Stand on the Yalu River Broken Bridge and the walkway simply stops, cut off mid-river with the far half gone. Across the water sits Sinuiju, North Korea, and the whole character of Dandong comes into focus: a Chinese border city where the view itself is the attraction.
Dandong suits travellers interested in the Korean War, in border geography, and in a Chinese city where Korean appears on signs and shopfronts. It rewards a full day, and two days lets you add the Great Wall section at Hushan.
This guide covers the sights along the Yalu River, the city's wartime memorial, and the old street and park that round out a visit.
Top things to do in Dandong
1. Yalu River Broken Bridge
The bridge reaches only halfway across the river; the other half was badly damaged by American bombing during the Korean War and was later disassembled by the Koreans. The last section is no longer accessible, but most of the bridge is still walkable, and it gives you the closest view of North Korea you can get on foot from the Chinese side.
Bring your own binoculars for a closer look. Entry is ¥30. Combine it with the riverside walk at Yalu River Park, which sits right by the bridge.
2. Memorial of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea
A large museum and monument built on a hill overlooking central Dandong and the Yalu River. The many well-labelled bilingual exhibits venerate the Chinese Volunteers Army and offer a Chinese perspective on the history of the Korean War. It reopened in 2020 after six years of renovations.
It is at 7 Shanshang Street in Zhenxing District, with a bus stop just outside served by bus nos. 121, 122, 302 and the H1 Red Bus; take bus no. 122 or the H1 Red Bus if coming from Dandong Railway Station. Opening hours are 09:00-16:30 with no entry after 16:00, closed on Mondays, and entry is free. Reserve a ticket on the museum's WeChat account.
3. Hushan Great Wall
This Ming Dynasty section of the Great Wall of China travels parallel to the river and has been restored to decent condition. The section is steep, so watch your footing. From the top of the highest tower you can see the Yalu River and look into North Korea; North Korean guardhouses sit 300-400 metres in the distance.
Buy a ticket at the long-distance bus station for ¥6.5 and the trip takes about 40 minutes, with the driver dropping you at a T-intersection right by the Wall; ride hailing from Dandong to the entrance costs approximately ¥30-40, and a return taxi around ¥40. You can hike along the Wall one way and return on a walkway along the bottom of the mountain, though the walkway was closed as of August 2025, and a shuttle bus can take you back to the start for ¥10. Entry is ¥60. To find One Step to North Korea, walk under the Wall along the road lined with vendors rather than scaling it, and do not cross the water at the base of the mountain.
4. North Korean Border
The Yalu River forms the boundary between China and North Korea and flows over 300 km between the two countries. Yalujiang Park is the best place to view North Korea, with public sculptures, swimming platforms and possibly a fast boat ride up and down the river along the border.
Do not swim into North Korea. A few kilometres north of the Friendship Bridge you can see remnants of the original railroad bridge, bombed and destroyed by the Americans, with a large stone-carved book inscribed in Chinese as a monument onshore.
5. Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge
This is the official crossing into North Korea, and passage is only by vehicle or train. Travellers are not allowed to walk across it, so treat it as a landmark to view from the riverside rather than a route.
Pair it with the Broken Bridge, which stands beside it, and with the riverside paths at Yalu River Park.
6. Yalu River Park
A riverside park regarded as having some of the best views into North Korea. It is the easiest place to spend an unhurried hour watching river traffic and the far bank.
Come here as part of the same riverside walk as the Broken Bridge and the Friendship Bridge, and consider a fast boat ride from Yalujiang Park if you want to get closer to the border.
7. Jinjiangshan Park
The park sits west of the railway station and is easily accessible by a 10-minute walk. It is popular with local families on weekends and with the elderly community during the weekdays, who gather to sing Chinese revolutionary and folklore songs. During the Korean War a giant ammunition bunker was dug into the mountain by the PLA and is still there.
The walk to the top can be completed within 30 minutes, and from the top you can climb the stairs of two different pagoda towers for a view of Dandong and North Korea if the weather is clear.
8. Andong Old Street
A multi-functional cultural street with nostalgia sightseeing of the Nationalist period, classic food, tourism and shopping. The outer and inner street shops reproduce the old streetscape using classic architectural elements of the old Andong, together with old objects and streetscape sculptures.
Look for century-old brands, branded catering, northeastern specialties, local seafood, flavourful snacks, local theatre performances and folk arts flourishing in the Andong period. It is at 49 Renmin Road in Zhenxing District.
9. Moon Island
An island on the Yalu River made up of dining and entertainment areas, hotels, and fitness and leisure facilities. The buildings are European-style, integrating accommodation, catering, entertainment and shopping, and there is a small playground with a Ferris wheel and a pirate ship. The cafes and restaurants are set off by these buildings.
Every summer a large night market runs here, with small commodities and various delicacies lining an entire street. There is a telescope available to view North Korea.
10. Yalu River Art Museum
A unique art museum that displays only one exhibition at a time and changes its exhibitions once a year. It is at 11 Moon Island Street in Zhenxing District; take bus no. 126 to Moon Island, and the museum is about 160 metres from the Moon Island bus stop.
Opening hours are 10:00-12:30 and 13:00-17:00, with no entry between 11:30 and 12:30 or between 16:30 and 17:00, closed on Mondays. Visitors between October 20th and April 1st must book at least one hour before visiting by scanning the QR code on the museum website. Standard entry is ¥40, with free entry for persons over 70 and children under 1.3 metres accompanied by an adult.
11. New Yalu River Bridge
A massive double-arch motorway bridge built by the Chinese government for about ¥2.2 billion, intended to replace the old Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge. The North Koreans promised to turn South Sinuiju into a Special Economic Zone and build a connecting road; neither happened, so the bridge ends in a dirt road among rice fields on the Korean side.
Look for the vast, deserted immigration complex on the northern side of the bridge. It pairs naturally with a riverside circuit that takes in the two older bridges.
12. Cross into North Korea
It is possible to cross into Sinuiju, North Korea by train from Dandong, and then change trains to reach Pyongyang. Numerous local tour groups can sort out the paperwork without referring to Beijing and arrange a relatively budget-friendly visit for Chinese and foreign tourists.
The cheapest deals involve joining a large group, and foreign nationals should expect to pay at least €560; bargain hard. The usual restrictions apply.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Memorial of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea on Shanshang Street, arriving well before the 16:00 entry cut-off and avoiding Monday, when it is closed. From there, walk to nearby Jinjiangshan Park and climb to the pagoda towers for the view over the city and the river.
Afternoon: Head to the river for the Yalu River Broken Bridge and walk out to where the span ends, then continue along Yalu River Park and past the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which you can view but not walk across. If time allows, take a fast boat from Yalujiang Park for a closer look at the North Korean bank.
Evening: Finish at Andong Old Street on Renmin Road for northeastern specialties, local seafood and snacks among the reconstructed old streetscape, or cross to Moon Island for its European-style buildings and, in summer, the night market.
Frequently asked questions
Can I walk across the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge?
No. Passage is only by vehicle or train, and travellers are not allowed to walk across. To get out over the water on foot, use the Yalu River Broken Bridge instead.
When is the Memorial of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea open?
It is open 09:00-16:30, with no entry after 16:00, and is closed on Mondays. Entry is free, and you can reserve a ticket on the museum's WeChat account.
How do I get to Hushan Great Wall without a car?
Buy a ticket at the long-distance bus station for ¥6.5; the trip takes about 40 minutes and the driver drops you at a T-intersection right by the Wall. To return, wait at the same T-intersection for a bus back to the long-distance bus terminal for ¥3, and confirm with the driver that it is going to Dandong.
Do I need to book the Yalu River Art Museum in advance?
Only between October 20th and April 1st, when visitors must book at least one hour before visiting by scanning the QR code on the museum website. It is closed on Mondays.
Decide your dates, check the Monday closures, and start building your Dandong itinerary around the river.