The Grasslands (Xilamuren, Gegentala, Huitengxile)
The main reason for most visitors to Inner Mongolia is for a grasslands experience, and Hohhot is well set up to accommodate this with its copious tourist facilities. These sites are not the most authentic, so for those coming in from the Republic of Mongolia, or from the grasslands at Hailar or Xilinhot, it is probably not worth the trek. Travellers may be a little put off by modern facilities, Han Chinese run resorts, and the crowds that often come in summer. However, if you have not experienced the grasslands before, fun can still easily be had, even on the tours, by trekking off on your own into the rolling grasses for scenery that is pretty and remote. Although it is possible to visit one of the grassland areas in one day, it is far nicer to spend a night or two out here in a Mongolian traditional tent (yurt). These yurts are made of compressed sheep wool and are shaped rather like a squat native American teepee, windowless, sheep-smelling and snug. The yurts are made from latticed wood frames, have thick, rug floors and are usually furnished with many blankets, low beds, quilts, pillows and hot water flasks. They were originally designed to be folded up and carried by camel, however nowadays most of them are slightly more solidly built on concrete yards, in yurt type camps that have numerous yurts and usually a dining area, a washroom with occasional hot water and even electric light. Entertainment in these areas are many. You may try activities such as Mongolian wrestling, horse and camel riding, rodeo competitions, archery, visiting traditional families, and trips to the aobaos (rock mounds that are normally festooned with flags, meant for worship). The best time to do all this is during Naadam Festival, in the second half of August, when the crowds are out in full and a fair-like atmosphere is created. In the evenings the camps provide interesting, if sometimes a little taxing, activities, including a baijiu dinner and performances of traditional dancing, singing and melodies from traditional Mongolian instruments, including the sawing charms of the horse head fiddle (Matou qin). Some of the sites have halls for disco, but this is probably best missed out. Food in these areas is not normally the best, although is somewhat above the squalid cuisine that the Republic of Mongolia churns out. Most places rustle up fatty mutton on the bone, tea with yak milk, butter and grain, and occasionally vegetables and cake. If you are lucky you might come across rice and some ordinary Chinese cuisine, but more well known Mongolian food, such as hotpot, is not normally available. It is worth bring out a few supplies with you, including warm clothing, even in summer, food, and possibly baijiu gifts for local families. There are basically three grasslands that can be visited from Hohhot, Xilamuren (80km northwest on the road to Bayan Aobao), Gegentala (170km northeast in Siziwang qi) and Huitengxile (120km west). All are fairly similar, although the Xilamuren grassland is the most visited and therefore the most tourist orientated. The least visited is Huitengxile, making this the most authentic, known locally as the area of 99 natural lakes. All can be visited by tour, but the Xilamuren site is the only one that is easily visited independently. There is a magnificent lamasery by the Xilamuren River, that used to be the summer palace of a living Buddha in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). How to get there: Travel agents arrange tours dependent upon the amount of people, time of year, which grassland area and the number of nights.

Inner Mongolian Museum
The Inner Mongolian Museum (Neimenggu bowuguan) is the largest and best museum in Inner Mongolia, boasting a good selection of ethnic Mongolian items, and a historical lineage of this vast grassland province. Although not arranged in the most logical of order, the museum contains a variety of interesting exhibitions that should keep you interested. The captions in the museum are unfortunately only in Chinese and Mongolian, but most of the pieces pretty much speak for themselves. The ground floor exhibits can generally be categorized into four. The first section is a display of imperial garments and ornaments of past Mongolian kings and their relatives. The second section exhibits a good variety of folk artifacts and relics from the generations of people living on the grasslands. These include hunting and sports implements (saddles, leather overcoats & even polo sticks), a Daur shaman's costume, a model yurt (Mongolian tent), costumes, cooking implements, an Oroqen teepee and more. The third section takes you back further into the province's past, with one of China's best selections of fossilized remains, mainly of animals and dinosaurs. The two most interesting exhibits are the patched up mammoth skeleton (with bits of plaster inconspicuously replacing missing bits), that was dug out from a mine in the nearby village of Manzhouli, and China's largest dinosaur remains, a giant brontosaurus. The final section, the obvious addition by Communist China, is a record of what the Han Chinese have managed to achieve in the province since the 1950s and the CCP consolidation of power. The second floor is a display of the history of the province in ancient times. Most of the exhibits here are dedicated to telling the story of the Khan's, Genghis and Kublai Khan, and the rise and fall of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD). There are a good display of maps showing the hordes sweeping enlarging of their empire, that at one time stretched as far as Turkey. There are further floors to the building, but these are closed off to general public. Address: The museum is located at the western end of Hulunbei'er lu, at the intersections of Xinhua dajie and Zhongshan lu. How to get there: It is just a few minutes' walk from the Xincheng Hotel or a short taxi ride from most of the hotels in town. Opening hours: 09:00 - 17:00.

Zhaojun's Tomb
The story of the concubine Wang Zhaojun, one of China's four historical beauties (along with Diao Chan, Xi Shi and Concubine Yang) is a Chinese morality tale of political alliance and sacrifice, a tale that, like much of Chinese past, has been obfuscated over time into numerous versions. The most interesting story runs like this: Wang Zhaojun was selected at an early age to be a concubine for the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) Emperor, Yuandi, one of his imperial majesty's many. Apparently Yuandi used to select his bed partner from pictures that the court painter created. The painter, a clever entrepreneur, castrated his art for monetary gains by charging the concubines for his artistic skills, and these women obliged by competing courageously, all but Wang Zhaojun. The result was that the emperor, semi-satisfied by love at home, but troubled by war in the north, had never set eyes on the heroine when he came to decide which of his ladies would be sent to the north to appease the tribal chief of a southern Hun tribe, the Xiongnu. He chose the ugliest of his concubine pictures, Wang Zhaojun. The hand-over occurred in 33 BC, and the emperor, furious with his mistake, was finally persuaded, in the sake of peace, to relent. The result was a peace of over 40 years. The Tomb of Wang Zhaojun (Wang zhaojun mu) itself is also shrouded in mystery, in that no one knows whether the true concubine Wang lies beneath. Located about 9km south of the city center, the tomb is one of 9 of its kind scattered about Inner Mongolia. The pyramid-shaped mound is 98 ft high and is crowned by a pavilion on its summit. From the pavilion the views are nice: of the grasslands, farms and the small park that surrounds the foot of the tomb. The park contains a couple of interesting features, a statue of the couple together on horseback, and a rose garden that within contains a museum that holds a couple of steles, and clothing (inc. shoes), jewels & books that allegedly belong to the deceased. How to get there: Take Bus #14 from the intersection of Shiyangqiao xilu and Nanchafang jie to its terminus at the tomb. Alternatively you can take a taxi or a long walk south down Tongdao nanjie, from the Great Mosque. Opening hours: 10:00 - 16:00.

Xilet Temple
The Xilituzhao Temple (Xilituzhao si, or Xiaozhao si), containing the residence of the 11th Grand Living Buddha, is the largest temple in town. Originally a small Buddhist construction, it took the temple hundreds of years to expand to its current size. The prayer hall, the largest one in the complex, is in magnificent Tibetan style, with color-glazed tiles on its four inner sides. The temple is similar to the Dazhao Temple in terms of architecture and shape, originally built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) as well. It was, however, razed to the ground by fire and then rebuilt in the 19th Century, then partially destroyed in the Cultural Revolution (1966-76 AD), before again being restored. The new restoration is a work of art, with much of the temple structures left with attractive bare wood or painted in quiet reds and greens, that differentiates it from the other temple and many temples of its type around China. Xilituzhao remains active, and has, since 1735, always acted as the official residence of the Living Buddha, who reins over Buddhist religious affairs in the city. On entering nowadays you may come across Tibetan monks and followers in prayer, you may get the chance to see one of the temple festivals, where traditional instruments are played, or you may get the chance to head underneath the temple, where caverns contain graphic depictions of the tortures that will be metered out for those who are sinners in this life, a sort of Tibetan Buddhist version of hell. It is sometimes possible to find a monk who can speak English and can take you around. Address: The temple is slightly to the north of Dazhao Temple, also on Danan jie. How to get there: From the intersection of Tongdao nanjie and Zhongshan lu (at the Great Mosque), head southwards along Danan jie and the temple will be on your left. Opening hours: 08:00 - 17:00.