Side Trip to Changchun & Shenyang

On your arrival in Harbin, take the airport shuttle bus to the city and check in at a hotel. Try to recover from your jet lag, if necessary, on the first day. You may then take a leisure stroll to areas around the hotel and taste the delicious local food.

For today, we suggest that you visit the Siberian Tiger Park, Sun Island, and the famous Central Avenue. You can refer to Day One of our Harbin itinerary HB04 for detailed transportation information. If time permits, continue your visit to the Cenotaph - the landmark of Harbin, Stalin Park, and the St. Sofia Orthodox Church.

We suggest that you take an overnight train to Mudanjiang. This will save you time and the money for the hotel. Hope onto train 2051 that leaves at 00:36 from Harbin and reaching Mudanjiang in 5.5 hours. The fare for the soft sleeper is CNY143.5 for upper berth and CNY149.5 for lower berth.

Upon arrival in Mudanjiang railway station, transfer to the tourist bus to Jingpo Lake. The first bus leaves the railway station at 07:30 and reaches the lake in about 2 hours, costing CNY25 per person.

Only one hundred kilometers from Mudanjaing City, Jingpo Lake is the largest alpine barrier lake in China and the second largest of its kind in the world. The scenic area consists of the lake area, the primitive crater forests, and the site of ancient Bohai Kingdom. The admission fee to the lake area is CNY80 and it is valid for two days. You will arrive at the north gate of the site, from where you can walk for 10 minutes to the Hovering Mansion Falls, the only outlet of the Jingpo Lake.

Then take the electric sightseeing cart (CNY12 per person) to the Jingpo Villa, where you can check in at a hotel or family inn.

After lunch, go on a cruise to enjoy the picturesque scenery of the lake. The fare is CNY100 per person, and it takes about 2 hours for a round trip. You can also rent a speed boat to streak across the lake. Afterward, either take a tourist bus to the primitive crater forest or just enjoy a leisurely afternoon by the lake.

In the morning, take the tourist bus to visit the site of the ancient Bohai Kingdom, tracing the history of the region of over 1,000 years old. Then return to Jingpo Lake to catch the tourist bus back to Mudanjiang City. Have your lunch and a short rest at the restaurant near the railway station. Then catch the 16:26hr train No. 2168 to Yanji. The fare is CNY58 for hard sleeper and CNY87 for soft sleeper.

The train will arrive at Yanji at 22:51. Please check in at a local hotel.

Changbaishan Mountain is recommended today. There is a direct bus, but you can take the regular bus to Erdaobaihe The earliest bus leaves from Yanji at 06:30 and reaches Erdaobaihe in 4 hours. Then charter a taxi (30 minutes, CNY60) or carpool a minivan (CNY15 per person) with other travelers to the northern slope of the mountain. The entrance fee is CNY125.

The first site to visit is the noted Heavenly Lake. Either take a tourist bus (CNY80) or hike along the mountain path to the lake. Then follow the signposts to the magnificent Changbai Waterfall. Drop by the Julong Hot Spring and try the delicious egg cooked in hot spring. Continue your trip by tourist bus to the Small Heavenly Lake, Lüyuan Pool, the Underground Forest and finally the Birch Forest.

Afterward, return to Erdaobaihe to catch a bus back to Yanji. Tonight, board on the soft sleeper train K7368 at 21:29 for Changchun. The train ride takes 8 hours and 16 minutes, and costs CNY186 for upper berth and CNY194 for lower berth.

You will arrive in Changchun in the morning. Leave your heavy bags at the station's Left Luggage and visit the Puppet Imperial Palace. Take the light rail line 3 for 2 stops and alight at Wei Huang Gong Station. The palace was built in the 1920s for the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the puppet emperor, Pu Yi. The admission fee is CNY80.

After that, take a taxi to the bustling commercial Hongqiao Street. Apart from the large shopping malls, the highlight of the street is the time-honored tram No.54. You can take it for one stop to the Changchun Film Studio, where many classic Chinese films were produced.

Return to the station to catch the high-speed train G8020 leaving at 16:26 and arriving Shenyang at 17:50. The fare is CNY142.5 for a second class seat. Upon arrival, check in at a local hotel.

In the morning, head for the Shenyang Palace Museum, which was the imperial palace of the early Qing Dynasty. The admission fee is CNY60. It is open from 08: 30 to 17: 00 in peak season (May to Oct), and from 09: 00 to 17: 00 for the rest of the year. You can take bus No. 10, 13, 213, and 222 there.

You can make your trip more pleasurable by taking a rickshaw which is available near the entrance palace. Wander along the Manqing Street and the Pedestrain Street. It is also worthwhile to visit the Old Residence of General Zhang Xueliang and his farther. Your pleasant trip finishes here. Catch a high-speed train G321 17:36/19:56 for Harbin. The fare is CNY247 for a second class seat.