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Voykit pocket guide · China
Yan'an
One full day covers the main red‑tourism sites; add a night if you want a relaxed pace or to explore caves and markets.
Yan'an is the cradle of Chinese communist history, famous for its revolutionary museums, yaodong cave homes and the nearby Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor. The sights cluster in the city centre and are reachable by local bus, so a day trip works, but a night lets you sample local food and markets without rushing.
- Country
- China
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, occasional rain)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥150–250 excl. bed · Mid ¥250–400 excl. bed · High ¥400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire 119 · Ambulance 120
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Yan'an Revolution Memorial | Free |
| Pagoda Mountain entry | ¥65 |
| Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor (peak) | ¥91 |
| Mausoleum off‑season | ¥51 |
| Red Date Banquet Restaurant meal | ¥150 |
| Mutton soup restaurant | ¥110 |
| Yan'an noodles | ¥50 |
| Tofu banquet | ¥35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Yan'an Nanniwan Airport
- Special bus routes 1, 2, 3 to city; ¥20 fare each
Typical fares
- Airport → city centre bus
- ¥20 per ride, 15‑20 min (check)
- City bus ride
- ¥2‑3 per trip (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
City buses (routes 1‑3, 8, 23, 28, 104, K1, K6, K7, etc.) serve all major sights; taxis are cheap, about ¥20‑30 for short trips.
See and do
Known for
- Yan'an Revolution Memorial
- Yaodong cave dwellings
- Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor
- Red Date specialty
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Xi'an | High‑speed train from Xi'an North, about 2.5 h | ≈3 h total |
| Yan'an Nanniwan Revolutionary Site | Local bus 1 or 2, 45 km (28 mi) SE, about 1 hLocal bus 1 or 2, 28 mi (45 km) SE, about 1 h | ≈1 h 15 min |
| Qingliang Mountain | Bus K1 northward, 20 km (12 mi), ~45 minBus K1 northward, 12 mi (20 km), ~45 min | ≈1 h |
| Beijing | Regular‑speed train from Yan'an Railway Station, 10–11 h | ≈12 h |
Sleep
- Home Express Hotel (Yan'an Branch)
- Budget option, close to city centre
- Kanazawa International Hotel
- Five‑star, near Yan'an Bus Station
- Yan'an Jiuchao International Hotel
- Four‑star, on Baimi Avenue
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much? | 多少钱？duōshǎo qián? |
| Where is the bus stop? | 公交站在哪里？gōngjiāo zhàn zài nǎlǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Bus schedules may change; check latest times at the hotel.
- Some museum entry times end at 15:30; arrive earlier.
Yan'an is generally safe for tourists; stay aware of traffic when crossing streets and keep valuables secure in crowded markets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Yan'an yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Yan'an Revolution Memorial
- Yaodong cave dwellings
- Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor
- Red Date specialty
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Yan'an, revision 5259040 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5259040
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/yanan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.