Top 50 Best Things to Do in Shanxi
left-leaf
trip-best

Top 50 Best Things to Do in Shanxi

right-leaf
Trip.Best is a collection of travel rankings that takes into account the travel choices and genuine preferences of hundres of millions of Trip.com users. It is updated monthly based on real data.
2026 Global 100
2026 Global 100 image
Innovation Award
Innovation Award image
󰴉
Theme filters
District
Theme filters
District
  • Yungang Grottoestop_1
    󰺂8.9
    12.14
    Datong>100 km from downtown
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do
    Highlights:
    Stroll through the grottoes and explore Forty Caves
    59,000+ stone sculptures inside caves
    󱨠Saved by 845 users󱨠24619 positive reviews
    4.8/5
    M39***63M39***63

    The grottoes are a magnificent collection of sculptures, quite different from those in Dunhuang, Longmen, and Maijishan. There are a few unique hidden gems that require careful listening to the explanations to find. I visited them twice, and it would take a whole day to see them all!

  • Jinci Museumtop_2
    󰺂8.6
    9.71
    Taiyuan.Taiyuan Ancient County/Jinci Temple73.1 km from downtown
    trip best small logoAchieved a 2-year streak on the annual lists
    Highlights:
    Growing Buddhist Relics Tower overlooking Jinci's panorama
    󱨜Jinci's Three Treasures showcase ancient architectural charm
    󱨠Saved by 151 users󱨠11310 positive reviews
    4.8/5
    M24***99M24***99

    Three national treasure buildings 👍🏻: The Holy Mother Hall is a precious architectural masterpiece from the Northern Song Dynasty, the Fish Pond Flying Bridge is a cross-shaped ancient bridge, and the Offering Hall is a Jin Dynasty building. The Zhou Cypress, which is over 3,000 years old, along with the Nanlao Spring and the Maiden Statues, are known as the "Three Wonders of Jinci".

  • The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Areatop_3
    󰺂8.6
    10.93
    Ji County.Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area>100 km from downtown
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 China 100 - Best Things to Do
    Highlights:
    󱓊Spring & fall thunderous waterfall
    󱓊See the Thundering Falls in spring and fall
    󱨠Saved by 157 users󱨠13302 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    136***71136***71

    Only by experiencing Hukou Waterfall in person can one truly appreciate the awe-inspiring power of the Yellow River's roar! The surging, turbid waves plunge into the deep pool like a thousand horses, their thunderous roar echoing through the sky, while the spray brings a refreshing coolness. A rainbow arches against the backdrop of the raging torrents, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene. The scenic area's viewing platforms are well-designed, offering multiple angles to appreciate the waterfall's majestic grandeur. This is a baptism of nature's power, a direct display of national spirit—an unforgettable experience!

  • Pingyao Ancient City
    4
    󰺂8.5
    14.57
    Pingyao.Inside Pingyao Ancient City29.2 km from downtown
    trip best small logoAchieved a 2-year streak on the annual lists
    Highlights:
    Enjoy stunning sunset views from the city wall in the evening
    󰀆World-class photography exhibition
    󱨠Saved by 497 users󱨠13825 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    xichengpaomoxichengpaomo

    It's pretty good, valid for three days, so you can split the trip into several visits. I personally recommend the Ma Family Courtyard, the County Government Office, Xietongqing, and Rishengchang. Just scan the QR code. If you want paper tickets, you can buy them offline.

  • Yingxian Wooden Pagoda
    5
    󰺂8.4
    5.83
    Ying County>100 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    󱓊11-foot Buddha statue inside
    Panoramic views of nature & history
    󱨠Saved by 150 users󱨠15073 positive reviews
    4.8/5
    G闲青衣G闲青衣

    The Wooden Pagoda is easily accessible by direct bus from downtown Datong. It's a traditional wooden structure built with mortise and tenon joints without nails. Despite its tilted shape, it has stood for a thousand years. The five-story, six-eaved structure, along with its colorful sculptures and murals, tells ancient stories and is truly breathtaking. Although only one floor is currently open to the public, it still evokes a powerful sense of awe and wonder at China's ancient culture.

  • Xuankong Temple
    6
    󰺂8.4
    3.52
    Hunyuan>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoExperience the awe-inspiring heights of Xuankong Temple
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2025 Asia 100 - Best Things to Do
    Highlights:
    Admire Exquisite Wood Carved Murals Along the Plank Road
    󰋄Cliffside's breathtaking architecture
    󱨠Saved by 784 users󱨠7544 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    Anonymous userAnonymous user

    The Hanging Temple, a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, is located on the cliff of Cuiping Peak on the west side of Jinlong Gorge in Hengshan Mountain, Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province. It is known by the local saying, "The Hanging Temple, halfway to heaven, suspended by three horse tails." Built 1400 years ago in the late Northern Wei Dynasty, it is a unique temple in China that integrates Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, and is the oldest existing wooden structure complex built on a cliff in the world. Originally called "Xuankong Pavilion," it was later renamed "Hanging Temple" because the entire temple appears to hang on the cliff; in Chinese, "hanging" and "mysterious" are homophones.

  • Little Western Paradise
    7
    󰺂8.2
    4.25
    Xi County>100 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    󰋄Check out Black Myth: Wukong
    󰀆Ancient Zen temple from Ming
    󱨠3958 positive reviews
    4.8/5
    M36***25M36***25

    The best time to go is in the morning, when the light is best. If you go in the afternoon, the weather needs to be good enough. Inside the magnificent main hall, which uses 14 kilograms of gold, I spent over an hour looking up repeatedly. My neck pain is almost cured! Aside from the main hall, the rest of the hall isn't particularly impressive. A slight drawback is that the security guards kept reminding everyone to leave quickly, which is understandable given the sheer number of people. I imagine there will be fewer people in winter when it's cold, allowing for a quieter contemplation and communion with the thousand Buddhas across time. Once you're there, you'll know it was worth the trip; it's truly breathtaking. Absolutely breathtaking. Absolutely breathtaking.

  • Yanmenguan
    8
    󰺂8.0
    6.68
    Dai County>100 km from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 2 of Family-friendly Attractions in Shanxi
    Highlights:
    󱓊Yang Family's legendary statue
    󰋄Walk ancient Great Wall path
    󱨠5036 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    MarsMarMarsMar

    Yanmen Pass is definitely worth a visit. I visited the Badaling Great Wall many years ago, and the experience was different. The day I went, the fog was quite thick, so visibility was limited. Also, I arrived rather late, so I didn't explore too far, but the early winter scenery was still beautiful. The difficulty of the climb further highlights the hardships endured by the ancient soldiers, and it makes one marvel at the wisdom of the ancients in building this magnificent pass.

  • Wutai Mountain
    9
    󰺂8.0
    5.71
    Wutai.Wuye Temple>100 km from downtown
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 China 50 - Spring Outings
    Highlights:
    󱓊Pilgrimage to five unique peaks
    󰀆Panoramic view of Mount Wutai
    󱨠Saved by 134 users󱨠5486 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    酷酷的哈士奇酷酷的哈士奇

    The scenery is nice and the bus is very convenient, good reviews! But the consumption level in the scenic area is a bit high, especially in some farmhouse restaurants, where two people can eat more than 100 yuan, while other places in the mountains only cost dozens of yuan.

  • The Qiao Family Courtyard 
    10
    󰺂7.9
    13.96
    Qi County.Qiao Family Courtyard54.8 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoWinter exclusive at Qiao's Grand Courtyard: Warm sun and ancient charm reveal a stark beauty | Dec 2025-Dec 2025
    Highlights:
    󰋄Exquisite wood & stone carvings
    󱓊200-year-old Jin merchant architecture
    󱨠8936 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    136***19136***19

    When visiting Shanxi, a trip to Jinzhong is incomplete without a visit to the Qiao Family Compound. However, the ticket price is not very friendly and is generally quite expensive. But strolling around the compound is still a worthwhile experience!

What Best Things to Do are there in Shanxi?
These are all Best Things to Do in Shanxi:Yungang Grottoes, Jinci Museum, The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area, Pingyao Ancient City, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda
What are some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Shanxi?
Some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Shanxi include:Yungang Grottoes:4.8, Jinci Museum:4.8, The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area:4.7, Pingyao Ancient City:4.6, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda:4.8
At what locations in Shanxi can Best Things to Do in Shanxi be found?
The Best Things to Do in Shanxi are mainly located in:Yungang Grottoes:Datong, Jinci Museum:Taiyuan, The Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area:Ji County, Pingyao Ancient City:Pingyao, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda:Ying County
󰴉