Stand on the platform at Hailar's railway station and you are standing on the Western line of the Trans-Siberian route, the last major stop before Manzhouli and the Russian border. Step outside and the bilingual signs, the domes on the buildings and the Mongolian songs drifting from shop doorways tell you this is a town where several cultures meet on the edge of open grassland.
Hailar suits travellers moving between China and Russia, anyone drawn to grassland culture, and visitors who want a base for the wider Hulunbuir region. It rewards those who plan around the seasons: summers are short and warm, winters are long and severe, and much of the annual rainfall falls in the three summer months.
This guide covers the main sights in and around the district, the festivals worth timing a trip around, and how to spend a single day if that is all you have.
Top things to do in Hailar
1. Hulunbuir Steppe
The grassland is the reason many visitors come, and it lives up to the name it carries as one of China's most famous prairies. You can ride horses, camp on the lawn, visit pastoral families and watch singing and dancing performances, or spend the night in a Mongolian bun to get the full sense of the open plain.
Time your visit for July or August, when the summer grassland is at its best and the Nadam festival season is under way.
2. Hulun Lake
Also known as Dalai Lake, this is the largest freshwater lake in Inner Mongolia, with clear water and charming scenery around its shores. In summer you can take a boat trip on the lake; in winter the same water becomes a base for ice and snow activities such as ice fishing and ice skating.
Combine a lake visit with the grassland, since both sit in the same wider Hulunbuir landscape.
3. World Anti-fascist War Hailar Memorial Park
This museum and war memorial is built on the site of the Hailar Fortress, the huge underground Japanese fortress completed in 1937 by forced Chinese laborers. Parts of the fortress tunnels are open for public viewing, and some of the fiercest fighting of the Soviet–Japanese War in August 1945 took place around here.
Allow time for the tunnels as well as the museum exhibits; the underground sections are the part that stays with most visitors.
4. Hailar Forest Park
A comprehensive park that combines natural scenery with humanistic attractions, with dense forests, clear streams and abundant flora and fauna. The trails are suitable for hiking and for simply slowing down in the quiet of the trees.
Go in the morning if you want the paths to yourself, and bring what you need since the point of the place is its tranquillity.
5. Hailar District Museum
The museum showcases the historical, cultural and natural heritage of the Hulunbuir region, with a large collection of historical relics, ethnic and cultural materials, and exhibitions on grassland and nature. It is the best single stop for understanding the area before you head out into it.
Visit early in your trip so the context informs everything you see afterwards.
6. Tauma Mountain
A small mountain on the prairie in the southern part of the district, with a summit that overlooks the whole grassland. The wide view makes it a good place to photograph the prairie, and the mountain is also known for its Mongolian cultural background and horse culture.
Riding, climbing and photography are all part of a visit here; go when the light is good and combine it with a grassland stop nearby.
7. Irguna Wetlands
One of the largest wetlands in China, located near Hailar, with a distinctive ecological environment that supports many kinds of animals and plants. It is known as a bird paradise and draws bird watchers and photographers every year.
Bring binoculars or a long lens, and plan around the birding season rather than treating it as a quick stop.
8. Mongolian Style Garden
A theme park that gathers Mongolian culture, customs and tourism into one place. You can watch equestrian performances and Mongolian dance, try handicraft making and taste authentic Mongolian food.
It works well as an introduction to Mongolian culture if you are not travelling out onto the grassland itself.
9. Mongol tribes of the Golden Horde
A typical Mongolian culture tourism village where you can learn about Mongolian daily life, cultural traditions and folklore. Visitors can interact with local Mongolians and take part in traditional handicraft activities and folk art performances.
Pair it with the Mongolian Style Garden if you want a fuller picture of Mongolian culture in one stretch of your trip.
10. Nadam festival
Held from July to August each year, at the most beautiful time of the summer grasslands. The event includes the three traditional competitions of horse racing, wrestling and archery, along with singing and dancing performances, ethnic costumes and prairie food tasting.
If your dates are flexible, this is the period to aim for, since it concentrates grassland culture into a short window.
11. Horse Milk Festival
Held in early August each year, this is a Mongolian festival celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for nature's gifts. Herdsmen produce and share horse dairy products such as horse milk wine and horse cheese, accompanied by traditional Mongolian music, dance performances and horse racing.
It falls close to the Nadam season, so a single August trip can take in both.
12. Snow and Ice Festival
Held from December to February each year, this winter festival showcases the ice and snow culture of the northern grassland area. There are ski competitions, snow sculpture exhibitions and ice lamp shows, and you can try snowmobiles and reindeer sledding.
Come dressed for severe cold: Hailar's winters are long, very dry and severe, with January averaging well below freezing.
13. Genghis Khan's Sacrifice
Held every year around the winter solstice, this is a traditional Mongolian sacrificial event commemorating the achievements of Genghis Khan and his family. The ceremonies are solemn and usually take place in Genghis Khan Square or other memorial sites, with chanting, the offering of Hadad, toasting and Mongolian long-tempo performances.
Treat it as a ceremony rather than a spectacle, and observe quietly.
14. Ewenki Reindeer Festival
Held every winter on a date that is not fixed, this is the festival of the Ewenki people, one of the important minorities in the Hailar region. It includes reindeer performances, traditional costume displays and Ewenki folk songs.
Because the date moves, check locally before planning a winter trip around it.
15. Spring Festival and Mongolian Traditional New Year
On the first day of the first lunar month, all ethnic groups in Hailar celebrate together, and the Mongolian New Year known as White Day falls during the same period. Mongolian families perform traditional fire rituals, offer tea and exchange New Year greetings to pray for peace and happiness in the new year.
This is a family-centred time, so expect a quieter, more domestic atmosphere than at the summer festivals.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Hailar District Museum to get your bearings on the history, culture and natural heritage of the Hulunbuir region. Then move on to World Anti-fascist War Hailar Memorial Park and walk the sections of the Hailar Fortress tunnels that are open to the public.
Afternoon: Head out to Hulunbuir Steppe for horse riding, a visit to a pastoral family and a taste of the open grassland. If you still have energy and daylight, add Tauma Mountain for the view over the prairie.
Evening: Return to town and spend the evening at the Mongolian Style Garden, watching equestrian performances and Mongolian dance and eating Mongolian food. If your visit falls in July or August, check whether the Nadam festival is running and build your day around it instead.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Hailar?
July and August give you the summer grassland at its best and coincide with the Nadam festival and the Horse Milk Festival. December to February brings the Snow and Ice Festival, but winters here are long, very dry and severe.
How do I get to Hailar?
Hulunbeier Hailar Airport serves the city with flights to Beijing and Shenyang among others. The railway station is the penultimate major station before Manzhouli on the Western line of the Trans-Siberian route, with trains to Harbin taking about 12 hours and to Beijing about 27. Buses cover the town frequently.
Can I see the Hailar Fortress tunnels?
Yes. Parts of the fortress tunnels are open for public viewing at the World Anti-fascist War Hailar Memorial Park, which is built on the site of the fortress.
What languages will I see and hear?
Hailar is a multi-ethnic town with notable Han, Mongolian, Hui, Daur, Evenki and Russian populations, so signs are usually bilingual and Mongolian influence is present in music, architecture and everyday speech.
Pick your season, check the festival dates, and start planning your route through the grassland, the lake and the town.