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HOHHOT
At a glance |
General
Information | History
| Travel |
Visas |
Climate |
Cuisine |
Attractions
Tours
originating: Hohhot
| Hohhot Attractions:
Dazhao Temple |
Five-Pagoda
Temple
 |
Great Mosque |
The Grasslands
|
Inner Mongolian
Museum | Zhaojun's
Tomb
|
Xilet Temple
Hohhot at a glance:
 The
capital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; the regional center of politics,
economy, science, culture and education; was named officially a famous historic
cultural city of China by the State Council in 1985. Location: situated
between north latitude 3950' - 4100' and east longitude 11130' - 11200', in the
central area in the Neimenggu Autonomous Region; the south of Mt. Yinshan;
inside the area of the Tumote Plain; connects Beijing, Tianjin and Tangshan
cities and the Bohai Bay in the east. Neighboring Areas: Heilongjiang,
Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shaanxi, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces, Ningxia Hui
Autonomous Region.
Physical Features: at the southern foot of Mt. Yinshan, higher north and
lower south terrain; central and south plain; Mt. Qingshan in its north, Yellow
River flowing through its south. Population: 2.0 million.
Urban population: 0.66 million. Area: 17,224 sq. km.
Nationalities: Mongolian, Han, Manchu, Hui, Tibetan, Dawoer, Elunchun,
Ewenke and Korean. Climatic Features: temperate monsoon climate; without
cold winters and hot summers; with favorable springs and autumns; average
sunshine of 2,700 to 3,400 hours annually; with frost-free period of 60-160
days. Average Temperature: -1 to 10C; January the coldest, about -10 to
-30C decreased from south to north; July the hottest, about 16 to 45C. Rainfall:
less of rain, annual precipitation of 50-450mm.
Mountains: Daqingshan Mountains, Mt. Panshan, Mt. Pingdingshan, Mt.
Bajishan. Rivers: Daheihe River, Xiaoheihe River, Shilawusuhe
River, Qianpanhe River, Hasuhai Sea, Yellow River, Honghe River, Qingshuihe
River and Gulipanjihe River.
 General
Information:
The city of Hohhot, located about 400km west of Beijing, is at an altitude of
1,500m above sea level. The city is known mostly as a stopping point for
travellers who wish to sample the grasslands that can be found from 80 to 170km
from the city or for those moving on to the Republic of Mongolia to the north.
Hohhot has been known by many names in its time. With a population of just over
800,000, the city is not overly big, although is the second largest in the
province. Much has changed in the city since the early 20th Century, and
its fame as city of temples and lamaseries is somewhat offset by the predominant
high-rises and modern buildings that now make up much of the city. The majority
of industry here is centered upon machine building, refineries, other factories
and the production of hide and wool. Tourism is also a big earner, as anyone
meeting the train station's swarms of touts will soon find out. Nowadays it is
the Han Chinese that are in the majority here, closely followed by the Mongols
that make up 11% of the total population and the Muslim Hui Minority. It is in
the southwestern end of the city, around the Xilituzhao and Dazhao temples, that
these and other minorities can be found, including the Ewenki, the Daur and the
Manchurian groups. Much of the history of this area may have been lost from the
face of the modern city but there are a few things that bring back the past. One
is the symbol of Inner Mongolia, the rearing horse, that has been appearing all
around Hohhot, a throwback to the days when screaming hordes of Mongols
conquered over half the known world. This was best highlighted when a stone
figure of Chairman
Mao Zedong was removed from the city center's lively Xinhua Square,
to be replaced by a statue of a galloping horse. The history is also brought
back to life in the city's Prefectural Museum, that has a flying horse fittingly
attached to its roof, and in the celebration of the Naadam Festival that passes
through the streets and houses around August every year.
History:
The area, for over a thousand years, was a popular resting spot for Mongol
nomads, and grew to become the "Blue City", an allusion to the azure skies that
are rarely troubled by cloud. The city itself was officially established in the
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), growing largely due to its religious buildings, and
came to be called the City of Temples and Lamaseries (Zhaocheng). The
Nationalist government under
Sun-yat Sen, and then
Chiang Kaishek, were to refer
to the city as Guisui, but with the Communist succession in 1950, it returned to
its roots, being known in Chinese either literally as the Blue City (Qingcheng)
or phonetically as Hohhot (Huhehaote or Huhaote). The city was officially
designated as the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture in 1952,
and has now become the prefecture's economic and political center.
Travel:
By plane: It is possible to fly to Hohhot from most major cities in China,
including Beijing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chifeng, Shanghai, Hailar, Ulanhot and
Xilinhot. The 15km leg from Baitou Airport to town can be covered by a taxi for
about ¥60, but it is probably easier to catch the CAAC bus (¥4) from the CAAC office. By train: The train station can be found on Chezhan jie at its
intersection with Xilinguole beilu, to the north of most sights and hotels. 19
railway lines link Hohhot with many cities, including Beijing, Xi'an, Lanzhou
and Yinchuan. Since train tickets, especially sleeper ones, are often hard to
get, booking through CTS, CITS or hotel travel services is sometimes a good
idea, although they will charge commission (about ¥40). By bus: The bus
station can be found to the west (right as you exit) of the train station, on Chezhan xilu. Bus travel is probably not the best way to get into the province,
but is one of the better ways to get around. Buses head to most major
destination nearby, including Datong, Baotou, Dongsheng, Tianjin and Beijing. There are twice weekly flights to Ulan Batur in Outer Mongolia. Both trains and buses head to the border, but buses
will require a Travel Permit from the Public Security Bureau office. Trains are
either expensively direct to Ulan Batur or troublesomely cheap via the border
town at Erlianhot. Arriving in Erlianhot in the evening, you will probably need
to spend a night in the cheap hostels here. Local buses will take you on from
here to the Mongolian town of Zamen Uud (US$15, few minutes). From here trains
can be caught on to the capital (US$5-10, 20hrs).
Visas
Visas into the Republic of
Mongolia: Visas for the Republic of Mongolia can be obtained from both Beijing
and Hohhot.
Climate:
Falling within a temperate zone, Hohhot belongs to a semi-arid climate that
is characterized by little and uneven precipitation (between 50 and 450mm per
annum). Summers here are fairly warm, with highest temperatures of around 39C. Winters are long and freezing, with the city averaging about 100
frost free days per annum. Temperatures have been recorded as low as -45C. Another feature of the Hohhot weather is the sharp temperature swings that
occur daily. The temperature often falls 10 to 15C at night, making long
sleeved clothing useful even in the summer months. The city is also often hit by
droughts and sandstorms in spring and blizzards in winter, seasonal problems
that are a nightmare for farmers. Climatically speaking the best time to visit
the city is between May and September, when the weather is neither too hot nor
too cold for comfort. Many travellers here are interested in the grasslands, and
if this is your reason for coming to the city then your optimal time for a
visit, when the grass is lushly green, will be between July and early September.
Cuisine:
The most famous specialties in
Hohhot are the many meat dishes, with the focus mainly on mutton or lamb. The
most famous dish in town is undoubtedly the Mongolian hotpot, that can be found
in most restaurants here. The best place to try this specialty is in the city's
chain restaurant, "Dunlaishun", that has spawned thousands of copies across
China. Also worth trying is the succulent roast leg of lamb that is a tasty,
although often a little too fatty, addition to a culinary trip to the city. Leg
of lamb is often expensive, up to ¥200, but in the cold winter months this is warmingly welcome. Probably the most commonly eaten dish in the city is the
hand-held mutton.
Attractions:
(
= voted as the highly recommended
attractions to visit)
Tours:
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Hotels:
Hotel prices vary enormously
with the seasons. Please complete our
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