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Major city · China

Dandong丹东

Go for one night: walk the Broken Bridge at opening (¥30), see North Korea from the river promenade, then move on.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CNY
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (heavy rain, 250+ mm in July), Jan–Feb (down to -11 °C)
Airport
DDG
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
  • China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
  • China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
  • China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
  • China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.

Dandong is China's largest border city, sitting on the Yalu River across from Sinuiju, North Korea. Almost everything a visitor wants — the bombed Broken Bridge, the riverside promenade with binocular views into North Korea, the Korean War museum — sits within a walkable strip along the river. One full day covers it; two nights lets you add the Hushan Great Wall and a slower look at the old street.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Dandong, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee¥15–35 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Street or quick mealBowl of Korean-style cold noodles¥20–40 (≈ US$3–6)
  • BeerBeer: draught / can at a convenience store¥15–30 (≈ US$3–5) / ¥5–10 (≈ US$1–2)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi across the old townAbout ¥10 (≈ US$2)
  • Metro or bus rideCity bus ride¥1–2 (≈ under US$1)
  • Museum or sight ticketBroken Bridge entry¥30 (≈ US$5)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personCN¥60 (≈ US$9)
  • Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomCN¥350 (≈ US$50)
  • High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomCN¥700 (≈ US$100)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget CN¥300 (≈ US$45) · Mid CN¥600 (≈ US$85) · High CN¥1,200 (≈ US$170)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Yalu River Broken BridgeViews into North KoreaMemorial of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid KoreaHushan Great WallKorean and North Korean restaurants
Airports
DDG Dandong Langtou Airport (21 km west of town; flights are frequently cancelled, so many travellers fly to Dalian or Shenyang and continue by train (check))

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Dandong: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−2°C

−11°C

5 rd

Feb

2°C

−8°C

5 rd

Mar

8°C

−2°C

6 rd

Apr

15°C

5°C

8 rd

May

21°C

11°C

9 rd

Jun

25°C

17°C

10 rd

Jul

27°C

21°C

14 rd

Aug

28°C

21°C

12 rd

Sep

25°C

15°C

8 rd

Oct

18°C

7°C

7 rd

Nov

8°C

−1°C

6 rd

Dec

0°C

−9°C

5 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Walk the riverside strip — the Broken Bridge, promenade and old street are all within about 30 minutes on foot. Taxis are plentiful and most trips inside the old town run about ¥10; agree the meter is on before you move. City buses cost ¥1–2 but stop as early as 18:00 on some lines and signage is Chinese-only. Shared bikes need a Chinese app.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Hushan Great Wall

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h each way

Bus from the long-distance station (about ¥6.5 (≈ under US$1), 40 min) or taxi/ride-hailing (¥30–40 (≈ US$5–6) each way)

Ming-dynasty wall above the Yalu; steep in places. Entry ¥60. Return bus ¥3 from the T-intersection — confirm it is going to Dandong.

Sinuiju, North Korea

caution

Door to door: Full day or overnight

Organised tour only, by train across the Friendship Bridge

Rules and availability change; book through a licensed operator and check current status before planning around it.

Dalian

overnight

Door to door: 3–4 h

Train 2–3 h, or bus about 4 h

Better as the next stop than a day return.

Shenyang

overnight

Door to door: About 3 h

Train several times a day, about 3 h by bus

The usual onward link for flights and high-speed rail.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Riverside / Broken Bridge area

Zhenxing District along Binjiang Road: walk to the bridge, the promenade and most Korean restaurants. Best for a one-night stop.

Dandong Railway Station area

Practical for early trains and buses; 10–15 min walk or a short taxi to the river.

Moon Island

Island in the Yalu River with hotels, cafés and a summer night market; quieter, needs a bus or taxi to the centre.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
¥250–450 (≈ US$35–65) excl. bed
Mid
¥450–900 (≈ US$65–130) excl. bed
High
¥900 (≈ US$130)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range double room1 × 1 night × CN¥350CN¥350
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × CN¥600CN¥1,200
Broken Bridge entry2 × CN¥30CN¥60
Hushan Great Wall entry2 × CN¥60CN¥120
eSIM, about a week of data2 × CN¥150 · checkCN¥300
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeCN¥203
Trip total≈ CN¥1,117 per person per day, bed includedCN¥2,233≈ US$350

2026 estimate in yuan; long-distance transport excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee¥15–35 (≈ US$3–5)
Bowl of Korean-style cold noodles¥20–40 (≈ US$3–6)
Bibimbap or ginseng chicken¥35–80 (≈ US$5–12)
Beer: draught / can at a convenience store¥15–30 (≈ US$3–5) / ¥5–10 (≈ US$1–2)
Taxi across the old townAbout ¥10 (≈ US$2)
City bus ride¥1–2 (≈ under US$1)
Broken Bridge entry¥30 (≈ US$5)
Hushan Great Wall entry¥60 (≈ US$9)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Dandong is a calm, low-crime city; the real risks are the river border (never cross or swim toward it), summer downpours, and taxi meters that get switched off — confirm the fare before you pay.
  • Do not swim or wade toward the North Korean bank; the river is the border.
  • Taxis: check the meter stays on — some drivers turn it off and ask for more at the end.
  • Some bus lines stop running as early as 18:00, so plan the return leg before dinner.
  • The riverside walkway at Hushan Great Wall was closed as of August 2025 — check before relying on the loop back.
  • Crossing to North Korea is only by organised tour and rules change; confirm with an operator, not a street vendor.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Fire
119
Ambulance
120

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Dandong丹东

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

请到这个地址To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Fire119
  • Ambulance120

Embassy

Most countries have embassies in Beijing and consulates-general in Shenyang; check your own country's list before travelling.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Taxi, old town: about ¥10 (≈ US$2)
  • Taxi to the new district: ¥30–50 (≈ US$5–7)
  • Bus to Hushan Great Wall: about ¥6.5 (≈ under US$1), 40 min (check)
  • Ride-hailing to Hushan: ¥30–40 (≈ US$5–6) each way (check)

Say or show

  • 你好 — Hello (nǐ hǎo)
  • 谢谢 — Thank you (xièxie)
  • 多少钱？ — How much is it? (duōshao qián)
  • 请打表 — Turn on the meter, please (qǐng dǎ biǎo)
  • 洗手间在哪里？ — Where is the toilet? (xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ)
  • 我不要 — I don't want it (wǒ bú yào)

Keep your passport with you — this is a border area and checks happen.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Dandong. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (heavy rain, 250+ mm in July), Jan–Feb (down to -11 °C) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for DDG: cancellation fallback via Shenyang or Dalian, taxi band, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Broken Bridge and promenade, war memorial, Andong Old Street, Moon Island.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Broken Bridge, war memorial, Hushan Great Wall, Yalu River Art Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Border-rule fixture so the North Korea crossing page can go green or red on current status.

Meanwhile

Back to China

Sources