Location: Yinchuan
Top Things to do in Yinchuan
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What to do and see in Yinchuan, China: The Best Places and Tips
Yinchuan is the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China, and historically it was the former capital of the Western Xia Empire of the Tanguts. It has an area of 4,467 km (1,725 sq mi) and a total population of 1.99 million. Its built up area is home to 1,290,170 inhabitants spread on three urban districts. The name of the city literally means "silver river".
Restaurants in Yinchuan
1. Western Xia Tombs
Overall Ratings
4 based on 100 reviews
Reviewed By TravelistaBelle - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Chinese are masters of making the minute look ostentatious. The entrance, driveways and build up, to what essentially looks like giant ant hills, definitely left you in awe and built up your anticipation.
The English sign post translations do not amount to much in their meaning. This results in words clustered together, which individually make sense but together make a senseless sentence.
The tombs look very well maintained for their declared age.
The surrounding scenery and attraction layout is superb. With good and plentiful transport between the two tombs (although it took serious non translatable debate with an electric car driver to take us to the twin tombs as he wanted to talk with his electric car friends at the bus stop for another half hour and wait for two other tourists who had just begun their journey up to the main tomb).
On warmer days I suggest taking a picnic and spending a few hours in view of the mountainous backdrop.
Toilet facilities were clean (and rated) with toilet paper in the hand wash area.
Minimum tour time 45 minutes.
2. Ningxia Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By EcoRover - Montana
For China, this is an outstanding provincial museum. Most (including those in Chengdu Sichuan and Guangzhou Guangdong) consist of too many random artifacts crowded together without adequate context or historical explanation. The Ningxia Museum, on the other hand, is spacious, artifacts are carefully selected and displayed well, and most have good information in English with context and historical explanation. The displays on the history of the Xixia (Western Xia) Kingdom and on Yinchuan's role in the Silk Road are especially informative.
Also good displays of other dynasties and of prehistoric rock art, which is common in the nearby Mountains.
Furthermore, the museum is HUGE. We spent 4 hours there and need at least that much time for a second visit to adequately see and appreciate the collections.
3. Chengtian Temple (West Pagoda)
Overall Ratings
4 based on 21 reviews
Reviewed By 80GlobalTraveler30 - Shanghai, China
The Gardens made it a very relaxing location. Peaceful, nice architecture, plenty of restrooms.
And then there was the pagoda itself. Have sturdy legs and no fear of heights. Being a narrow structure meant steep steps that required side-stepping. The view was nice and it's rewarding to claim you made it up. (I'm comparing to other pagodas with that comment.)
4. Drum Tower of Yinchuan
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 35 reviews
Reviewed By Mtarbox20
There are actually 2 drum towers very close together. #1 is on a round about. Has an awesome morning market. A pedestrian westernish mall. And most importantly, awesome street massage in the park- 10-20 rmb. The 2nd drum tower has the BEST dumpling house in Yinchuan and possibly China. You have to look for it and ask on one of the 4 side streets. It's very close. Get to watch them make dumplings and the whole shebang. Went 3 times as it was so awesome.
Maggie
Connecticut, USA
5. Helanshan Rock Paintings
Overall Ratings
4 based on 24 reviews
Reviewed By SingaporeGirl - Singapore
Visited in 2009 and found it interesting but you have to close your eyes to the usual China tourism squalor (gift shops, concrete paths, etc.). In 2009 we could climb the hills and stray off the sidewalks where we found additional carvings un-enhanced that were much more interesting. Why oh why can't the Chinese tourism industry learn to leave things alone and stop pouring concrete everywhere. Do what must be done to protect sites but covering them in concrete is not the way to go.
6. Nanmen Tower
Overall Ratings
4 based on 20 reviews
7. Yuehai Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By aboudi - aboudi
This is just a tourist trap,there is nothing worth seeing ,and to get there you will need to take a taxi that will not use a meter and rip you off.People will hassle and pester you all the time I will avoid it next time
8. Nanguan Mosque
Overall Ratings
4 based on 24 reviews
9. Haibao Temple (North Pagoda)
Overall Ratings
4 based on 10 reviews
10. Western Xia Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By Reggie_lu - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Not that special in Yinchuan, but a nice landscape for photos. Entry ticket is 20yuan, you get a Chinese audio guide, unfortunately they don't have in English. You also need to purchase a separate ticket if you wish to use the tram service, but to be honest it isn't that far of a walk.
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