journey through the silk road
YINCHUAN: Ningxia
Ningxia (宁夏）is a province in northwest of China which was one route of ancient silk road. Ningxia was called the pearl of northwest of China. Ningxia does not have high-speed train, then traveling to Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia, must take 10 hours train from Beijing or airplane.
Yinchuan：银川
Xixia Tomb： 西夏王陵
Xixia Tomb is the tomb of Kings of Xixia empire which existed from 1038-1277
Ticket fee: normally 75 RMB but I went there during low season then the ticket costed me 57 RMB including the shuttle bus fee.
When I prepared my silk road trip, I found this picture from Baidu which inspired me to go to Xixia Tomb. However, when I'm actually there, the visitor was not allowed to entering this place at night.
Transportation: During spring-summer (From April) you can take the traveling bus no.1 from Yinchuan Station at 2 RMB or take a taxi at 40 RMB
Helan Mountain’s Rock Paintings : 贺兰山岩画
When I was there, free admission fee, just show your passport and pay shuttle bus fee for 10 RMB.
The museum shows many information about ancient rock painting around the world
After visit the museum, we can see the real rock paintings which were painted at the rocks in Helan Mountains
Art Museum
At the art museum's exit, there is a small cafe which you can sip coffee and see the view of Helan Mountains. This is the picture taken from the cafe.
Transportation: During summer (from April) take traveling bus no.2 at 2 RMB. or take taxi from Yinchuan Station at 60 RMB. From Xixia Tomb, if you are lucky enough to get taxi-meter, the taxi fee is 50 RMB. However, if you cannot get the taxi-meter, you may be charged 70-150 RMB. for the transport fee.
Chinese Western Film Studio : 镇北堡西部影城
Over 200 Chinese films which had desert scene or desert town were shot here such as "the Journey to the west". The ticket fee is 80 RMB.
Transportation： During Summer (from April) take the traveling bus no.1 at 2 RMB. or take a taxi from Yinchuan Station at 40 RMB. From Xixia Tomb or Helan Mountain's Rock Painting 40 RMB. If take black car or not use the fare meter may cost you 70-100 RMB.
Xixia Tomb, Helan Mountain's Rock Painting and Chinese Western Film Studio are located in western zone of Yinchuan. You can visit these places in the same day. Charter car to these places and including to your hotel is much cheaper. The rate at 2019 is 200-250 RMB.
Hui Ethnic Culture Park : 永宁文化园
This culture park exhibits the Hui architectures and Islamic architectures which leaving in Ningxia.
Ticket fee: normally 60 RMB. Low-season 30 RMB.
Transportation: this place is quite far away from the city. Take a taxi from Yinchuan Station take 40-70 minutes at 60-100 RMB. The bus cost onlt 2-3 RMB but take at least 2 hours and must transfer to another bus line
Yuehai Mosque: 阅海清真大寺
Free
However, you cannot enter in the mosque during weekend and Salat times
Nanguan Mosque 南关清真大寺
ticket fee 10 RMB
Next to the mosque has Halal food street. There are many beef noodle restaurants , grilled beef and lamb, also kebub.
The Axis of Zhong-Ah 中啊之轴
which is the 2 kilometers Chinese-Islamic architecture street
the photo from http://www.mafengwo.cn
The hotel recommended to go to this place in the evening and stroll around until night time. However, I did not wait until sunset. Then the set of pictures below were taken from www.mafengwo.cn
At the end of street is Lanshan Park (览山公园) entering fee 2 RMB.
However, I did not visit this park. So, the below pictures of this park were taken from baidu and www.mafengwo.cn
108 Pagodas 一百零八塔
The ancient pagodas located at Yellow river shore. Ticket fee 50 RMB.
Transportation: take a bus from Yinchuan South Bus Station to Qingtongxia（青铜峡）about 1 hour at 13 RMB. When arrive Qingtongxia, take a taxi to 108 Pagodas about 30-40 minutes at 120 RMB (round-trip).
Gaomiao Bao-an Temple 高庙保安寺
Free
I decided to come to this temple because I saw it picture from Instagram but when I was actually there, it was not that stunning or huge as I expected.
The below picture is the picture from Instagram that inspired me to visit this temple.
The Instagram picture and the real temple is much difference. 😭 I spent 4 hours transpotation (round-trip) to be here but spent only 30 minutes in the temple.
However, inside the temple has the imitate hell which quite interesting, just like the hunting house in amusement park.
Transportation: Take a bus from Qingtongxia to Zhongwei (中卫）about 40 minutes at 13-20 RMB. or take train from Yinchuan Station to Zhongwei for 2 hours at 25 RMB. The temple is few minutes walk from Zhongwei Train Station
Zhongwei Train Station
The below picture is Yinchuan Station
Ningxia still has many interesting tourist attractions such as Shapotou (沙坡头) which is the desert next to Yellow river, you can ride camel, enjoy the view from the cable car or enjoy desert or ShuidongGou(水洞沟) which has ancient Great Wall of China, the ancient military base which dig into the mountain or Mount Sumeru Grottoes which has giant carving Buddha which carved into the mountain since 581.
This article wrote at 2019
the admission fee and transportation cost are based on 2019 price.