Jilin is a province in northeast China bordering North Korea and Russia, known for Changbai Mountain and its Heaven Lake crater, Changchun's Manchukuo-era palace and film heritage, Jilin City's winter rime ice, and the Korean-Chinese culture of Yanbian. The Tumen and Yalu rivers form its southern frontier, and Goguryeo tombs at Ji'an are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Winters are long and cold, with excellent skiing.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Jilin City and the Songhua River Rime
Jilin City sits on a bend of the Songhua River and is known for its winter rime (wusong), when frozen mist coats the riverbank trees, and for nearby ski areas. The riverfront and the city's temples and cathedral are easy to include in a single day.
Highlights: Winter rime (wusong) on the Songhua River riverbank trees at dawn · Easy 30-45 minute intercity train from Changchun · Riverfront promenade and the bend of the Songhua River · City temples and cathedral reachable in a single day
Jingyuetan National Forest Park
A man-made forest of more than 100 square kilometres around a reservoir lake of about 4.3 square kilometres, Jingyuetan is Changchun's largest green space. It offers cycling, lakeside walks and winter snow and ice activities.
Highlights: Cycling or electric cart loop around the reservoir lake · More than 100 square kilometres of man-made forest · Lakeside walks and forest trails close to Changchun · Winter snow and ice activities
Xinlicheng Reservoir
A large reservoir on the Yitong River that supplies drinking and industrial water to Changchun. Visitors come for views and birdwatching from the dam and shore area rather than for swimming, which is not permitted in a drinking-water source.
Highlights: Open reservoir views from the dam and shore · Birdwatching, especially during migration seasons · Quiet, low-key escape about 20 km from Changchun · Easy to pair with Jingyuetan National Forest Park
Songhua Lake and Fengman Dam
Songhua Lake is the reservoir created by Fengman Dam on the Second Songhua River, covering roughly 550 square kilometres. Boat cruises, lakeside forests and winter ice and snow activities draw visitors, and the dam is a notable industrial heritage site.
Highlights: Boat cruises on a reservoir of about 550 square kilometres · Fengman Dam as an industrial heritage site · Lakeside forests and viewing platforms near the piers · Winter ice and snow activities
Chagan Lake and Winter Fishing
Chagan Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in northeast China, covering about 307 square kilometres. It is famous for its winter ice fishing festival, where nets are set under thick ice and hauled up by horse-drawn capstans, and for summer lotus, reeds and birds.
Highlights: Traditional winter net fishing hauled up by horse-drawn capstans · One of the largest freshwater lakes in northeast China · Fresh lake fish served at lakeside restaurants · Summer lotus, reeds and birdlife
Harbin and Saint Sophia Cathedral
Harbin, the capital of neighbouring Heilongjiang, is a quick day trip by high-speed rail. Highlights include the former Russian architecture around Saint Sophia Cathedral, the pedestrian Central Street and the Songhua River promenade.
Highlights: Saint Sophia Cathedral with its green dome and Russian Orthodox architecture · Pedestrian Central Street (Zhongyang Dajie) with European-style buildings · Songhua River promenade · Harbin Ice Festival in January
Changbai Mountain and Heaven Lake
Changbai Mountain (Paektu) is a volcano on the China-North Korea border, topped by Heaven Lake (Tianchi), a crater lake at about 2,189 m. The north slope offers waterfalls, hot springs and a boardwalk network, but the summit road is closed by snow from about mid-October to early June.
Highlights: Heaven Lake (Tianchi), a crater lake at about 2,189 m · Waterfalls and boardwalks on the north slope · Hot springs near Erdaobaihe · Volcano on the China-North Korea border
Tumen River Border Promenade
Tumen sits directly across the Tumen River from North Korea, and its riverfront promenade lets visitors view the border from the Chinese side. The city is an easy half-day trip from Yanji and can be combined with a meal of Korean-ethnic cuisine.
Highlights: Tumen River forming the border with North Korea · Riverfront promenade and border park viewpoints · Korean-ethnic cuisine in Tumen city · Short 30-minute train from Yanji
Hunchun and Fangchuan Three-Border View
Fangchuan, near Hunchun, is where the borders of China, Russia and North Korea meet. A viewing platform overlooks the three-way border and the Tumen River estuary.
Highlights: Viewing platform at the point where China, Russia and North Korea meet · Tumen River estuary views · Hunchun's mixed Korean-ethnic and Russian-influenced cuisine · High-speed train link from Yanji West
Ji'an Goguryeo Heritage Sites
Ji'an was a capital of the ancient Goguryeo kingdom, and its tombs, stelae and mountain fortress form part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing 'Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom'. The town sits beside the Yalu River facing North Korea.
Highlights: General's Tomb and Taewang Tomb of the ancient Goguryeo kingdom · Wandu Mountain City fortress above Ji'an · UNESCO World Heritage listing · Yalu River setting facing North Korea
Longjing and Yanbian Korean Culture
Longjing is a Korean-ethnic city in Yanbian with Korean-style farmhouses and memorials from the early 20th century, and the Korean cuisine and music of the prefecture. It is a quiet cultural half-day trip from Yanji.
Highlights: Korean-style farmhouses in ethnic villages · Early 20th-century memorial sites · Korean cuisine such as cold noodles and barbecue · Easy 30-minute trip from Yanji
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organised day tours from Changchun and Yanji are sold on Trip.com and through hotel desks; typical price CNY 250-800 (about USD 37-120) for a Changbai Mountain or Chagan Lake day including transport
- Private
- Car with driver through Trip.com or DiDi Chauffeur from CNY 500-1200 per day (about USD 75-180); the practical choice for Changbai Mountain, Chagan Lake and Fangchuan
- Public
- China Railway G-trains and intercity trains (12306 app or Trip.com) serve Jilin City, Harbin, Hunchun and Tumen; coaches serve Songyuan, Erdaobaihe and Ji'an; Changchun metro and city buses reach Jingyuetan
- Rental
- Self-drive is not practical: foreign licences are not valid in mainland China
Multi-day tours from Jilin
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from JilinWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Book G-trains on the 12306 app or Trip.com and carry the original passport: it is needed for tickets, museums and border-area checkpoints
Go early: many day trips are 2-4 hours each way, and last trains and coaches leave in the evening; confirm the return ticket before the outbound trip
Check the weather in winter (December-February): mountain roads and lake boat services close because of snow and ice, and the Changbai Mountain summit road closes from about mid-October to early June
Use DiDi or Amap for last-mile transport; save the Chinese-character address before leaving the city
Carry Alipay or WeChat Pay plus CNY 200 (about USD 30) in cash for coach stations and small rural admission counters
Public holiday weeks (1-7 October, Chinese New Year) fill trains and scenic areas; book at least 10-15 days ahead