Koryo Tours - Specialising in North Korean tours, travel and holidays to DPRK Get up close to the DPRK border! Day 1. After leaving Pyongyang on the 10:10 train and enjoying the ride through rural DPRK you cross the bridge into China passing customs from both countries. Disembark and meet the local guide in Dandong. The extension begins! Have a delicious dinner of local specialties before a night of freedom to try out some local nightlife or simply relax Day 2. First stop is the eastern edge of China’s famous Great wall, located at a place called Tiger Mountain. The wall terminates atop a hill overlooking a North Korean island, just a metre from the Chinese side of the narrow river, don’t step across it though! Korean war Museum – see the Chinese side of the conflict, known here as the ‘War to Resists America and Aid Korea’ accounts of the exploits of the ‘volunteer’ army, propaganda war and some amazing models and panoramas, as well as a field of war machines too Boat Trip on the Yalu River – to get a peek into the border city of Sinuiju.

The river itself is the border between the two countries so this ship swings very close to the DPRK shore, close enough to exchange greetings and waves with locals on the other side Broken Bridge – the iconic attraction of Dandong is a bridge that leads across the river – to nowhere. It was bombed in 1951 by the US Air Force and never repaired. A viewing platform halfway across terminates this cul-de-sac as well as being a great place for photos Next you’ll have some free time to wander Dandong before meeting up beneath the deep red Chairman Mao statue (no need to bow here!) to board the train to Beijing at 18:30 after a full and amazing day! Prices There are several options available.

If you wish to make the tour alone or with a group of friends this can be done at the following prices: Group tours - leaving DPRK by train EUR 180 per person Group tours - leaving DPRK by plane to Shenyang (includes transfer from Shenyang airport to Dandong by private road transportation, approx 3.5 hour drive) EUR 340 per person EUR 40 x 1 night Tips If you are travelling to Dandong during the Chinese May Holiday or the Chinese October Holiday then there will be an additional charge of EUR 25 per person. For the Dandong extension independent tour prices please click here. The tour fee includes Dandong travel guide - Wikitravel Understand[ edit ] Travelers come to Dandong for its vicinity to the North Korean border. See the get out section for further details. Situated at the confluence of the Yalu River and the Yellow Sea in the southeast of Liaoning Peninsula, facing the North Korean town of Sinuiju across the Yalu River, small Dandong enjoys its reputation as the largest border city in China.

The geographic setting and the rich natural resources of Dandong account for its recent development into a city characterized by light industry, the silk industry (late every May, Dandong is the venue for the Oriental Silk Festival), and also for special products such as ginseng, hawthorn and chestnut. The quiet riverside city is most famous for the pockmarked Broken Bridge spanning the Yalu River. The Chinese side of the bridge survived American bombing during the Korean War, a time when the city still had its old name Andong. Now it is open to the public to commemorate "The Defeat of the American Aggression" and is the first choice for a glimpse of North Korea. Dandong is a must-see for North Korea watchers unable or unwilling to go there, and for anyone interested in the Korean War. By plane[ edit ] Dandong Langtou Airport (IATA: DDG) - A small airport (shared with the military) located just outside the city, while flights from Dandong are limited, the airport is much more convenient than other options like Dalian or Shenyang which are both several hours away by train or bus.

Daily flights are available from Beijing , with several flights a week from Shanghai , Shenzhen and Qingdao . The airport is 13 miles west of town and an airport shuttle and taxis are readily available (fare: around 35-45 RMB to the city, as usual in China the drivers are highly unlikely to speak anything but Mandarin). A new terminal opened in 2014, while small and very quiet there are a couple of basic shops and a restaurant / cafe which open a few hours before flights depart. By train[ edit ] In September 2015 a new high speed train route was opened between Shenyang and Dandong reducing the journey time to just over an hour many times a day. In addition there are now direct trains to Beijing 2-3 times a day on a high speed G train taking around 6 hours and going via Shenyang . Meanwhile the older trains, taking 4-5 hours from Shenyang and 14 hours from Beijing continue if you are on a budget: Trains from Shenyang several times a day with night trains from Beijing , Dalian , Changchun and Qingdao .

From Dalian , the train takes a slow route of almost 10 hours, while buses can complete the journey in 4. You can also take the train from Pyongyang , North Korea and Moscow , Russia . Alternatively take the Beijing- Dandong train K27 ,17:27-7:15 ,about 14 hours, a hard seat about RMB141 yuan, a couchette about RMB260 yuan . From Dandong to Beijing K28 train times, 18:31 departure. The long-distance bus station is at 98 Shiwei Lu, near the train station. Beijing - takes about 10 hours Shenyang - takes about 3 hours Dalian - takes about 4 hours (99RMB Oct.2012) Tonghua - takes about 5 hours Dalian Express Buses also leave from the Baoshan Shicheng on Gong'an Jie. The trip takes about 4 hours. By boat[ edit ] A ferry between Dandong and Incheon port (South Korea) leaves Incheon's Ferry Terminal No.

1 at 5 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and leaves Dandong at 3 pm on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The passage takes 15 hours and there is little food or english on the ferry. There are companies that can arrange North Korea tours, get you the train to Dandong and arrange your onward ticket to South Korea. Get around[ edit ] As the city of Dandong is not large, taxi is the most convenient way to get around though the town centre and sights are within 2kms of each other. With taxis the starting fare is 5 Yuan, and a ride anywhere within the city shouldn't be more than 10 Yuan. Normal rules of taxi-taking in China apply - make sure they turn on the meter, don't expect them to have seatbelts, or speak a word of English. Business class hotels can arrange for travel agents (again with limited, if any, English) to take you to the Great Wall and speedboats for 200 Yuan, without negotiation. See[ edit ][ add listing ] View of North Korea from Dandong North Korean Border (北韩边界; Běihánbiānjiè).

As the boundary between China and North Korea, the Yalu River flows over 300 km between the countries. Yalujiang Park is the best place to view North Korea, visit the original bridge across the river and possibly take a fast boat ride up and down the river along the border. The Yalu Jiang Duan Qiao bridge reaches only halfway across the river, the other half having been disassembled by the Koreans. The remaining half was strafed by fighter planes in the Korean War. edit Yalu River Broken Bridge (Chinese pronunciation : Yā Lǜ Jiāng Duàn Qiáo 鸭绿江断桥). A bridge bombed by the US "accidentally" during the Korean War. Only the Chinese side remains as a war memorial, right next to the new bridge - it once had an interesting rotating centre to allow traffic to pass, though this is where the bombs fell. The bridge has a number of photos of before/after the bombing as you walk into what is technically within North Korea. 20 Yuan (Nov-2015). edit (Closed for refurbishment) Cenotaph of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.

A large museum and monument built on a hill overlooking downtown Dandong and the Yalu river. The many, well-labeled bilingual exhibits venerate the courageous Chinese “Volunteers” Army, and offer a rather different perspective on the history of the Korean war. It gives the perspective of the Chinese government. Unfortunately as of Nov-2015 this museum is closed for refurbishment, due to reopen in 2017 edit Dagu Mountain (大孤山; Dàgūshān; lit. Lonely Mountain), (90 km southwest of Dandong, access is by bus from Dandong to town of Gushan). Several Tang dynasty Taoist temples occupy the mountain site. edit Hushan Great Wall (虎山长城; Hǔshānchángchéng; lit. Tiger Mountain Great Wall), (25 km northeast of Dandong). Ming dynasty section of Great Wall of China which travels parallel to river was restored to decent condition. The section is steep so watch your footing. Buy a ticket at the long distance bus station for 6.5 RMB (January 2011). The trip takes about 40 minutes.

The bus driver will drop you off at a T-intersection right by the Wall. You can hike the Wall one way and then return to the beginning on a walkway along the bottom of the mountain. There is a old wired fence that separates North Korea from China. North Korean guardhouses are 300-400 meters in the distance. The actual border is a small stream-river along the base of the mountain. Don't cross the water. To return to Dandong, return to the T-intersection and wait for a bus that will take you back to the long-distance bus terminal for 3 RMB. Confirm with the bus driver that the bus is going to Dandong. 60 Yuan - Nov-2015. edit Speedboat into North Korea (Near Great Wall) (???; ???; lit. ???), (Approx 3km further along the road from the Hushan Great Wall). It is possible to get a speedboat that will take you on a 30 minute trip to see North Korea from up close.

The boat actually goes between a North Korean Island and the mainland, so you are actually in North Korea and the pilot will take you to within 5 metres of the shore so you can see North Korean soldiers, as well as fisherpeople, a small village and empty naval base, up close. Has basic health and safety and you are provided with a life jacket. Guidebooks imply the price should be nearer 180 Yuan if you are able to negotiate in Mandarin. They also sell Ponchos for 10 Yuan if you want to keep dry 300 Yuan per boat via a travel agent, max 8 people - 180 Yuan individually. edit the Korean War Memorial (Chinese pronunciation : Kàng Měi Yuán Cháo Jì niàn guǎn 抗美援朝纪念馆). edit Tourist Dock 1/2 (Chinese pronunciation : ???). Near the Yalu River Broken Bridge take a tour boat to look at the scenery for the North Korean shore.

edit In Dandong urban area to look at ginkgo biloba leaves in autumn.If you have time, you can go to Jin jiang Hill(In the urban area；Chinese pronunciation :Jǐn Jiāng Shān锦江山)、Five dragon Mountain(Chinese pronunciation :Wǔ Lóng Shān五龙山)、Phoenix Mountains(Chinese pronunciation :Fèng huáng Shān凤凰山),etc. Unverified link: I am living in Dandong city,If anyone needs help, please contact me: zzhouguang8002@aliyun.com*** Do[ edit ][ add listing ] Sightseeing Boat. There are two boat services that offer tourist a short cruise out onto the river to have a closer look at Sinuiju. The slow ferry cost 60 Yuan per person, and makes a small loop. Vendors on board sell fake North Korean money and stamps and South Korean trinkets. The speedboat is 80, but goes very fast and very close and makes a much wider loop, although photography might be harder. edit Cross into North Korea.

It is possible to cross into Sinuiju , North Korea by train from Dandong, and then change trains to get to Pyongyang . Numerous local tour groups can sort out the paperwork without referring to Beijing and arrange a relatively budget-friendly visit to Pyongyang for Chinese and foreign tourists. The cheapest deals involve joining a large group and can go as low as around ¥2000 for a three night/four day package for Chinese nationals. Foreign nationals should expect to pay at least 560 euros to join a Chinese tour group. The best, well certainly the most expensive, tours are provided by Koryo Tours in Beijing, who offer tours that exit via train to Dandong. For non-Chinese this is a much better option than beginning a tour from Dandong. Of course, the usual restrictions apply (see North Korea for details). edit Shops along the Yalu river sell both North and South Korean products. Prepare to be ripped-off. Vendors selling North Korean cigarettes (5-20RMB) and money packs (10-25RMB). Near Great Wall, you can find vendors with old pins and other knicknacks. Buyer beware.

Eat[ edit ][ add listing ] Seafood restaurants can be found along the river front including North Korean restaurants staffed by waitresses from Pyongyang. Prices are not cheap however (160 Yuan for a 4 dish meal in Nov-2015), and while the food is better than that found in North Korea itself, it is sure to disappoint anyone familiar with Korean food as served in South Korea or South Korean restaurants. The restaurant next to SPR Coffee (Songtaoyuan Fandian), and the Pyongyang Koryo Restaurant on the street behind it, both have live singing and dancing performed by the waitresses during the Summer. Chuanr - BBQ skewers. Most places in Dandong seem to favour the DIY method. Can be found anywhere at all hours of the night/morning. Great for mingling with locals. Korean Street - Just towards the river from the train station (After the Hilton Garden Inn building/shopping mall) there is a street to the West that starts and ends with Korean arches that hosts a number of traditional Korean restaurants and shops, including proper "sit crossed leg whilst you eat" low tables.

Note on "Peter's Coffee Shop": Most guidebooks and expat websites recommend "Peter's Coffee Shop" as a good Western location for western food and home comforts. Unfortunately it appears the couple that ran the cafe were arrested for allegedly spying (source: News article on arrest ), and the location has been replaced with a new Western cafe "Mr King", not tested by this reviewer as it was closed on a winter Sunday afternoon in Nov-2015. Drink[ edit ][ add listing ] You have not been in Dandong until you have been to the True Love Club. It's 2 minutes' walk away from the station, though anyone will know where it is. With morbid shows and a spring-loaded dancefloor, it is the place to see and be seen. Westerners are not frequent, so they are likely to be called on stage to participate in beer races with the DJ and be interviewed in Chinese (no knowledge of the language required). This is usually very comical for the Chinese club patrons, but foreign revelers who speak little Chinese should take care.

The on-stage interview portion can be very mean-spirited - on one recent visit, an English man was made to (poorly) repeat phrases in Chinese such as "I am very poor and have no money." Of course he had no idea what he was saying and the crowd found this to be very funny. Be warned that the bars in Dandong often close as early as 11:30, so stock up on beer and soju at the nearest supermarket if you intend to pursue some late night revelry. Splurge[ edit ] Crowne Plaza Dandong, 158 Binjiang Zhong Road, Zhenxing District, Dandong, ☎ +86. Great views of North Korea from the riverside rooms (600CNY) comfortable and spacious with lots of great facilities; swimming pool massage and 3 restaurants. 450CNY for a standard single or twin room. edit Get out[ edit ] North Korea - If you are interested in paying a visit to North Korea, you´ll usually have to wait for weeks to see your visa application through.

But don´t worry, you can still learn a lot about North Korea on the streets of Dandong, where vendors sell North Korean stamps and propaganda posters and frequently you´ll see Korean writing on boards over shops. In the hotels you can watch North Korean TV - the city is so close to North Korea, you can feel the strong influence of Korean culture everywhere. Recent reports speculate that travel restrictions have been somewhat eased, and visa processing faster for some nationalities. Changbaishan National Nature Reserve - from Dandong, you can easily get to the Changbaishan Nature Reserve in Jilin Province. Fenghuangshan National Park — 52 km northwest of Dandong, 840m high mountain dotted with Tang, Ming and Qing dynasty temples, monasteries and pagodas. The historic city of Shenyang The city of Dalian and its wonderful coastlines The small fishing island of Daludao is less than three hours away, and makes for a good affordable overnight trip. Dandong option Can be combined with Dandong extension.

Dandong optional extension Dandong; a fascinating city on the Chinese side of the Yalu river, facing across to Sinuiju, your point of exit from DPRK after the tour. Instead of returning directly to Beijing we are pleased to offer a one and two-day fully-guided extensions to the tour to take in all the sights of Dandong on a special North Korea-themed extension. It is still not possible for US citizens to leave the DPRK by train. See below for costs. Day 1 PM: Train from DPRK arrives at Dandong station around 17:30. Transfer to hotel. Dinner in local Chinese restaurant. Day 2 AM: Visit the Great Wall at Tiger Mountain - the most eastern part which overlooks North Korea. Either take a boat trip (RMB 20) at the 'one metre hop' the narrowest point between China and DPRK (it is possible to see Korean People's Army border guards up close, just a few metres away), or hike up the wall for great views.

Next visit the snappily-named ‘Museum of War to Resist America and Aid Korea’ otherwise known as the Korean war museum, which charts the events which led to the deployment of over 2 million Chinese 'volunteers' to Korea in 1950. Compare and contrast the Chinese side of the story with the Korean version of events as well as that taught in the west. Stunning city views are afforded by the hilltop location of the museum which is situated on the site of Chinese Volunteer Army supreme commander Peng De Huai’s base prior to moving into Korea. Lunch is at a North Korean restaurant with singing and dancing waitresses. Day 2 PM: Boat trip on Yalu River - sweep in and out of North Korean waters - great for photos! Walk along the ‘Broken Bridge’ which runs parallel to the Friendship bridge over the Yalu river connecting the two countries. Half destroyed by the US air force in the Korean War, the broken bridge extends to exactly the halfway point between China and DPRK. All manner of North Korean goodies can be bought in the area, from badges and cigarettes to currency and other knick-knacks.

Pose for photos at the giant red Chairman Mao statue outside the railway station before boarding the overnight sleeper for Beijing, 4-berth soft sleeper beds carry you to China’s capital overnight for an 08:30 arrival the next day. We are pleased to offer an extension to the Dandong option – another 24 hour period in one of the most fascinating parts of China giving you the chance to explore some of the China/DPRK border area, up and down the Yalu/Amnok River. Day 3 AM: After a second night in Dandong we will head off driving up the riverside road making several stops at points where the river that separates the two countries narrows and where there are DPRK settlements on the other side, great for photos and for staring across a physically narrow border but one which in all other ways seems so much greater. Across the river lie some operational bridges for trade between the two sides and some remnants of bridges used in the past and destroyed during the Korean War in the 1950s.

Visit the Hekou broken bridge which was crossed by the Chinese Volunteer Army (including Chairman Mao’s son, who never crossed back again and is buried in North Korea to this day) and several other fascinating viewing areas. We will continue up the river until we reach the giant Shui Feng Hu dam, shared by both China and the DPRK, this generates electrical power for both sides. The difference between the electricity infrastructure on both sides of the river is stark, and we will get as close as possible, even going down to the river itself for photo opportunities of the town just a hundred metres away. Lunch is in a local village restaurant. Day 3 PM: Visit the Taipingwan dam, another shared facility between China and the DPRK, and the rural town also known as Taipingwan, before taking a thrilling speedboat trip down a channel of water that separates the DPRK mainland from a large Korean island, as long as you stay in the river then you are legally not in the DPRK (the river itself is a shared border, there is no line in between). Here you will see North Korean villages and a port, soldiers guarding the banks and their facilities, it’s a weird and unforgettable journey.

We’ll get back to Dandong in good time for the 18:30 overnight train to Beijing, giving you plenty of time to think about all you’ve experienced before arrival the next day in Beijing at 08:30 Dandong Tour Costs Room with a view | WORLD News Group Features Room with a view An American businessman gets a bird's-eye look at what may be regime change underway in North Korea by Priya Abraham March 05, 2005 American businessman Roy Browning has a front-row seat for the unusual signs of change emerging from North Korea. Mr. Browning lives in a high-rise in Dandong on the Chinese side of the border with North Korea, overlooking the Yalu River that separates the two countries. He has been there for three years, but in recent months the usually well-sealed border has come unglued, admitting more North Koreans into China. Mr. Browning has talked with several businessmen and North Korean officials, accompanied by KGB-style secret police. "Trade across the border with civilian officials has increased dramatically in the last few months, and our connections have also increased in frequency," he told WORLD on Feb. 21.

"We have even been able to talk to some very senior officials with their secret police looking on. This is very strange and implies that things are loosening up but with a lot of apprehension." Why the sudden activity? Mr. Browning hears from his sources that "the state is being increasingly controlled by the military and the higher ranking civilian officials due to the strain that a possible Bush invasion was causing," he said. Those rumors intensified late last year after reports that portraits of Mr. Kim, which dominate Pyongyang's public buildings, had been removed. Insiders claimed the portraits and other Kim images were removed to be cleaned, or because their presence had drawn comparisons to Saddam Hussein. But South Korean officials took them seriously enough to dust off decades-old contingency plans for civil emergency in the event of a collapse to the north. Any such retooling of Mr. Kim's likeness is significant in the country, which has built a cult of personality around the Kims. Great Leader Kim Il Sung remains president for life, even after his 1994 death. His son, Dear Leader Kim Jong Il, is supposed to command singular loyalty. The country's goals of reunifying with South Korea and defeating U.S.

"imperialism" hinge on the presence of an all-powerful leader. One of the younger Kim's sayings is, "To expect victory in a revolution without a leader is as good as wishing for a flower where there is no sun." But the persistence of the rumors are significant, given North Korea's announcement in February that it has nuclear weapons. Activists and observers used to probing the communist country's idiosyncrasies believe a dramatic change is slowly underway, one that is shifting power away from dictator Kim Jong Il and toward a cabal of military generals. Mr. Browning first learned last November that portraits of Kim Jong Il had been taken down from public display across the country. Though official denials quickly followed, his sources are adamant the portraits were removed. He also noticed that North Koreans he met coming across the border were hiding their "Dear Leader" pins inside their coats instead of displaying them over their hearts as mandated. From his 12th-floor apartment window, where the Oregon resident lives while overseeing a semiconductor equipment business he co-owns in the city, he further noticed more-than-usual cargo-truck convoys waiting to cross the border on the bridge leading to Dandong, the only land-link between the two nations.

Before, there were about 10 to 15 trucks a week; now between 50 and 70 lined up each day. As first reported by The Oregonian, Mr. Browning also has seen North Korean trucks driving within Dandong, identifiable by their number plates and exhaust fumes that smell like burning tires-literally, he said, because North Korea recycles tires for fuel. Then there are the businessmen he has met, buying rice, vegetables, and other food and even computers, while selling their own products. From all these signs, he speculates that momentous change is afoot. "I believe that we will see a slow disintegration followed by a revolution, although the revolution may not even be visible to outsiders," he said. "It is difficult to see things happening even as close as we are because of the strict control the country has. If you can imagine Nazi Germany in 1939 and then make it much worse, you will then have the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea." While Mr. Browning is seeing physical changes unfold before his eyes, others are coming to similar conclusions watching other signs.

Seoul-based Korean-American human-rights activist Douglas Shin has been tracking blips in North Korea's usually predictable propaganda. From subtle rewordings in the state press and from reports Mr. Shin receives from a high-ranking North Korean official, he believes a band of military generals has already sidelined Mr. Kim. Most unusual, Mr. Shin said, is Kim Jong Il's virtual disappearance from the public eye. "This kind of thing on this scale has never happened before," Mr. Shin said. "Kim Jong Il has never spent more than five months away from outsiders' view." Yet even photos released of Mr. Kim with Chinese envoy Wang Jiarui in late February appear dated. The same entourage from Mr. Wang's North Korea visit last year is shown. Mr. Shin said official news organs are increasingly highlighting subordinates more than Kim Jong Il. At a Feb. 2-3 meeting of the "General Onward March for the Songun Revolution," a pow-wow of the Communist Party leadership introduced 10 years ago by Mr. Kim to reinforce military-socialist indoctrination, the rhetoric shifted slightly away from praising Mr. Kim alone and toward the military leadership around him.

An editorial in the country's state-run newspaper, the Rodong Shinmun, carried "very unfamiliar terminology," Mr. Shin said. "It said all the people have to protect and follow-usually Kim Jong Il-but this time also the head leadership. It was a plural concept with Kim Jong Il at the peak." Mr. Shin is persuaded enough by such signs to believe the military generals are gradually consolidating their power. He speculates that they found themselves in a dilemma. On one side the United States was pressuring North Korea to disarm. On the other, Mr. Kim feared he would lose power if he did give up nuclear weapons. After all, his belligerent rule is necessary to project the urgency of defending North Korea against an impending U.S. invasion. The only solution, Mr. Shin believes, was to sideline Mr. Kim. North Korea's declaration that it has nuclear weapons could be, he said, the generals "bluffing for the last time." Still, decoding secretive North Korea remains an intensely speculative parlor game. Tim Peters of Helping Hands Korea, a group assisting North Korean refugees, also hears growing chatter from his contacts about changes in Pyongyang. They confirm the increased border activity Mr.

Browning has witnessed, but note that while approved forays into China have multiplied, a parallel clamp-down on refugees escaping North Korea has occurred on both sides of the border. While Mr. Peters believes Mr. Kim is suffering challenges to his rule, he is not sure the bouffant-haired dictator has lost control just yet. "I don't think we should underestimate the staying power of this regime," he said. "Not because Kim Jong Il is so powerful, but because of the [indoctrination]. There's a joke that if any two people had a conversation that was even remotely critical of the government, they would both inform the authorities." In the meantime, Mr. Browning has noticed another odd development across the Yalu. North Koreans seem to be re-occupying an abandoned village just outside of border-town Sinuiju. That is unusual because the village is too close to the river, he said. Anyone wanting to escape could swim across, or almost walk across, when the water level is low. He said North Korean businessmen and regime officials are in evidence in Dandong at least once a week, compared to six months ago, when he only heard about one or two showing up. Asking about Mr.

Kim's hold on power, now that rumors circulate, is a touchy subject. "They'll just clam up-they won't say a word," he said. "Something's going on, but it's difficult to find out." With North Korea suggesting last week it may be ready to resume six-party talks over its nuclear arsenal, knowing just who holds the levers of power will be crucial for the United States and its allies. Priya Abraham Want to see North Korea? Head to Dandong, China | CNN Travel Want to see North Korea? Head to Dandong, China Want to see North Korea? Head to Dandong, China Speed boats and the Great Wall get visitors within stone's throwing distance of North Korea By Derrick Chang 27 October, 2010 To catch a glimpse of the hermit state of North Korea most tourists journey to the heavily fortified demilitarized zone along the South Korean border. Another alternative is to view North Korea from its friendly neighbor, China. Dandong, a riverside city in Northeast China’s Liaoning province, offers great views of North Korea from across the Yalu River. Sneaking a look at North Korea isn’t the only attraction Dandong has to offer.

To catch a glimpse of Korean War history in Dandong, visit a bridge the Americans bombed or have a look at anti-American propaganda at the Museum of American Aggression, a Sino-Korean interpretation on the Korean War. Dandong was an important frontier settlement in ancient China. The easternmost section of the Great Wall of China here was constructed at Hu Shan to protect against Korea invaders during the late Ming and early Qing dynasty. Today the Hu Shan Great Wall section overlooks Sinuiju, North Korea. Using binoculars from the top of the wall, you can see for miles into the North Korea, as well spot an air force base where a mysterious North Korean warplane recently took off before crashing in China . While it's risky to venture into North Korea even with the fenceless border here, you can take a leisurely boat ride on the small river straddling the Hushan Great Wall and North Korean border. Visitors will often see North Korean soldiers and farmers going about their daily business. The banks of the Yalu River could not be a better example of the contrast between Chinese-style capitalism and North Korean communism. Dandong’s gleaming condominiums tower over the river, while fields and empty hills dominate the North Korean landscape.

On the Chinese side, tourists stroll along a boardwalk brimming with commercial activity. Rusty boats lay idle and small factories belch smoke on the North Korean side. Dandong attracts many South Koreans interested in a look at their North Korean brethren. Curious tourists can take pleasure boats or even speed boats that get very close to the banks of the North Korean side. North Koreans often don’t like being looked at like zoo animals and have been known to throw rocks at tourists in boats that get too close. At dusk, Dandong lights up the skyline while the North Korean side remains eerily dark and quiet. The bridge the Americans bombed during the Korean War is lit up while a newer Friendship bridge allows cross-border trade between North Korea and China. Dandong has a sizable population of ethnic Koreans who serve up the most authentic Korean food. This salad dish of wild mountain vegetables is typical North Korean fare and packs a sweet and sour, fiery punch. At dusk, restaurants break out small tables and plastic chairs for barbecues. Dandong is famous for its street-side seafood BBQ. The favorites are fresh caught giant yellow clams and prawns.

Where to stay The best view of North Korea is from the Crowne Plaza hotel located on the banks of the Yalu River on Binjiang Road. Rooms start at US$60. For cheaper rooms, the Chinese business hotel chain Home Inns has three hotels within a ten-minute walk of the Yalu River. Rooms starting at $US20. How to get there Flights are available from Dandong airport to most parts of the country . From Beijing there's an overnight train (K27) to Dandong that takes about 13 hours. Hard sleeper class tickets start at US$37. Dandong can also be reached by bus from the seaside city of Dalian. The trip takes 4.5 hours. Tickets cost US$15. Busses depart from Victory Square in downtown Dalian. Dandong is a pedestrian friendly. Taxi rides start at RMB 5. Taxi is the most convenient way to the Hushan Great Wall. Metered rides cost about RMB 20 and take 20 minutes. Derrick Chang is a Canadian photojournalist based in Hong Kong.

His work has appeared in Time, the New York Times, CNNGo, Huffington Post, and other Asian media outlets. He enjoys hiking from one mountain village to another, waiting for the golden light and dining on street food. Dandong Sightseeing | Dandong, A Peep Into North Korea | HappyTrips.com Mumbai Mirror| SIGHTSEEING , CHINA The Chinese city of Dandong is separated from North Korea by the Yalu river, and offers a revealing look at the hermit kingdom. Keep your cameras away when you see a North Korean soldier!" "Do not take any pictures of military installations!" Those were the orders barked by my otherwise affable guide as we neared North Korean waters near Dandong in China's north-eastern Liaoning Province. An entire tourism industry had sprung up due to Dandong's proximity to the North Korean city of Sinuiju. The two cities are separated only by the Yalu River. Along some stretches, the distance apart is as little as five metres.

While it's not impossible to enter North Korea as a tourist (travel agencies offer tours to North Korea and they will settle your visas for you), the cost is often prohibitively high, and tourists are not allowed to venture about without a chaperone. And given all the stories about North Korea's nuclear ambitions and its pariah status, it's no wonder the country is not packing in the crowds. The other side However, interest in the North has always been high, more so after the recent death of Kim Jong-il. So along the Dandong riverfront, enterprising vendors have set up shop offering North Korean memorabilia, from North Korean bank notes to badges bearing the images of the Kim Jong-il and his father, the founder of North Korea. And for just RMB 10 (S$2), you can peer into a pair of binoculars and see what the other side looks like. But little did I expect that I would be a stone's throw, or in my case, a pack of cigarettes' throw away from North Korea when I took up an offer by a travel agent along the riverfront to have a closer look at the hermit kingdom.

For RMB 100 (S$20), the agent had promised a boat ride along the river that separates the two countries. Recommended by Colombia The embarkation point was about 20 minutes north of downtown Dandong, along a seemingly unguarded part of the border. For the first ten minutes or so, the boat cruised down the length of the river before it abruptly turned east and headed towards the North Korean shore - a move that should perhaps be considered alarming. But when I saw how the eyes of the two middle-aged South Korean tourists in my group were flashing with excitement, I figured I was going down a well-trodden tourist route. The North Korean side is perhaps as expected, given the reports of food and power shortages that have been coming out of the reclusive state. There are only a couple of ramshackle peasant huts and a few concrete bunkers. This lies in stark contrast to the Chinese side which contains several shiny high-rise buildings, countless vehicles and is generally bustling with life. The smoke screen But even though Sinuiju, as glimpsed from the river, is generally devoid of the human activity, what it does have are soldiers. And two beckoned to us as we got closer.

A wave of apprehension arose within me. But it turned out that they merely wanted cigarettes, which my guide threw to the ground from the boat. Other North Korean soldiers continued squatting on the ground, staring blankly. Back on the Chinese side, my guide said that this sort of black-market trade is extremely common along the border. In return for items like cigarettes, rice and liquor, the guide is granted safe passage to ferry sightseeing passengers right onto the doorstep of North Korea. However, according to news reports, a much more lucrative trade in drugs as well as expertly forged US dollars also takes place along this border. Anti-climatic Dandong Being the largest Chinese city along the North Korean border, Dandong is said to be teeming with spies and undercover agents searching for defectors. But while all these activities might appeal to your inner 007, the reality is more mundane. It's just a regular third-tier Chinese city albeit with lots of North Korean influences which you can't escape from. The main attractions all revolve around North Korea and the Korean War.

So there are sights like the Broken Bridge, which was bombed by the Americans during the Korean War to frustrate Chinese support for North Korea, and the Museum Commemorating the War to Resist American Aggression and Aid Korea (what a name!). There's also a North Korean restaurant run by actual North Koreans and there's even a stretch of the Great Wall that runs along the Chinese-North Korean border. But these are side attractions to the main draw, which is the inscrutable country to the east. Watching the sun set and with the innumerable neon lights of Dandong lighting up the streets, I watched as North Korea descended into darkness. The only lights came from the trucks that were exiting North Korea via the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge. I recalled the stories I've read of starvation, gulags, power shortages and nuclear bombs. But if even Uncle Sam can't figure out North Korea, how could I? So I turned my back on North Korea and re-embraced the capitalist world of modern China. Getting there Fly from Beijing to Dandong in less than two hours. There are two trains a day from Beijing - one takes 14 hours, and the other over 21.

The 14-hour K27 train departs at 5.30pm, and arrives in Dandong at 7.15 am the next day. Liked this article? Let your friends know about it Was this helpful?

Question: What country separates the city of Dandong and Dochon-ri village?
Answer: North Korea