Dandong, reachable by overnight train from Beijing, is a border city in China's northeastern Liaoning Province. Dandong occupies an area of 14,981.4 square kilometers and has an estimated population of 2.45 million (2010).
Dandong stands on the Yalu River and neighbors the North Korean city of Sinuiju to the east. Thanks to its central location in Northeastern Asia, Dandong becomes a nexus for Northeastern Asian transport and an integral logistic part between the Russian Federation, China, Japan, Koreas, and Mongolia. The city has convenient access to the ocean and is the only city in Asia that houses border checkpoints, airports, high-speed railways, inland ports, seaports, and highways at the same time.
As the principal gateway to North Korea from China, Dandong has a buzz that’s unusual for a Chinese city of its size. Every year, many tourists were attracted here to get a glimpse of North Korea because Dandong is the closest you can get to North Korea without actually visiting the country
Dandong attracts significant media attention as the link between China and North Korea, but the city itself is also a great tourist destination with many sites not to be missed. The Hushan Great Wall, the far eastern end of the Great Wall, is located here. A few bridges that connect, or used to connect, China and North Korea stand in the city over the Yalu River, telling us the story of how Dandong becomes such an important place for North Koreans.
Just like many other cities in China, Dandong is also safe and habitable. With fresh air, large forest areas, and freshwater endowment, Dandong ranks among lists such as “China’s Ten Most Habitable Cities”, “China’s Top Tourist Destinations”, “China’s Greenest Cities”, and “China’s Garden Cities.” Hot springs are scattered around Dandong, earning the city the award of “City of Hot Springs.”