13 Best Things To Do In Hohhot, China

1. Dazhao Lamasery

Located in the old part of the city, this is a temple with a lot of history and is modeled after the Chinese style pagodas, except for the main hall, which is modeled after the Tibetan Lama construction regimen. There is a silver Buddha statue in the monastery that gives it the alternative name of the Silver Buddha Temple. There are also festivals and celebrations around the temple, well known for its impressive building, magnificent statue, wall paintings, musical instruments and an eclectic collection of Buddhist scriptures.

Dazhao Lamasery

Address: Jiucheng Nanbu, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia

Website: Dazhao Lamasery

2. Gegentala Grasslands

This is an example of open grassland space in the region and offers the fine scenery of the meadows, the friendliness of shepherds and the excitement of riding on camels, horse racing, and native indigenous sports like archery and wrestling. There is also a Gegentala Tourist Centre that is well designed with accommodation facilities, restaurants, and recreational centers. Gegentala literally means summer resort or summer grazing place and is a unique Mongolian landscape with ethnic Mongolian people.

Gegentala Grasslands

Website: Gegentala Grasslands

3. Museum of Inner Mongolia

For those interested in the history of the region, the Museum of Inner Mongolia is the place to visit as it contains an eclectic collection of manuscripts and specimens featuring distinctive ethnic and local characteristics. There are cultural relics of local tribal people like the Hun, Turk, Muslim and Mongolian along with treasures like the crowns of Hun Kings, head ornaments of Xianbei people. The museum has demonstration halls in a double story building with sculptures, Mongolian items and historical ideas of the grassland region.

Museum of Inner Mongolia

Address: 27 Xinhua E St, Xincheng Qu, Huhehaote Shi, Neimenggu Zizhiqu

Website: Museum of Inner Mongolia (in Chinese)

4. Mausoleum of Chengiz Khan

The mausoleum is a tribute to the Islamic leader of the region Chengiz Khan and there are halls with murals that depict his great actions and stories along with those of his prominent descendant Kublai Khan. There is a statue of Chengiz Khan and a map of the Yuan dynasty on the wall behind the statue. There are ceremonies organized around the central figure of Chengiz Khan and his cult including traditional horse races, archery and wrestling activities to show respect to the leader.

Mausoleum of Chengiz Khan

Address: Kandehuo Enclosure, Xinjie Town

Website: Mausoleum of Chengiz Khan

5. Zhaojun Tomb

This is dedicated to the prominent female figure of the region Zhaojun, the wife of the Hun Emperor, and is responsible for the Chinese unification in the region. This is not just a historic monument but a popular tourist attraction adding a touch of elegance, beauty, and mystery to the harsh landscape and region.

Zhaojun Tomb

Address: Taohua Country, Yuquan District, 010070 Hohhot

Website: Zhaojun Tomb

6. Five Pagoda Temple

This is a prominent Tibetan Buddhist temple in the region and has five pagodas representative of the architectural achievements of the Qing dynasty. The temple is a place of worship by Tibetan Buddhists and is a symbol of Tibetan influence in the region and the country.

Five Pagoda Temple

Address: Wutasi Houjie, Yuquan District

Website: Five Pagoda Temple

7. Huitengzile Grasslands

This is another grasslands of the region located a short distance from the city of Hohhot with yellow flowers that cover the mountains. The word Huitengzile literally means ‘cold plateau’ and this is a cold northern desert region typical of Mongolia and there are cliffs and springs to add excitement to the harsh landscape. There are also villages and meadows nearby with horse races, archery, wrestling besides singing and dancing to give an idea of lively Chinese and Mongolian culture.

Huitengzile Grasslands

Address: 135 kilometers (80 miles) from Hohhot

Website: Huitengzile Grasslands

8. Great Mosque

Typical of Chinese Mongolian mosques, the Great Mosque of Hohhot is built in the architectural style of Muslim imperial China and has a connection to the Qing Dynasty with a modern, prosperous Muslim district like an Arabian city but is definitely a place of worship, reflection, and erudition besides a spiritual oasis in the desert region. There are Koran scriptures written in Arabic suggesting Arab followership and public baths in the style of Turkish baths.

Great Mosque

Address: Tongdao South Street, Huimin District, 010030 Hohhot

Website: Great Mosque

9. Ming and Qing Street

This is a fashionable street in the city located west of the Dazhao temple full of antique shops, local food delicacies and interesting souvenirs for the discerning tourist. There are also Christian churches to give an idea of cosmopolitan culture along with local arts and crafts like the Mongolian knife, ornaments, sheepskin products and musical instruments besides wine and archaic houses.

Ming and Qing Street

Website: Ming and Qing Street

10. Hohhot Poly Theatre

There are art performances in the theater like local Mongolian dances and shows along with modern drama and even classical foreign performances to make an artistic impact in the region.

Website: Hohhot Poly Theatre

11. Hailiang Square

This is a modern market complex and plaza in a city steeped in culture and history and there are amenities like rooftop gardens, shopping, and recreational activities for people.

Hailiang Square

Address: No.1, Zhongshan West Road, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia

12. Inner Mongolia Racecourse

This is located in the northern suburb of Hohhot and is a large complex with well-defined tracks, races, and courses for advanced training and gives an idea of Mongolian-Chinese sportsmanship.

Inner Mongolia Racecourse

Address: 27 Xinhua E St, Xincheng Qu, Huhehaote Shi, Neimenggu Zizhiqu

13. Mongolian steppe desert

This is a typical arid desert region of the area located south of the famous Gobi Desert and the paradise for vast sand space and the blue sky, perfect for the desert experience with camels and dunes in the middle of nowhere.

Hohhot is thriving

As the capital of Inner Mongolia state in China, this is a thriving cultural tourism destination in the country with ethnic Mongolian groups, widespread entertainment of nightclubs and Chinese style fashion streets and plazas besides, of course, ancient indigenous sports like horse racing, wrestling, and archery.