Compare Manchuria by High Speed Train by Exo Travel

Day 1: Beijing / Red Beach / Shenyang

Meals: Lunch

Transfer to the train station with your local guide and driver, from where you will take the train (without the guide) to Panjin.

Expected departure time: 0842

Expected arrival time: 1229

Note : we recommend traveling light on Chinese trains (for example : one piece of hand luggage and a suitcase not exceeding twenty kilograms, like on a plane) which whilst modern do not boast an abundance of space for laden passengers. Please also note that some train stations in China do not allow access to people without a ticket (this will apply to your guides for your transfers from hotel to station to hotel).

Welcome to Panjin! Transfer with your local guide and driver to what is known locally as the “Red Seabeach”. You are currently in Lioaning, neighbour of North Korea and one of three provinces that used to make up Manchuria and that is now known as “Dongbei” (literally ‘North-East’).

The Red Sea beach is a unique site and changes colour from one season to another: green while out of season, and then violet tones in June, bright red in July, August and until mid-September. These months are the best for photography, and also correspond to a noticeable increase in the number of visitors to the site. You will leave your vehicle when you arrive at the entrance to the site and get into an electric car which will take you to the ‘beach’ (a distance of 9km), which is a large marsh covered in “suadea heteroptera”, an herbaceous halophytic plant, and which sits alongside the Shuangtaizi River. A suspended wooden walkway has been installed above the marsh so that visitors can get closer to the plants without damaging them, and it also provides access to a small temple dedicated to Mazu, goddess of the seas.

You will continue in the electric car to the Reed Maze, with the reads reaching their maximum height between July and September. Walk through the maze.

Note: Your bags will stay in the car during your visit to the Red Sea beach, and will stay there until your return to Panjin Station.

Return transfer to Panjin Station where you will take the fast train to Shenyang (without a guide), capital of Liaoning province.

Expected departure time: 1736

Expected arrival time: 1834

Welcome and transfer to the hotel with your local guide and driver.

Welcome to Shenyang, once a simple Mongolian commercial crossroads, which was transformed in the 17th century after becoming the capital of the Manchu Empire (then known under the name Mukden). The local hero is called Nurhachi (1559-1626), a Manchu general in the Ming Chinese Army who united the Lords involved in the Machu Wars before rebelling against the Chinese Empire. He then reigned from Shenyang, and his son Abahai set out to conquer China, putting to an end the Ming Dynasty and leading them to relocate the capital to Beijing. The Manchus, under the name ‘Qing’, ruled China until the fall of the Empire in 1911, marking the end of the Imperial Chinese Era. Bernardo Bertolucci’s masterpiece The Last Emperor, which won 9 Oscars, told the story of the final emperor. The Manchu are now one of China’s fifty-six officially recognised ethnic minorities.

Shenyang was made the second capital of China during this period (1644 – 1911), and also maintained its heritage of being the ancient Manchu capital.

Night in Shenyang

Distance and journey time:

Panjin Station– Entrance to Red Sea beach (approx. 24km): 40 mins

Shenyang Station – Shenyang centre (approx.

Day 2: Shenyang

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Transfer with your guide and driver to the Imperial Palace, built during the reign of Nurhachi and which symbolised the centre of Manchu power until 1644. While it is often compared to a ‘small’ Forbidden City, the Manchu influence can be strongly felt starting in the Hall of Political Affairs whose octagonal form is reminiscent of Manchu tents. This crossover of tent to pavilion is a symbol of the settlement of the Manchu nomads. The courtyard in which this pavilion is found is edged by ten small rooms reserved for ministers also known as “Ten Kings Pavilions” in reference to the different tribal banners federalised by Nurhachi.

Visit to the Northern Tomb, built in the 17th Century in the peaceful Beiling Park it is home to the tombs of Abahai (Huang Taiji) and his wife. The Mausoleum is today one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

A Pine Forest was, according to local folklore, carefully planted around the tombs following strict rules and order, with some for example symbolising the officials guarding the tombs… This type of mausoleum reflects not only the Chinese belief in the afterlife, but also acted as a stamp of authority. They also obeyed the rules of Feng Shui (geomancy) which recommends an organic integration with nature: a mountain range to the north demarking the border, presence of running water…

There are two other major tombs in Shenyang: Fuling, dedicated to Nurhachi, and Yongling, dedicated to his ancestors (please consult with us if you wish to include a visit to these two sites).

Transfer with your guide and drive to Liaoning Provincial Museum which exhibits, amongst other things, pieces from the age of the Liao Dynasty (also known as the Khitan Empire which reigned over part of eastern Russia and over Northern China (including Shenyang) from 907 to 1125, similar to the period that the Song Dynasty ruled China).

In the evening you will try a local type of fondue (meat and vegetables), a regional specialty that locals often eat during the area’s harsh winters.

Note: Shenyang is also known for its original “Strange Slope”, a place where the forces of gravity are inverted… A 200m cycle path has been outlined where it is necessary to pedal to go down the hill and you freewheel to come back up! Scientists have put forward various theories on the causes of this surprising phenomenon but none have been proven… Consult us if you’d like to add this slope to your visit (it is located 30km from the centre of the city).

Night in Shenyang

Distance and journey time:

Imperial Palace – Liaoning Museum (2.5km): 10 mins

Liaoning Museum – Northern Tomb (5km): 15 mins

Day 3: Shenyang / Harbin

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Transfer to Shenyang Station with your guide and driver from where you will take the fast train to Harbin.

Expected Departure Time: 1002

Expected Arrival Time: 12h00

Welcome and transfer to the city with your driver and guide. Welcome to Harbin! You are in the province of Heilongjiang (literally “Black Dragon River”), bordering Russia. While the city may be best known for its extraordinary Ice Festival, it is above all a fascinating cultural crossroads. At the end of the 19th Century the Russians built the “East China Railway” which linked Vladivostok to Dalian and Harbin. Then, the Russian Revolution contributed to the immigration of an important community of Jews to the city. In 1932 control of the city passed to the Japanese after their annexation of Manchuria (which began in Shenyang one year earlier), before being retaken by the Chinese Communists in 1945.

Your time in Harbin will start with a visit to the Japanese Biological Warfare Experimentation Centre, located in “Unit 731”, which served as a laboratory for the Japanese Imperial Army. Here biological weapons were developed through testing on human guinea pigs (from China, Russia, Korea, Mongolia…), totaling 3000 victims (and indeed many more if you consider the victims of the weapons developed here during the Sino-Japanese War).

Note: Warning – some of the images here can be shocking, and as such we do not recommend this visit for children under the age of 12.

In the evening you will dine in the stunning “Robot Restaurant” where around twenty robots take charge of service, and are capable of cooking a dozen traditional dishes! A robot will welcome you by saying “Hello earthlings, welcome to Robot Restaurant!” The whole set-up is nonetheless coordinated by one or two “humans”. The robots are around 1.3m tall and have a dozen differently coded facial expressions, and there is also a singing robot who provides entertainment during dinner. Today there are three such eateries in China; this one in Harbin opened in 2012 in the pedestrianized area of Daoliqu which you will visit tomorrow (your driver will stop at the edge of the zone and you will continue in on foot with your guide).

Transfer to the hotel (on foot with your guide if your hotel is in the same quarter).

Night in Harbin

Distance and journey time:

Harbin west train station– Experimental Center 731 731 (approx. 20km): 40 min

Experimental Center 731 – Robot restaurant (approx 27km): 45 min

Day 4: Harbin

Meals: Breakfast

Today will be spent on foot (your transfer to the center will be by car if your hotel is outside the neighborhood) to discover old Harbin, which is principally located in the Daoliqu Quarter. Your walk will start in Stalin Park, set alongside the Songhua River and where several delightful cafes can be found.

You will visit the Flood Control Monument, built in the 50s to commemorate the victims of flooding of the River Songhua, today becalmed by a 40km-long barrier.

You will stroll down the famous Zhongyang Pedestrian Street (or “Central Street”) which stretches out over 1.5km, and whose layout dates back to the end of the 19th century and where you can take in the clearest examples of the city’s Russian architectural heritage. You will pass in front of the Modern Hotel (where you can stay), built in 1906 and whose first owner was Jewish. The building’s original marble is partially conserved, along with some of its Art Nouveau flourishes.

You will walk down Tongjiang Road, previously the heart of the Jewish community, where you will stop at the Main Synagogue, today converted into a cafe and some boutique shops, and pass by the neighboring Turkish Mosque (closed to visitors) which has grown into its place in the quarter, evidence of the open spirit of the city. After just a few minutes’ walk you’ll find the Harbin New Synagogue, built in 1931 when the community was 20 000 strong. The site has been transformed into an interesting museum on the history of the city and on the past lifestyle of Harbin’s Jews.

You will then arrive at the Saint Sophia Church, a true symbol of Harbin. Built in 1907 by the Russians, she is known as the biggest Orthodox Church in the Far East.

Today sitting in the middle of a vast square surrounded by modern buildings which accentuate the red brick / green dome style of the church, the building’s interior has been re-imagined as the Harbin Architectural Arts Centre which displays a collection showcasing the pluri-cultural architectural developments of the city through the years.

Note: depending on your speed, you may also have the time while in the area to visit Gogol Street (from the name of the Russian writer), located in the Nangang neighborhood (around 2.5km from the Saint Sophie Church). This road built at the start of the twentieth century is lined with trees and has a beautiful collection of Russian buildings, and notably the Saint Alekseyev Orthodox Church. We recommend taking a taxi here.

You will eat at Cafe Russia 1914, decorated in a typical Russian style and whose walls are covered in photos from the era (warning – not the best service at times). The restaurant is located across Zhongyang road, not far from the departure point of your walk, and there you can try some Russian specialties (such as borscht)

Optionally: for night owls, we recommend the beer gardens which are now an integral part of the zone’s atmosphere (on Zhongyang road and in Stalin Park).

Night in Harbin.

Total distance of the walk: about 6km, but we also recommended a stroll down the roads running perpendicular to Zhongyang Road. The distance varies further if you decide to visit Gogol Street)

Day 5: Harbin / Dalian

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Transfer with your guide and driver to Harbin Station where you will take the train to Dalian.

Expected Departure Time: 0830

Expected Arrival Time: 1200

Welcome by your local guide and driver, and transfer to the hotel. You are back in Liaoning Province, and more precisely on the Liaodong Peninsula! In 1894 the Japanese invaded the neighbouring port of Lushun, which was then three years later ceded to the Russians before reverting to Japanese hands after the defeat of the Russian Empire by Japan (Russo-Japanese War, 1904-05)! Dalian remained a colony for nearly half a century and didn’t return to Chinese control until 1955 and the arrival of the Communists.

The Russians were inspired by 19th Century French Urbanism (French Culture was still in vogue in Russia) when they designed the city of Dalian, in particular Zhongshan Square from which ten avenues which serve the wider area spread like a giant spider’s web. The square is edged by period buildings like the “Dalian Hotel”, built by the Russians at the beginning of the 20th Century.

The number of western-style gardens, squares, and fountains in the city is further evidence of its colonial past.

The ecological politics of the previous mayor Bo Xilai (who later became mayor of Chongqing and was at the centre of one of the largest political scandals of recent times) also contributed to the proliferation of green spaces.

You will be transferred to the immense Xinghai Square from where you will take the coastal trail (4km), along with your guide. Close-by float a collection of Junk Boats, you will pass by the Jinsha and Yinhsha beaches before finishing at Fujiazhuang Beach where local families come to relax.

You driver will collect you and take you to Tiger Beach to see the old fishing port and the quarter which has been renovated in the style of costal American city. Seafood dinner.

Note: Dalian is today known for its Beer Festival, held in July and attracting brewers from around the world, and it’s International Fashion Festival, usually held in September. Consult us for more information.

Night in Dalian

Distance and journey time:

Zhongshan Square - Xinghai Square (approx. 8km): 15 mins

Fujiazhuang Beach – Tigre Beach (approx. 6.5km): 15mins

Day 6: Dalian / Beijing

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer with you driver and guide to the neighbouring city of Lushun (in times past known as “Port Arthur”). This little port town played an important role in military strategy throughout Chinese Imperial history up to it played host to the Russo-Japanese War. The city is today an open-air museum, home to sites linked to this tragic episode of the region’s history.

You will start by visiting the Lushun Russo-Japanese Prison, built by the Russian in 1898 and expanded by the Japanese in 1907. The prison was a centre of torture and execution as well as a work camp for Korean and Chinese prisoners during the Russian and Japanese occupations.

You will next see the moving Soviet Army Martyrs Cemetery, the largest cemetery for foreigners in China and where are buried Soviet soldiers killed during the liberation of the northeast of the country during the Second World War as well as pilots killed in combat during the Korean War (1959).

You will then be taken to the Lushun Museum, located in a beautiful building dating from 1917. The museum offers a collection of bronzes, paintings and mummies.

You will end at 203 Hill, strategic epicentre of the battle between the Japanese and Russian Empires. A memorial, in the form of the cartridge, has been erected on the site along with thousands of strew cartridges left in the area.

Transfer with your driver and guide to Dalian North Station where you will catch the return train to Beijing.

Expected Departure Time: 1619

Expected Arrival Time: 2148

Welcome by your local guide and driver and transfer to the hotel.

Night in Beijing.

Distance and journey time:

Dalian – Lushun Russo-Japanese Prison (approx. 45km): 1hour 15mins

Lushun Russo-Japanese Prison – Soviet Army Martyrs Cemetery (approx. 3km): 5mins

Soviet Army Martyrs Cemetery – Lushun Museum (approx. 4.5km): 10mins

Lushun Museum – 203 Hill (approx. 2km): 5mins

203 Hill – Dalian North Station (approx. 60km): 1 hour 15mins

Day 7: Beijing

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to Beijing Airport and flight to your next destination.