Yanji

Best time to visit

1. Jan
2. Feb
3. Mar
4. Apr
5. May
6. Jun
7. Jul
8. Aug
9. Sep
10. Oct
11. Nov
12. Dec

From the airport or station to the city

Where you land, the ways into the city centre, how long each takes and what it costs.

Getting around

Yanji is the capital of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture: signs are in Chinese and Korean, and many people speak Korean, but little English. The centre is compact; taxis and DiDi are cheap, and buses cost ¥1–2 (route 43 runs to Mao’ershan and the Korean Folk Garden). Longjing (Yun Dong-ju’s birthplace, Ilsongjeong) and Tumen on the North Korean border are 20–40 km away: take a taxi or hire a car for half a day. Changbai Mountain is about 200 km south-west: take the high-speed train from Yanji West to Changbaishan Station (about 1–1.5 hours) and stay a night in Erdaobaihe, or fly into Changbaishan Airport for the West Slope. Jilin province, including Yanji and Changbai Mountain, is NOT in the 240-hour visa-free transit stay area (NIA list of 24 provinces, as of 20 August 2026), so you need a visa or another visa-free entitlement to come here. This is a border region: carry your passport at all times, and do not photograph border posts, soldiers or military sites.

Book these before you fly

These sights need a reservation with your passport. Walk-ups are usually turned away.

• Changbai Mountain North Slope & Tianchi crater lakeReal-name tickets only: book on the official “长白山” WeChat account or mini-program (or the “长白山一机游” mini-program) up to 7 days ahead, choosing passport as the ID type. Summer weekends and holidays sell out. You can buy one set per slope within 7 days; unused tickets can be refunded free until 24:00 on the day. Entry is by face recognition plus the passport you booked with. Check the “长白山气象台” WeChat account for the day’s summit weather.
• Changbai Mountain West Slope (1,442 steps to Tianchi)Same system as the North Slope: real-name tickets on the official “长白山” WeChat account or mini-program, up to 7 days ahead, with your passport; one set per slope within 7 days; free refund on the day if unused.
• Changbai Waterfall (North Slope)Book the North Slope ticket on the official “长白山” WeChat account or mini-program with your passport.
• Changbai Mountain South Slope (summer only)Same system as the other slopes: real-name tickets on the official “长白山” WeChat account or mini-program, up to 7 days ahead, with your passport.

Top sights

长白山北景区（天池北坡）Changbai Mountain North Slope & Tianchi crater lakeThe classic route up the volcano on the China–North Korea border: a jeep-style shuttle climbs to Tianwen Peak (about 2,670 m) for the view down into Tianchi, the deep-blue crater lake; the same ticket covers the 68 m Changbai Waterfall, hot springs and forest trails below.Booking requiredA full day from Erdaobaihe (5–7 hours on the mountain)延边大学网红墙Yanbian University “neon wall”A long building facade opposite the university gate, covered in some 70 stacked Chinese–Korean shop signs that light up at night like a scene from Seoul; Yanji’s most-photographed spot.30–60 minutes (longer if you eat nearby)延吉西市场Yanji West MarketA five-floor indoor market and Yanbian’s great hub for Korean-Chinese food: kimchi counters, rice cakes, dried seafood, ginseng and mountain herbs, plus a food court for cold noodles and blood sausage.1–2 hours中国朝鲜族民俗园China Korean Folk GardenA village of about 40 traditional-style Korean houses and halls at the foot of Mao’ershan, with crafts, folk games, music and dance, and dozens of hanbok rental studios for photos.1.5–3 hours (more with a hanbok photo shoot)帽儿山国家森林公园Mao’ershan National Forest ParkThe “hat mountain” on Yanji’s southern edge: forest stairways (over 1,000 steps) and boardwalks lead to a summit viewing platform over the city and the Longjing plain; a favourite local hike.2–3 hours长白山西景区（天池西坡）Changbai Mountain West Slope (1,442 steps to Tianchi)The wider, face-on view of Tianchi: from the end of the shuttle road you climb 1,442 steps (about 900 m) to the rim beside a China–North Korea boundary marker. Lower down are the Jinjiang Grand Canyon, Ladder River and alpine flower meadows.Booking requiredA full day (5–7 hours on the mountain)长白瀑布Changbai Waterfall (North Slope)The 68 m waterfall where Tianchi’s outflow drops out of the crater, reached by a short walk in the North Slope area; nearby are the Julong hot springs, where eggs are boiled in the volcanic water, and the Green Abyss Pool.Booking required1–1.5 hours including the hot springs延吉水上市场（早市）Yanji Water Market (morning market)Yanji’s biggest morning market on the Yanji River: from dawn, stalls sell rice cakes, blood sausage, potato dumplings, kimchi, mountain greens, rice wine and hot beef soup for breakfast.1 hour延边博物馆Yanbian MuseumThe prefecture museum, with galleries on Korean-Chinese folk life (houses, costume, farming and music), the history of Koreans in China, and archaeological finds from the region; labels in Chinese and Korean.Booking recommended1.5–2 hours尹东柱故居Yun Dong-ju’s Birthplace, Mingdong VillageThe restored farmhouse where the beloved Korean poet Yun Dong-ju (1917–1945) was born, in a historic Korean village with a small church museum and his poems carved on stones in Chinese and Korean.1 hour on site; about 40 minutes each way from Yanji琵岩山一松亭Ilsongjeong Pavilion on Biyan Mountain (Longjing)A hilltop pavilion and lone pine above the Hailan River, famous among Koreans from the song “Seonguja” and linked to the independence movement; wide views over Longjing and the valley.1–1.5 hours图们江广场（中朝边境）Tumen River promenade (China–North Korea border)A riverside park in Tumen city where the Tumen River forms the border: across the water lies the North Korean town of Namyang, and the old road and rail bridges cross between the two countries.1–2 hours on site; about 40 minutes each way from Yanji长白山南景区（天池南坡）Changbai Mountain South Slope (summer only)The least crowded and most remote approach: the shuttle runs almost to the rim and a short walk brings a wide, full-moon view of Tianchi; on the way are twin waterfalls in birch forest, carbonised-wood sites and high wetlands.Booking requiredA full day plus long transfers; best with a hired car

Map

Further out, not on this map: Changbai Mountain North Slope & Tianchi crater lake, Changbai Mountain West Slope (1,442 steps to Tianchi), Changbai Waterfall (North Slope), Changbai Mountain South Slope (summer only)

What to eat here

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