One of the main attractions of this area is rather obscurely it's proximity to North Korea, you can see the border from Dandong. Apart from this, the area offers a wealth of Manchu history, who held the last dynasty before China became a republic, and there are temples and pagodas as well as an imperial palace and a relatively unvisited section of the Great Wall. There's also the border with Russia, visas must be arranged in Beijing.
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Budget Accommodation
The majority of budget accommodation takes the form of cheap hotels and guesthouses. The rating system isn't always reliable so it's a good idea to check the room before you accept it, many bottom end places are pretty grim. Until fairly recently it was common practice for some of the lower end places to refuse to accept foreigners but that's now illegal so if you are completely skint, you have access to these places. Student accommodation is often available, even outside of term times, so much do they want your tourist dollars. At the very basic end of the accommodation spectrum, it's often possible to stay in monasteries and temples, don't expect any frills, or indeed anything but a shelter.
A Traveller's Budget for North China
China is so vast that unless you want to spend weeks on a bus, it's worth considering an air fare.
To travel around the options are bus and train, the bus can often be faster and cheaper than the train but don't be coerced into getting on board some old rickety thing which the wheels are about to fall off, there's probably a better quality coach going the same way for little more.
Car and bike hire are pretty much out as many places in China are off limits for visitors and they're rarely marked as such so the chance of wandering in unawares are pretty high
In the towns there are often street stalls serving snacks in the evening, foodcourts in the malls are reasonably priced and there are supermarkets readily available if you want to self cater. In general cheap eats can be had wherever you are if you go slightly off the main streets and eat with the locals.
Budget Activities
Visit the Germ Warfare base, a former Japanese research centre where horrific experiments were carried out on POWs.
Take a speedboat and get as close to North Korea as anyone needs to be, really.
Visit Heaven Lake and its many myths, but don't go too far south or you'll end up in North Korea and possible dead.
Arrive in Haerbin in winter (with your winter woolies, it's a bit nippy) for the ice festival
Check out the Imperial Palace in Shenyang, like a mini Forbidden City.
