
Heihe, China
Do you want to visit China just by crossing the river? Then welcome to Heihe – a border town, which is located next to the Amur Region, or to be more precise – Blagoveshchensk. There are several advantages of such a foreign voyage. Firstly, the absence of a visa for Russian citizens. Secondly, cheap and varied shopping. And, thirdly, new impressions from visiting, if not the capital of the Celestial Empire, but still one of its unique cities.
How to get there
Getting to Heihe is pretty easy. But for this, you first need to arrive in distant Blagoveshchensk. The flight from the Russian capital (flights to Blagoveshchensk are served by Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports) will take about eight hours. And this is provided that you fork out for direct flights. Check 3rjewelry for other cities and countries as well as geography in Asia.
In Heihe, you can buy anything: from trinkets and souvenirs to the latest computer equipment and telephones, car parts and even mink coats.
If traveling by train makes you feel purely romantic and nostalgic, you can take train tickets to Blagoveshchensk. Their prices are much lower than if you fly by plane. But, on the other hand, few will most likely agree to spend six days under the sound of wheels. In any case, we note that railway tickets in a reserved seat car will cost an average of 95-110 EUR, in a compartment – 145-160 EUR per person. True, this is the cost of tickets only to Blagoveshchensk, not counting the way back. We got to Blagoveshchensk, how to go further? Since Heihe stands on the banks of the Amur, tourists are brought to it by boat.
Passenger ships depart from the river port (which is on Tchaikovsky Street, 1) daily from 8:50 to 17:30. The first ship from the port of Heihe to Blagoveshchensk departs at 10:15, and the last one at 18:30.
Flights from the Chinese border are made according to the same schedule, that is, daily and every hour. Tickets for the ship (round trip) in a regular hall cost 1650 RUB, in a superior hall – 2250 RUB In principle, you don’t have to overpay, because it’s not long to sail to Heihe. But paying extra for exiting the VIP terminal in Heihe, so as not to stand in line at passport control, still makes sense. You will have to fork out for about 100 CNY, plus the same amount for the visa fee. Russian tourists do not need to apply for a visa itself (only a questionnaire is filled out at customs), but this is on condition that you will only stay in Heihe. To travel to other cities in China, a visa is still required.
- How to get visas to China in Blagoveshchensk and go to Heihe
- How to get by train from Heihe to Sanya
Where to stay
There are a lot of hotels in Heihe, but we note right away that you will not find five-star hotels here. Most hotels are “three rubles”, and with different conditions. In order not to be disappointed in the room, ask the reception to show the room and, if it suits you, make a payment. The fact is that in Heihe (however, probably, like any other city that lives at the expense of tourists) they do not like to return money to foreigners.
The average cost of a room in three-star hotels is 110-140 CNY.
There are hotels much cheaper (from 40-60 CNY per room), but the conditions there will be minimal (shower, shared toilet – on the floor). By the way, if you are not satisfied with the price of housing, you can always bargain and bring down the price to an acceptable one for you.
Food and shopping
Cuisine in Heihe is diverse. It is full of cafes and eateries where you can taste not only Chinese, but also dishes cooked in the Russian style. In addition, at almost every step there are street stalls that sell all kinds of food. The average check in popular establishments (for example, “Laguna”, “Xinyu”, “Putin”) is 20-40 CNY. What to try in Heihe? In fact, there are a lot of dishes from both meat and seafood. Most often, tourists in the local cafes order a salad called “Heihe”, fried dumplings, Peking duck and meat with pineapples.
Many people go to Heihe for cheap shopping. You can buy anything here: from trinkets and souvenirs to the most modern computer equipment and telephones, automotive parts and even fur products. But whatever you like, be sure to inspect the product up and down, and if it’s clothes, and even more so a mink coat, try it on and, of course, bargain.
The epicenters of trade in Heihe are the Huafu shopping complex (located in the city center), as well as Yuandong and Big Heihe Island (they are located next to the customs).
By the way, there is a flea market on Wenhua Street in the morning. Here you can buy anything you want and almost for free.
- Where can I buy healing patches in Heihe?
Attractions and attractions in Heihe
In Heihe, there is something for tourists to do regardless of the time of year. As a walking tour, you can go to the city embankment and, admiring the panorama of the Amur, dream of something good. For active entertainment, you can go to the park, which is located near the customs, and ride the Ferris wheel and other attractions. You can literally sweat in the Tian Yi baths. It also offers massages and various beauty treatments.
In winter, you can break away, as they say, to the fullest, at the Longzhu ski resort, which is located in the suburbs of Heihe. For natural beauties, you can go to Wudalianchi Park with its picturesque lakes and thermal springs.