Tag Archives: Inner Mongolia

Manzhouli 满洲里

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My arrival in Manzhouli was certainly an interesting one. On the day I arrived, the city was experiencing a temporary water restriction. When I checked into my hotel in the afternoon, there was no water supply. Fortunately, the hotel staff were very kind and considerate. They brought me a large 5-litre bottle of drinking water for my personal use, which was very much appreciated. By the time I returned to the hotel in the evening, the water supply had thankfully been restored.

I stayed at the Metal Hotel, which is in an excellent location along the China-Russia Golden Walking Street. The area is lively and colorful, with plenty of shops and interesting architecture that reflects Manzhouli’s unique blend of Chinese and Russian influences.

One of the highlights of the area is Matryoshka Square 满洲里套娃广场, famous for its giant Russian-style nesting doll and colorful buildings. It is only a few minutes away from the hotel by taxi, although I decided to walk there instead. The walk gave me a chance to take in the sights and atmosphere of this fascinating border city at a more leisurely pace.

There are free rides and shows in the Matryoshka Square.

From Matryoshka Square, the Guomen Scenic Area 国门景区 is just about five minutes away by taxi. Guomen, meaning “National Gate,” is located near the China-Russia border and is one of Manzhouli’s important landmarks. Although foreigners are not permitted to enter certain parts of the Guomen area, we are allowed to go up to the top of the tower. From there, I could enjoy a fascinating aerial view of the surrounding border region, where China, Mongolia and Russia meet.

The location of the hotel was also very convenient for getting around. Manzhouli Railway Station is located at the end of the street and is within walking distance, making it easy to travel to and from the city.

Despite the little surprise of arriving during a water restriction, I had a very pleasant stay in Manzhouli. The friendly service at the hotel, its convenient location, and the unique atmosphere of this border city made my visit a memorable part of my journey through Inner Mongolia

Baotou 包头

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In Baotou, I stayed in a smart hotel equipped with AI technology. It was quite an interesting experience when almost everything in the room could be controlled by voice commands through a virtual assistant. I could switch the lights on and off, turn the TV on and off, and even open and close the curtains simply by speaking to the AI.

The AI assistant could do more than just control things in the room. I could ask it to give me an early morning wake-up call, and it could even recommend places to visit and attractions to explore in Baotou. I felt a little like having a personal assistant right in the hotel room!

The following day turned out to be a long and busy one. I took a taxi out to the grassland and later took another taxi to Northern Weaponry City 北方兵器城.

Along the way, I chatted with the taxi driver, who kindly recommended a few more places for me to visit. Taking his advice, I continued on to Baotou Ancient City 包头古城, followed by Baotou Golden Street 包头金街 and Flower Dance World 花舞人间.

Unfortunately, Flower Dance World was closed when I arrived. There was nothing much I could do except taking a few photographs at the entrance before moving on. It was a little disappointing, but these unexpected moments are also part of travelling.

It had been a hot and tiring day, and I finally returned to the hotel in the late afternoon. I found that there is a night market near the hotel, so I headed there in the evening to look for something to eat.

While browsing the stalls, something suddenly caught my attention, a stall selling Singapore-style ice cream. What a surprise! Seeing something so familiar in Baotou. It was one of those small and unexpected moments that made the day memorable.

Overall, I really enjoyed my stay in the smart hotel. The AI features were fun and surprisingly useful, and the hotel was comfortable and convenient. If I return to Baotou in the future, I think I might just stay there again.

Hailar 海拉尔

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I arrived in Hailar 海拉尔 from Baotou 包头 by plane. As the taxi drove me towards the city, the driver casually remarked that Hailar is a small place. “If I just keep driving straight,” he said, “we’ll soon reach the end of the road.” His words gave me my first impression of Hailar is a small, quiet city surrounded by the vastness of Inner Mongolia.

I stayed in a large 4-star hotel with a nice window view. Although the hotel was somewhat old, it was comfortable enough. My booking did not include breakfast but I was given free breakfast for the 2 nights stay.

The hotel is located outside the city centre, but getting to Genghis Khan Square 成吉思汗广场 was easy. A taxi ride took less than ten minutes and cost 8 yuan (S$1.44).

From Genghis Khan Square, I continued on foot and eventually reached Hulunbuir Ancient City 呼伦贝尔古城. The walk gave me a chance to see the city at a slower pace, rather than simply passing through it in the taxi. Later that afternoon, instead of taking the taxi, I decided to walk all the way back to the hotel from Genghis Khan Square. It was a long and pleasure walk, roughly the distance of 10 bus stops.

Not far from the hotel, there is a small square where local people gathered in the evening to sing and dance. As I walked past, the music caught my attention. Groups of people were dancing together, seemingly without much concern for the cold evening air. Their energy and enthusiasm were infectious. I stopped to watch, intending to stay only for a few minutes, but ended up spending more than an hour.

It was one of those unexpected travel moments that cannot be found in the travel guidebook. There was nothing particularly spectacular about the square, just music, dancing, and ordinary people enjoying their evening. Yet somehow, it became one of those memories I carried away from Hailar.

I took the public bus for one yuan (S$0.18) to the train station to check on the train schedule. I took another bus to visit the museum.

Hailar does not have many attractions, and after 2 days, I felt that I had seen enough of the city. Following the advice of the hotel staff, I decided to take a coach rather than the train for my next journey to Manzhouli 满洲里.

Qiqihar 齐齐哈尔

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The hotel I stayed in Qiqihar is in a very convenient location, just a few minutes’ walk from the train station. The room I stayed offered a lovely view, which added to the comfort of the stay.

Although breakfast was not included in my booking, I decided to pay an additional S$4.71 and I found the money well spent. The breakfast spread was surprisingly impressive, with a good variety of choices ranging from fresh salad and noodles to toast and yoghurt. What made it even more enjoyable was the pleasant aerial view from the dining area, allowing me to have breakfast while looking out over the city.

I visited the Longsha Park 龙沙公园, where I enjoyed a peaceful walk and had a chance to slow down and take in the surroundings. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to visit Zhalong Nature Reserve, which is famous for its red-crowned cranes. The reserve is located quite far from the city, so I decided to give it a miss on this trip.

Overall, I spent 2 days in Qiqihar and had an enjoyable and relaxing stay. Although the city may not have as many attractions as some of the other destinations on my journey, it provided a pleasant break and a chance to experience a quieter side of Heilongjiang 黑龙江.