hand-cut noodles in Fengfeng Mining District. The noodles are chewy, the sauce rich, and add a portion of braised donkey liver for authentic flavor—all for 30 yuan.

In the afternoon, visit Guangfu Ancient City. Rent a bike to circle the city walls and enjoy the unique scenery of this water town. Photos among the reed marshes look like ink paintings. If you wear Hanfu for photos, the ancient city walls make a perfect backdrop. Rental is only 50 yuan per hour.

Before heading back, stop by the Handan Museum’s cultural and creative shop. Idiom blind boxes and Cizhou kiln tea pets are super cute and make great souvenirs.

🍜 Foodie’s Red and Black List

✅ Must-Eat Red List:

- Donkey Meat Wraps: Thin pancakes wrapped around tender donkey meat, fragrant but not greasy. The best are from Wuan.

- A Basket of Juicy Dumplings: Bite into them and the juice flows out; the filling is in strips, giving a unique texture.

- Wubai Ju Sausages: A Qing Dynasty recipe, the more you chew, the more flavorful. Perfect with baked flatbread.

- Cizhou Kiln Crispy Fish: Even the bones are crispy, incredibly fresh, and goes well with rice—you can eat two bowls.

❌ Black List to Avoid:

- Don’t buy overpriced specialties inside the ancient city; supermarkets downtown sell them for half the price.

- Be cautious with popular restaurants run by non-locals; eateries in old neighborhoods are more authentic.

💡 Local Insider Tips

1. Over 1,500 idioms originate from Handan; any place name you pass might be the source of an idiom.

2. Guangfu Ancient City hosts a thousand-person Tai Chi morning exercise on Wednesdays and Saturdays; arriving before 7 am is truly impressive.

3. The AR interactive wall at Handan Museum recreates the story of “Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao,” perfect for visiting with kids.

4. Cizhou kiln ceramics predate Jingdezhen, with white background and black floral designs representing the pinnacle of folk art—worth savoring.

Just 2 hours from Beijing, you can see the Northern Qi royal grottoes, savor millennia-old local delicacies, and immerse yourself in idiom culture. This trip to Handan is truly worth it! Don’t wait any longer—set off this weekend~