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 souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Chengde hawthorn and apricot-kernel products
Sweet-sour hawthorn rolls and almond drinks from Chengde.
Price: ¥10-40 (~$1.5-6)
Where: Erxianju Commercial Street, Chengde
Hui mung bean cake (Shanhaiguan)
Fine mung-bean pastry sold in paper-wrapped boxes.
Price: About ¥15 (~$2.2) per box
Where: Shanhaiguan old town shops
Cizhou ceramics
Painted pottery in the Cizhou kiln tradition from Handan.
Price: ¥50-500 (~$7.5-75)
Where: Handan city gift shops and the Cizhou kiln museum shop
Quyang stone carving
Small marble and bluestone carvings from Baoding's Quyang County.
Price: ¥80-800 (~$12-120)
Where: Baoding craft shops
Wei County paper-cuts
Window-flower paper-cuts in bright colours.
Price: ¥10-100 (~$1.5-15)
Where: Zhangjiakou souvenir stores
Huailai wine
Wines from the Huailai region in Zhangjiakou.
Price: ¥80-300 (~$12-45)
Where: Shijiazhuang wine shops and supermarkets
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Shijiazhuang Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street
Clothing, local snacks, Hebei souvenirs
Where: Chang'an District, Shijiazhuang
Hours: 10:00 AM-10:00 PM daily
Chengde Erxianju Commercial Street
Chengde specialty foods, hawthorn products, jade, tea
Where: Shuangqiao District, Chengde
Hours: 9:00 AM-9:30 PM daily
Shanhaiguan Old Town Shops
Great Wall souvenirs, Hui mung bean cake, local snacks
Where: Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao
Hours: 9:00 AM-8:00 PM daily
Wuqiao Acrobatic World Souvenir Stalls
Acrobatic props, local snacks, handicrafts
Where: Wuqiao County, Cangzhou
Hours: 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
Beidaihe Seafood Market
Dried seafood, fresh shellfish, shrimp paste
Where: Beidaihe District, Qinhuangdao
Hours: 6:00 AM-9:00 PM (peak June-September)
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Shijiazhuang downtown
Department stores and brand outlets around Zhongshan Road and Wanda Plaza.
Chengde Erxianju
Tourist-oriented street near the Mountain Resort with snacks and souvenirs.
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Shijiazhuang Wanda Plaza (Yuhua District)
Large mall with international brands, cinema and food court.
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Bargain at open-air markets by offering about 50-60% of the first price and meeting in the middle.
Prices at department stores and malls are fixed.
Use WeChat Pay or Alipay at most shops; carry some cash for stalls.
Check that food gifts carry a production date and licence number.
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Packaged food can usually be taken home, but check your own country's import rules., Antiques older than 1949 require an export certificate from China's cultural relics bureau.