Shanxi · China
Datong travel guide
Datong is a city in Shanxi, China, home to about 3,106,000 people.
- Best months
- May, June, August and September
- Nearest airport
- DAT17 km · Datong Yungang International Airport
- Currency
- CNYrenminbi
- Time zone
- Asia/Shanghai
- Language
- Chinese, Putonghua, Standard Chinese
About
About Datong
Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province in the People's Republic of China. It is located in the Datong Basin at an elevation of 1,040 metres (3,410 ft) and borders Inner Mongolia to the north and west and Hebei to the east.
Datong is a small city with relatively little experience with foreigners. People here are friendly and curious. Datong, then named Pingcheng, served as the capital during the Northern Wei Dynasty. It was a secondary capital during the Liao and Jin Dynasties. During the Ming Dynasty, it was one of the nine important border towns. Today, Datong offers convenient transportation, relatively low prices, and numerous tourist attractions, making it one of the most worthwhile tourist destinations in Northern China.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Datong
See
The star attractions of Datong, namely the Yungang Grottoes and the Hanging Monastery, lie outside the city proper. At the city's center, surrounded by impressive walls, is the Datong Ancient City, which is a largely redeveloped tourist shopping area (in the redeveloped "ancient city" style common throughout touristed China) punctuated by beautiful temples and mosques. As is typical in China, many attractions, even free ones, require your passport for entry (assuming you don't have a mainland Chinese ID).
- Huayan Monastery
- Chunyang Taoist Temple
- Shanhua Ancient Monastery
- Datong Guandi Temple
- Datong Confucian Temple
- Emperor Temple
- Chunyang Palace
- Great Mosque
- Yuantong Temple
- Datong Christian West Church
- Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
- Datong Museum
Do
- Children's Park
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Datong to stay in
As with anywhere in China, Trip.com is your friend, offering the widest selection of foreigner-friendly hotels in Datong as of 2026.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Datong
2 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Great Palace Hotel | 2.2 km | |
| North Capital International Hotel | 3.0 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Datong
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Datong are May, June, August and September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; July is the wettest, with about 100 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Datong: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Datong Yungang International Airport (DAT), about 17 km from the city centre in a straight line; Shuozhou Zirun Airport (SZH, 105 km) and Ulanqab Jining Airport (UCB, 116 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
Buses run frequently within Datong and cost ¥1 per ride (2026). The bus system can be navigated in English using the Amap map app on your phone. Unlike most other Chinese cities, as of 2026 you need a mainland Chinese ID number to acquire a Datong City Bus card in Alipay. Therefore, foreigners must pay cash for the bus. Make sure you have sufficient ¥1 notes, as no change is given. DiDi is readily available. It may be convenient and less stressful to hire a taxi to visit the main sites out of town such as the Hanging Monastery and the Wooden Pagoda.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
DAT · Datong Yungang International Airport
SZH · Shuozhou Zirun Airport
UCB · Ulanqab Jining Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Datong
Eat
Knife-cut noodles (dāoxiāomiàn, 刀削面) are a Shanxi specialty that you can find in restaurants.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Datong: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Datong?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Datong are May, June, August and September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; July is the wettest, with about 100 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Datong?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Datong Yungang International Airport (DAT), about 17 km from the city centre in a straight line; Shuozhou Zirun Airport (SZH, 105 km) and Ulanqab Jining Airport (UCB, 116 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Datong?
renminbi (CNY).
Nearby
Destinations near Datong
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.