For anyone who wants to get as close to North Korea as possible without actually going in, Dandong is the place to go. China's largest border city sees very large numbers of Chinese travelers who swing through to make the crossing into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the stark, barren land just across the Yalu River (Yalu Jiang), but Western tourists are far less common.

Trade with North Korea, both legal and otherwise, defines much the city and explains the strong Korean influence the prevails here. Though Isreali and South Korean citizens cannot obtain visas to visit the DPRK, and Americans face a mountain of red tape, they can get a pretty good idea of life in the isolated state from vendors selling North Korean stamps and propaganda posters, and North Korean shows on TV.

You could also try going on a boat cruise (guangguang chuang) along the river, or just simply going out to the half-demolished, bullet-scarred Yalu Jiang Duan Qiao (Yalu River Bridge) to take in the huge contrast between the North Korean and Chinese sides of the Yalu River.

You can also learn a lot about China's perspective of the Korean War by visiting the War to Resist American Aggression and Aid Korea Museum. With its copious bilingual displays, the museum and cenotaph make for an interesting afternoon visit.

If you find politics and history a bit of a yawner, you can hike along Hu Shan Chang Cheng (Tiger Mountain Great Wall), a well-maintained stretch of wall hailing from the Ming Dynasty. Terrain is quite steep here, so it can actually quite taxing to explore. You'll see Tang-era Taoist temples on the slopes of Dagu Shan (Lonely Mountain) about 90km off. A little closer to town Pheonix Mountain National Park (Fenghuang Shan) has temples, monasteries and caves to explore.

If you happen to be in Dandong for the long haul, the Dandong government website features a long list of other attractions you can check out.

History

Maps and artifacts suggest that the area has been settled since the Zhou Dynasty. Long an area of strategic military significance for checking the power of Korea, the area became a seat of a Tang Dynasty Protectorate-General, after the overthrow of the Goruryeo Kingdom.

The Ming Dynasty brought stagnation due to falling trade and communications with outside areas, but conditions improved under the Qing Dynasty. To reflect the power China had over Korea at the time, the area was named Andong in 1876, which stands for "pacifying the east."

Japanese soldiers occupied Andong during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894, subsequently making it capital of Fengtian Province, one of fourteen established in the Japanese puppet-state of Manchukuo.

After two world wars, Andong would still not know peace. Committed to containing communism worldwide, the US intervened in the Korean civil war in 1950, leading to the Korean War. On 20 August 1950, Premier Zhou Enlai warned the U.N. China was deeply concerned about the "Korean question."

Using indirect U.N. channels, China warned the US, that they would intervene against the UN Command in Korea, however, President Truman interpreted this as "a bald attempt to blackmail the UN," and dismissed it. He miscalculated. The Chinese Politburo authorized Chinese intervention in Korea on 2 October 1950 and Mao launched the "War to Resist America and Aid Korea" on the 19th of October 1950. Over 1.5 million Koreans would die in the ensuing conflagaration, and the skies over Andong became the site of the first large-scale jet-vs-jet air battles, dubbed MIG Alley due to the heavy presence of Soviet MIG 15's.

In January 20, 1965, Andong's name was changed to Dandong, meaning "red east," to do away with the former name's distastful imperialist connotations.

These days, Dandong is a transit point for the US $239 million of Chinese goods that flow into the DPRK yearly (and rising), a number large enough for the government to develop the city into a special "Border Economic Cooperation Zone." Dandong's economy also benefits from rich natural resources, a rapidly developing tourism industry, as well as well-established paper and silk industries.

Climate

Dandong is known for its pleasant weather, summers are cooler than in hotter Dalian, maxing out at 35°C (95°F) but winters can be long. Temperatures then can dip down to -30°C (–25°F). Winter usually begins in October and goes on for five months until March, the coldest stretches usually lasting about three weeks during December, January or February.

Budget travelers will find reasonably cheap budget options near the waterfront and train station and can expect rates between RMB 60-90.

The Luyaun Binguan (Shiwei Lu / Sanjing Jie tel. 212 7777) could do with better windows, but the three and four bed dorms are a good deal.

Standard rooms at the Yingbin Hotel (324 Jinshan Street ) start at RMB 104, more for better room types. You won't find any cool amenities here, but you will get clean beds.

The four-star Zhonglian Hotel (62 Middle Binjiang Road) is situated by the river and hosts a bowling alley and a sauna, but access to these Western-style luxuries will put you back at least RMB 337.

For the coziest beds in town you'll want to hit up the local Crowne Plaza (158 Middle Binjiang Road). With tennis, pool, spa, a fully equipped fitness center and satellite TV's in all rooms, you'll be hard pressed to find anything better.

 

Dandong's citizens love barbeques, and on summer nights you'll see plenty of impromptu barbeque stands crowding street corners serving up fresh seafood as well as excellent suds in the form of Yalu River Beer. To get in the middle of the action head down to Dandong New No 1 Department Store on the corner of Bawei Lu and Qijing Jie. You'll also find plenty of more conventional restaurants in the immediate area.

The are also plenty of Korean restaurants in town, you'll find some along Yalu River. Highlights of Korean cuisine include shiguo banfan (stonepot rice), and huoguo (hot pot). Those who don't consider eating pets quasi-cannibalistic might find xiangla gourou (spicy dog) pretty tasty if they can get over the image of a puppy begging them not to be put in a vat of boiling oil.

There are also a few North Korean (state-owned and staffed) restaurants in town. If you see Chinese and North Korean flags over the entrance, you're there.

If you know of any other good restaurants or dining hot spots in town, do let you fellow travelers know by commenting on the Dandong overview page, or in our travel forum.

Bus

Buses headed to Dalian, Harbin, Huanren, Ji'an, Shenyang and Tonghua leave from the long-distance bus station at 98 Shiwei Lu.

Train

The Dandong Huo Che Zan (Dandong Train Station) runs along side Shiwei Lu with its entrance at the Liujing/Wujing road loop. Trains to Shenyang several times a day, while overnight trains run to Beijing, Dalian, Changchun and Qingdao. Trains to Dalian take almost 10 hours, so you might be better off doing the four-hour bus ride. You can also take the train to Pyongyang, or Moscow.

Plane

Dandong Feiji Chang (Dandong Airport) has a limited flight schedule, in regards to both frequency and destinations, so you'd be well advised to check Ctrip's Dandong arrivals and departures schedules when planning your trip. Once you arrive in Dandong, there are airport shuttles to bus you into town.

You'll find plenty of little shops offering propaganda posters and other curios from insular North Korea next door, Dandong is also pretty well known for its ginseng, shells and gold. Plenty of vendors conglomerate in Yalu Jiang Gongyuan (Yalu River Park) fronting Binjiang Lu, but you'll also find them dispersed throughout the city.

If you know of any other good shops or shopping hot spots in town, do let you fellow travelers know by commenting on the Dandong overview page, or in our travel forum.

If you're in Dandong between August and October, see if North Korea's Mass Games are being held (Aug 10-Oct 10 in 2009). This is the period during which visas to the DPRK are easiest to obtain.

What are the mass games? Essentially, they are a synchronized socialist spectacular featuring over 100,000 participants performing 90-minute displays of gymnastics, dance, acrobatics, and dramatic performances to music and other effects, all undertaken in praise of the national leadership.

No other country on Earth has anything remotely similar, it has to be seen to be believed, not only for its massive scale, but for the unabashed, propaganda-saturated glory of it all.

If you know of any other good restaurants or dining hot spots in town, do let you fellow travelers know by commenting on the Dandong overview page, or in our travel forum.