Hohhot Travel Guide

  The River
by John195123
 
  • The River
      The River
    by John195123
  • Architecture 2
      Architecture 2
    by John195123
  •   Restaurants
    by daniel84zz
  •   Restaurants
    by daniel84zz
  •   Restaurants
    by daniel84zz
 

Explore Hohhot

Things to Do  

Da Zhao Lamaserie

Da Zhao Lamaserie, Hohhot

 John195123 Says:  The bigger of the two, Da Zhao is across the street from the Xilitu Zhao Lamaserie and seems to be more of a tourist destination. While there we watched some guy, probably a local politician up for election or something, go through the process as if he were a real Buddhist.... 

Great Mosque

Great Mosque, Hohhot

 John195123 Says:  It's not really packed with tourists- in fact we didn't see any- and it's not very big or really all that impressive. It is nice, within the grounds, and it's possible there's an entrance fee, but we weren't asked to pay anything and we went in the back anyway, not trying to... 

Xilitu Zhao Lamaserie

Xilitu Zhao Lamaserie, Hohhot

 John195123 Says:  One of two major Lamaseries in Hohhot, Xilitu is the smaller, with a nicer "feel" to it. It's a beautiful place, peaceful, unless there happen to be ceremonies going on, in which it feels, possibly, more festive. I wrote about this and the Da Zhao Lamaserie in the Tourist... 

Gegentala Grassland

Gegentala Grassland, Hohhot

 bali_junkie Says:  Gegentala is the closest grassland from Hohhot, about 145 kilometers away or 2 hours drive by car. Once we past the highway, a winding main road spreads far into the grassland, passing beautiful rocky landscape appear to be untouched by man. Gorgeous gorgeous landscape that... 

Exploring Hohhot - Dazhao Temple

Exploring Hohhot - Dazhao Temple, Hohhot

 bali_junkie Says:  Weekends seem to be the best time to explore a bit more of the city - temple hopping, only this time, we were busy drooling over beautiful antiques down the antique street right behind the temple. Antique hunting can be such a great fun. We found 4 piece of wooden scripting,... 

Exploring Hohhot - Museum

Exploring Hohhot - Museum, Hohhot

 bali_junkie Says:  In early July 2007 when we arrived in Inner Mongolia, I remember passing by a construction of gigantic futuristic looking building on the way - and within a month it's already open for public.I'm not really a museum person or ever interested to come and visit one. I prefer a... 

Hotels  

Holiday Inn Hohhot (185 Zhong Shan West Road )

 2 Reviews and 14 Opinions  ** Kindly correct the address - it's on 33 Zhongshan West Avenue** Although the room is not exactly... 

Shangri-La Hotel

 21 Opinions

Restaurants  

Mongolian BBQ restaurant: Mongolian BBQ

Mongolian BBQ restaurant: Mongolian BBQ, Hohhot

 daniel84zz Says:  A must try restaurant when you visit Hohhot, A Mongolian BBQ restaurant and buffet spread.A nice place to dine in, great experience!! Choose your raw meat and condiments and watch the dancing chef stif fry it on a BIG grill into perfection.Other then BBQ, you can also enjoy... 

Mongolian BBQ restaurant: Mongolian BBQ

Mongolian BBQ restaurant: Mongolian BBQ, Hohhot

 daniel84zz Says:  You can select your choices of meats, condiments and sauces afterwhich you can watch the chef stir fry into perfection over a big grill and I really mean BIG!!Other than BBQ you could also enjoy south-east asia buffet spread and it only cost 48RMB per head.Location Xin Hua... 

Fruit Vendors: Fresh Fruit

Fruit Vendors: Fresh Fruit, Hohhot

 John195123 Says:  I guess it's still health food even though we don't know what poisons were used on it... and disregarding all the pollution that falls on it every day... but fruit, good and usually fresh, is available many places around town. Cheap and easy- just don't pay too much. It's... 

Just a Street: The Mosque marks the spot.

Just a Street: The Mosque marks the spot., Hohhot

 John195123 Says:  Hohhot's mosque, built in Chinese style, is fronted by vendors selling baked goods, sweets and other unmissable items. To the left of the mosque, as you stare uncertain past the old men sitting at the entrance, and behind the bike parking lot, is an alleyway lined with... 

Little Fat Sheep Hot Pot City: Hotpot in Hohhot

Little Fat Sheep Hot Pot City: Hotpot in Hohhot, Hohhot

 John195123 Says:  There is a restaurant on Xilin Guole Beilu, just down the road (20 minutes walk or so) from the Railway Hotel in Hohhot. You enter, are whisked upstairs by a hostess, and sit down to a menu of hotpot choices. There is an English version if you ask for it.The hotpot is many... 

Nightlife  

Dance disco: Club New York

Dance disco: Club New York, Hohhot

 bignick Says:  Went here rather late on a Saturday night, and its a canny place if you like the techno/dance scene like I do, so not for everybody's tastes. There's a large KTV attached.The club itself is rather large, but could benefit from some more fill in speakers at the back. Play the... 

Transportation  

Hohhot Airport
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mke1963 1409 reviews

A big modern building, 15km east of the city, near Baita. A modern expressway takes you out there very quickly (just 10 minutes once you are on it), but alow plenty of time for crossing Hohhot city centre.
All very quick and efficient. Some hotels offer a bus shuttle service.

Written Aug 30, 2004

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Local Customs  

No pork, but beef and mutton!
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2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

John195123 1363 reviews
Meat merchant

Obviously Muslims don't eat pork, so don't expect to find it in the Muslim parts. But they do have lots of other meat, beef and mutton (sheep) or goat being the most common, as well as chicken, of course.

Written Apr 7, 2008

Related to:
 Food and Dining
 Arts and Culture

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Warnings and Dangers  

Weather alert!
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Paulgreville 6 reviews
A well protected traveller

Hohhot's a safe place as far as crime goes - a friend had someone fishing in her bag outside the Holiday Inn, but he backed off when confronted, and otherwise I've heard no reports of any trouble.
Like in most Chinese cities, you have to be careful crossing the road, but there are no special dangers that I know of.
The real problem's the weather. If you come in spring, get a 'pollution mask' from a chemist (see illustration - the Mongolian cowboy hat is optional). There are sudden, unpleasant dust storms and you need some protection - dark glasses are also useful if you have sensitive eyes (and if you have Dry Eye Syndrome bring plenty of medication).
Don't come in winter - it can get to 30 (F) below. Or if you do, pack several layers of very warm clothing. And you'll still need your mask, as there's coal heaters everywhere and the air gets very polluted.

Updated May 26, 2005

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Tourist Traps  

Worth a visit
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2 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

John195123 1363 reviews

There are two Lamaseries, Xilitu Zhao and Da Zhao, across the street from each other. Da is the larger of the two and the second one you should visit. It isn't as real in feeling, and costs more to go in. Xilitu is smaller and in some ways more interesting. It's prayer places are more atmospheric, and when we were there, there seemed to be a healing ritual or ceremony in progress. It felt more authentic, with no window for ticket purchases.

Unique Suggestions: It's not that you shouldn't see these places. They do cost a bit to go in, but if you only want to see one, see the Xilitu Zhao.

The monks might have been real, they might have been performers. The Adidas athletic shoes and non-traditional pants didn't add to the realism of the place, but maybe it did add to the realism of an old, traditional religion in a land of commercialism.

Written Oct 8, 2007

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Off The Beaten Path  

Billiards

Billiards, Hohhot

 John195123 Says:  Maybe you can catch a game with some locals. Just down the food alley next to the Great Mosque are a few tables. I can't vouch for their quality as they sit uncovered outside. Are they level? I guess so. 

Side streets

Side streets, Hohhot

 John195123 Says:  As always in travel, I recommend the side streets; the streets that most tourists don't bother seeing, the streets that have the real people on them, the real smells, the real food, the real goings on. On our wanderings around the city, we spent much of the time on the side... 

Favorites  

Hohhot Architecture

Hohhot Architecture, Hohhot

 John195123 Says:  There's not all that much to do in Hohhot, in my mind, other than wander around and enjoy the architecture... it's a nice bit of refreshment from the block style of the rest of China... But they still have the blocks, don't worry.Part of the uniqueness of the architecture... 

Good tour guide in Hohhot

Good tour guide in Hohhot, Hohhot

 mke1963 Says:  I will provide the phone number of a good tour guide in Hohhot upon request.She speaks good English and passable Japanese.She and a friend accompanied me (and arranged a god car and driver) to Dayaocun and then to the Zhao wall at Wusutu. They all clearly enjoyed getting out... 

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Map of Hohhot