Description : A friendly market town with a few old streets and interesting sights

Comments : Come here from Zhengzhou while waiting for your train or to buy a train ticket...

What to do : Walk the markets and pedestrian street / Visit temples / Climb a pagoda / Eat outside at any corner / Discuss with the friendly locals /

What you may not like : The relatively expensive sights (fortunately, walking the streets is still free) / The unstopping vehicles' horns /

How long ? One day is enough

Where to stay ?

Near the train Station : Convenient but you miss the show...

• Bian Hotel (595 1893) / Sgl or Dbl without bath 20 or 36 / Chinese toilets / Huge common shower (and pool ?) / HW 24 hrs // Go there for the cheapest rooms in town and the acceptable comfort. / What you may not like : the basic furniture inside, the old building outside

• Jinda (5951 382), 2mn North of the Station on Xinmenguan Jie, after the good Xinmin Restaurant / Sgl or Dbl with bath 88 or 80 / HW 24 hrs // Go there to negotiate a good Sgl occupancy rate (40Y for a dbl) / What you may not like : the not so good quality-price ratio if you do not get a good discount as the rooms are not so fresh (even so they all come with air cond)

In central town :

• Hua Yang (5974 288), 11 Gulou Jie, Bus No3 / Dbl without bath 50 / Dbl with bath, air cond and drinking water fountain  90 / HW 24 hrs // Go there for the nicest Dbl with bath in town and to check the other rooms if not full. / What you may not like : not getting a discount easily...

• Dajintai Hotel (595 6677), on Gulou Jie / Dbl without bath 40 or 60 / Dbl with bath, air cond and drinking water fountain 120 / Chinese toilets / Common shower / HW 24 hrs // Go there if the above is full for the second nicest dbl in town and the good location a bit off the street. / What you may not like : the very basic cheapest rooms in an old wing

• Zhi Jiao (288 4587), Beidaomen Jie, Bus No3 / Dorm with bath and air cond 20(4-5), 30(3), 40(2) / Sgl with bath and air cond 70 / HW 20 to 23 // Go there for the cheapest bed with attached bath in town and the acceptable comfort, the proximity of the parks. / What you may not like : being told that the rooms are full, not being that central...

• Yun Long (595 6482), on the corner of Ziyou Lu and Madao Jie / Dorm without bath 20(3), 25(2) / Dorm with bath and air cond 40(3), 48(2) / Chinese toilets / Dirty showers / HW 24 hrs // Go there for the cheapest bed in central Kaifeng. / What you may not like : the noise in very central Kaifeng, the quite basic and old rooms, the tiny bathrooms

• Tax Hotel (3935 475), Dazhifang Jie / Dorm without bath 25(3) / Dorm with bath and air cond 50(2+2), 60(2) / Chinese toilets / Dirty common shower / HW 24 hrs // Go there if the above are full as the rooms are a bit depressing, the prices a bit high and the carpet absolutely disgusting !

Bian Hotel	bian dalushe
Jinda Hotel	jinda binguan
Caoyang Hotel	caoyang
Dajintai Hotel	dajintai luguan
Zhijiao Hotel	zhijiao
Yunlong Hotel	yunlong
Tax Hotel	shuiwu binguan

Train ticket ?  The easiest way would be to go to the travel agency just North of the Dongjing Hotel (Old Dbl with bath 90Y) on Yingbin Lu, opposite the West Bus Station,  as they charge only a 5Y commission on the tickets.

Internet  ?  China Telecom (595 2024), nearly opposite the Yanqing Taoist Temple on Dazhifang Jie, was offering email services free of charge at the time of writing. Expect to pay a bit more later (4Y per hour ?) for faster connections...

What to see/visit ?

• Yanqing Taoist temple : (3), Y6 / Is the originality worth this price ? Decide by getting a quick look at the pagoda.

• Xiangguo Temple : (4), Y15, Exp / A normal temple with the exception that  it houses a truly spectacular statue with 1000 arms.

• Iron Pagoda : (4), Y15 + Y3 to go up, Exp, 7 to 19 / An impressive structure and a temple within a nice park (check the roses garden). If you arrive too late to buy the ticket, the friendly guard might let you in for free as the park does not close that early... At this price, an excellent deal !

Backpacker's Tips : Anonymous (Sept 00)
« The Fan Pagoda (fan ta) - the oldest building in town, located near a lively market street, absolutely NO tourists, entrance 2Y (i think), a nice place to relax and get away from the tourist crowds »

Bus Schedules :

Trains

The trip back to Zhengzhou : Iveco / SS / L&R / Y9 / 2 hrs

Forget about the claim that Iveco buses cover the distance in below one hour. Those leaving the West Station and going only to Zhengzhou East Station, maybe... But certainly not the ones from the long distance bus station going all the jammed way to Zhengzhou Train Station ! If you rely on what the salesperson tell you, you might miss your train...

The trip to Nanjing : Train / Night / 9 hrs

A few convenient trains for the East Coast...