Top 50 Best Things to Do in Shanxi

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Anonymous user

The Yungang Grottoes are quite magnificent. I went in the afternoon, but the guided tour was a bit slow, so I missed seeing the iconic Buddha statue in Cave 20. It was already dark when I got there. Every Buddha statue is exquisite and beautiful. You should come early, otherwise the oxidation will be more severe.

Anonymous user

Aside from the rainy day, everything else was great. The only thing was that we came across the Jinci Temple, a place covered in a high school or middle school textbook, and we thought it was worth visiting. The temple itself is very rich in content, and there are other attractions nearby, but because it was raining, we could only visit a few of those places.

小岛323

⛺️Seasonal Activities: Although it's the Yellow River's dry season, it's still spectacular. The lower temperatures also allow you to see the icefalls, but you'll need to go later in the season. There's a little ice currently, but not enough; it would probably be even better when the temperature drops further. 💡Tips: Currently, admission is free, and the shuttle bus costs 20 RMB per person, making it excellent value. There's a free admission policy from December 20, 2025 to February 10, 2026. Tickets can be booked through the "Shanxi Yellow River Hukou Waterfall Tourist Area" WeChat service account or platforms like Ctrip. 🚗Transportation: Navigate to the Shanxi Hukou Waterfall Visitor Center; there are plenty of parking spaces. 👍Recommended Activities: The waterfalls on the Shanxi side seem a bit more spectacular than those on the Shaanxi side. The facilities in the Shanxi scenic area aren't as good as those in Shaanxi, but prices are relatively lower.

M33***22

The scenery is rather ordinary, and the commercialized shops lack any distinctive features, making it no different from heavily commercialized places like Wuzhen and Langzhong. Shuanglin Temple is more worth visiting. A day and a night is probably the most you could do in Pingyao Ancient City.

一船星河

Inside, there's just a pagoda and a small temple. There's not much to see, and you'll finish quickly. If you don't know the history or hire a guide, you'll essentially only see a wooden pagoda. Therefore, it's recommended to learn about the relevant history beforehand or hire a guide.

北国之春一

The Hanging Temple of Hengshan Mountain in Datong, Shanxi Province, was first built in 491 AD (the 15th year of the Taihe reign of the Northern Wei Dynasty) by disciples of the Taoist master Kou Qianzhi, based on his dying wish to "reach the heavens above and sever all worldly clamor below." With a history of over 1500 years, it is the oldest existing high-altitude wooden cliff-side architectural complex in China. **Structural Features:** 27 hemlock beams are inserted into the rock face as an "aerial foundation." The wooden pillars at the bottom are merely for psychological comfort; the actual load-bearing structure relies on hidden crossbeams, achieving the "suspended" appearance. **Reasons for its excellent preservation:** The canyon terrain reduces sunlight erosion, the mountain shelters it from floods, and the mortise and tenon structure provides strong earthquake resistance. **Cultural significance:** One of the world's ten most dangerous architectural wonders, and the only temple where Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism coexist, reflecting the inclusiveness of diverse ancient beliefs. **Admission is free for those over 60, but tickets are extremely difficult to obtain during peak season; remember to book your visit in advance.**

洪虹

We left Guangsheng Temple and drove to Xiaoxitian. What should have been a smooth two-hour drive turned into a road construction trip less than 20 minutes from our destination. After much detours, it took us nearly three hours to finally arrive at Xiaoxitian in Xi County. Xiaoxitian is like a magical treasure box, containing a vast world within a small room. In this mere 169.6 square meters, our eyes couldn't take it all in; we were completely immersed, reluctant to leave. We also followed wave after wave of tourists, listening to their explanations intermittently. From the very beginning, the hall was packed with people, and we stayed until evening when the crowds gradually dispersed before finally leaving. This wondrous journey to Xiaoxitian was truly unforgettable.

e09141939

The tickets I booked for the children were very convenient; we entered by scanning a QR code. "Of the nine strategic passes under heaven, Yanmen Pass is the foremost," and today we are at Yanmen Pass. Just as we arrived at the entrance of the scenic area, at the wall of famous figures and the statue of the Yang family generals, the park was playing "Eternal Chang'an City," which made me feel a little sentimental.

酷酷的哈士奇

The scenery is nice and the bus is very convenient, good reviews! But the consumption level in the scenic area is a bit high, especially in some farmhouse restaurants, where two people can eat more than 100 yuan, while other places in the mountains only cost dozens of yuan.

_We***34

It's a bit of a journey from the hotel to Qiao Family Compound. If you're in Pingyao Ancient City, it's easy to get a ride there. But if you're on a group tour, it's not very comfortable, as the compound is quite large.