Hebei is a coastal province in northern China that wraps around Beijing and Tianjin on three sides and meets the Bohai Sea to the east. It holds the UNESCO Chengde Mountain Resort, the eastern terminus of the Great Wall at Shanhaiguan and Laolongtou, the Beidaihe seaside resort, and the world's oldest open-spandrel stone arch bridge at Zhaozhou.
Best photo spots
Iconic and lesser-known locations worth shooting.
Chengde Mountain Resort Lake Zone at Dawn
Best time: First hour after the gate opens at 7:00 AM; mist over the lakes in autumn
Puning Temple Thousand-Hand Guanyin Hall
Best time: Late morning when light enters the Mahayana Hall (photography inside is restricted; check signs)
Shanhaiguan Gate Tower at Sunset
Best time: Golden hour 45 minutes before sunset; the tower faces east so sunrise lights the plaque
Laolongtou Sunrise at the Sea Gate
Best time: Sunrise (around 5:20 AM in June; 6:50 AM in October); gate opens at 7:00 AM so shoot from the beach outside
Jinshanling Great Wall Golden Hour
Best time: Sunrise or the last 90 minutes before closing (around 5 PM)
Beidaihe Pigeon Nest Sunrise
Best time: Sunrise at the eagle-shaped rock; arrive 30 minutes before first light
Zhaozhou Bridge Reflections
Best time: Early morning or late afternoon for low-angle light on the stone arch
Zhengding Ancient City Wall at Dusk
Best time: Blue hour after sunset when gate towers are lit
By subject
Match your shooting interest to Hebei's strengths.
Sunrise photography
Laolongtou and Pigeon Nest
Sunset photography
Shanhaiguan gate tower and Jinshanling ridge
Architecture photography
Puning Temple, Zhaozhou Bridge, Zhengding
Street photography
Shanhaiguan old town and Chengde Erxianju area
Nature photography
Baiyangdian reed marsh and Bashang grassland
Night photography
Zhengding wall and Chengde lake zone illuminations
Best times to shoot
Light, weather, and seasonal considerations.
- Sunrise
- 5:20 AM in June; 6:50 AM in October
- Midday
- Harsh light; shoot interiors
- Sunset
- 7:30 PM in June; 5:10 PM in November
- Blue Hour
- 20-40 minutes after sunset
Photography tips
Make your shots stand out.
Arrive early; the best light and thinnest crowds coincide.
Respect no-photography signs in temple halls.
Use a lens hood against reflections on glass at scenic-area exhibits.
Carry spare batteries in winter.