FIND CHINA introduces Hohhot

Hohhot is the capital city of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China. Hohot is located in the southern central part of Inner Mongolia; Hohhot is encircled by the Daqing (Great Green) Mountains to the north with the Hetao Plateau to the south.

A popular destination for tourists during the summer months. By railway, Hohhot lies on the Jingbao Railway from Beijing to Baotou. Direct service to Beijing is through Train K90, which leaves daily in the evening and arrives in the morning, being the fastest and most comfortable option. Various other slower trains stop at Hohhot destined for Beijing and southern areas, as well as Ulanhot, Xilinhot and Hailar. Hohhot Baita International Airport (IATA:HET) is about an hour from city centre and only half an hour drive from the Second Ring Road. It serves the city and surrounding areas, and has direct flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Wuhan, Hong Kong, with its international destination being Ulan Bator, Mongolia. By bus service, Hohhot is connected to more remote areas in Inner Mongolia, and there is hourly service to Baotou via the Hubao Expressway.

Places of interest include the Tomb of Wang Zhaojun: it is located to about nine kilometers to the south of the centre of Hohhot. It is said to be the resting place of Wang Zhaojun, a commoner woman from the Chinese Han Empire who married a Xiongnu Chanyu. . Temple of the Five Pagodas: of architecture very similar to that of Indian temples, the temple was constructed in 1732. In its walls there are more than 1,500 figures of Buddha. The Da Zhao Temple: Buddhist monastery constructed in 1579 and is oldest of the city and the Inner Mongolia Museum.

In Hohhot the cuisine is as diverse as the population. The city features several outstanding Chinese restaurants, specializing in exotic South China dishes. These fancy eateries are constructed to resemble giant indoor gardens, complete with wild birds, fish and even an occasional alligator or two. There are also dozens of motley fast food joints sprinkled around the city serving both Chinese and Western dishes. And in the various luxury hotels you can find a few expensive Western bistros serving elegant continental cuisines. But people who come to Hohhot invariably say that the distinct Mongolian cuisine is what most appeals to their palates.