Mian Mountain
Mian Mountain
4
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
169 reviews
Excellent
71
Very good
76
Average
17
Poor
3
Terrible
2
Greg P
Lindisfarne, Australia57 contributions
May 2013 • Couples
Was hard to find information on this mountain tourist area on the net because of name variations and was only visited by us when we decided to share the hotels car with a couple of kiwis(New Zealanders) but it was a highlight of our trip. We visited an underground castle in the morning but now wish we had skipped it and spent the whole day at Mianshan. Mianshan starts with a massive information and ticket office with matching carpark. From this point we are on our own as the driver and our car are not allowed on the winding mountain road. Our transport is a fleet of modern buses racing along the road sounding there horns on all blind corners filled with standing passengers with wide stances watching the views of the great canyon beside the road. We decided to go to the end and work our way back to the start. We said goodbye to the Kiwis and arranged to meet back at the car at 5pm. We went for a walk along paths beside a small creek winding its way up a narrow canyon stoping to look at many animal sculptures built into the landscape crossing small bridges over the creek. Other than our kiwi friends we saw only one other westerner among thousands of visiting chinese that day. There were a lot of young people there who were very friendly, stopping us for photos and trying out their english. Our next stop was Qixian valley with chain bridges and ladders up waterfalls following the narrow canyon. The ladders were insane and a bit scary. Other areas had walking tracks, temples and hotels. The whole place cut into the side of cliffs with another mountain across the canyon. Recommend Mianshan for its scenery, attractions and for Chinese interaction.
Written June 15, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Igor K
Toronto, Ontario185 contributions
Nov 2014 • Family
November 2014, after a day in Ancient City Pingyao, instead of hiring a guide, and or taxi, we took a train early morning to Jiexiu. It took about half an hour, and saved a lot of money.
We paid 50 RMB to the taxi to go to Mian Shan Scenic area. After procedures with tickets and hotel accomodations, in central tourist office, we were transfered into tourist bus, which run every half an hour. Magnificient fews around cannot be described into words, and put into photos and video. High altitude and clear air create feeling of Switzerland, high drop cliffs of Big Canyon in Nevada, and only Taoist Temples remind that you are in the East.
Our family of four, with two kids, 7 and 10, consider trip to Mian Shan as a Highlight of all our trip to China. And ,when I asked everyone, which place in China you would like to visit again...Mian Shan was named the First! (Even we visited seven major places on our trip, like Beijing, Mutianyu Great Wall, Pingyao Ancient City, Jiexiu with Mian Shan, Xi'an, Qingdao, Lao Shan, Shanghai, and town on water Zhujiajiao)
Views are outstanding in Mian Shan, and if we go next time, we spend at least three-four days there, just hiking and wondering.
Rooms in Yunfeng Hotel are very comfortable, restaurant prices are reasonable, and food is excellent.
You can view some of my photos on panoramio...
http://www.panoramio.com/user/2191248
We paid 50 RMB to the taxi to go to Mian Shan Scenic area. After procedures with tickets and hotel accomodations, in central tourist office, we were transfered into tourist bus, which run every half an hour. Magnificient fews around cannot be described into words, and put into photos and video. High altitude and clear air create feeling of Switzerland, high drop cliffs of Big Canyon in Nevada, and only Taoist Temples remind that you are in the East.
Our family of four, with two kids, 7 and 10, consider trip to Mian Shan as a Highlight of all our trip to China. And ,when I asked everyone, which place in China you would like to visit again...Mian Shan was named the First! (Even we visited seven major places on our trip, like Beijing, Mutianyu Great Wall, Pingyao Ancient City, Jiexiu with Mian Shan, Xi'an, Qingdao, Lao Shan, Shanghai, and town on water Zhujiajiao)
Views are outstanding in Mian Shan, and if we go next time, we spend at least three-four days there, just hiking and wondering.
Rooms in Yunfeng Hotel are very comfortable, restaurant prices are reasonable, and food is excellent.
You can view some of my photos on panoramio...
http://www.panoramio.com/user/2191248
Written December 21, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wherrittsat
Chester, UK5 contributions
Aug 2013 • Couples
Transport: a pain. We tried and failed to get there by public transport; got to Jiexiu ok (8 am white bus outside the train station in Pingyao 9 RMB). We were then hounded constantly by taxi drivers who told us there was no bus and no one else would give us a straight answer with a taxi driver stood next to us. The guy at the information booth at the train station was the only helpful person we found. He gave us detailed instructions where to find the bus, unfortunatly they were all in chinese. We managed to decipher there was a bus and it left from somewhere straight ahead from the train station. We ended up giving up and going to the underground castle instead. Next day we book transport through harmony hostel 260 RMB for 2 people.
Cost:
110 RBM entrance fee, 50 RMB for bus and 5 RBM for map. The ticket office is at the bottom of a hill so you do need the bus, which is very annoying because the rest of the site is walkable so you pay 50 per person just to get from the ticket office to the actual front gate. We took are own food so not sure of the cost inside the park, the drinks prices were a bit more expensive but not to bad.
The temples:
Some are really beautiful and really well done and then next to them is a giant concrete snake! not really sure what they were thinking there to be honest. The temples are at their best from a distance close up most of them are in a poor state of repair, peeling paint, leaking roofs and tarpolines spread over parts. The skywalk pathway and temple of completness (a bit out of the way but hardly any tourists up here) were the highlights of this section.
Qixian valley:
This was fun and a great way to view the narrow valley definitly worth checking out if you are here.
The scenic nature walk at the back of the mountain:
The worst scenary in the whole park unless you like concrete. This is supposed to be the area you go to enjoy natural scenary. I can forgive a bit of landscaping, positionaing a few rock to create a vista more pleasing to the eye but here they have taken a pleasent stream and concreted the hell out of it, both the banks and the stream itself to create a perfect cascade of small perfectly straight falls with a few concrete aniamls for photo ops along the way the result is very artificial and tacky and as far away from a natural beauty spot as you can get.
Cost:
110 RBM entrance fee, 50 RMB for bus and 5 RBM for map. The ticket office is at the bottom of a hill so you do need the bus, which is very annoying because the rest of the site is walkable so you pay 50 per person just to get from the ticket office to the actual front gate. We took are own food so not sure of the cost inside the park, the drinks prices were a bit more expensive but not to bad.
The temples:
Some are really beautiful and really well done and then next to them is a giant concrete snake! not really sure what they were thinking there to be honest. The temples are at their best from a distance close up most of them are in a poor state of repair, peeling paint, leaking roofs and tarpolines spread over parts. The skywalk pathway and temple of completness (a bit out of the way but hardly any tourists up here) were the highlights of this section.
Qixian valley:
This was fun and a great way to view the narrow valley definitly worth checking out if you are here.
The scenic nature walk at the back of the mountain:
The worst scenary in the whole park unless you like concrete. This is supposed to be the area you go to enjoy natural scenary. I can forgive a bit of landscaping, positionaing a few rock to create a vista more pleasing to the eye but here they have taken a pleasent stream and concreted the hell out of it, both the banks and the stream itself to create a perfect cascade of small perfectly straight falls with a few concrete aniamls for photo ops along the way the result is very artificial and tacky and as far away from a natural beauty spot as you can get.
Written August 22, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deborah O
Las Vegas, NV620 contributions
Oct 2011 • Couples
I came across by chance of pictures of beautiful mountain with temples hanging along side of it and found out that it is called Mianshan Mountain, started searching about it, as I did not know even where was it located it, i just knew that i had to see it.
Took bullet train to Taiyuan and local train to the city of Pingyao, that is UNESCO heritage site and worth so much visiting and combining with Mianshan.
It is one day trip from Pingyao by car and car is needed from one point to another, including stunning Qixian Canyon that you can walk through on the metal steps with handles alongside; it is for those physically more fit and adventurous.
However, the rest of park is can be done at any fitness level, as there are elevators and cable car for those that are not into steps, or it can be combined.
There is a hotel on premises, but only Chinese speaking.
The view and the whole idea of "hanging temples" all over, is for me once in a lifetime experience and would highly recommend - one entrace fee of 110 RMB (year 2011), would recommend tour guide, small additional fee for elevators and cable car.
Any additional information, feel free to send me a private message.
Took bullet train to Taiyuan and local train to the city of Pingyao, that is UNESCO heritage site and worth so much visiting and combining with Mianshan.
It is one day trip from Pingyao by car and car is needed from one point to another, including stunning Qixian Canyon that you can walk through on the metal steps with handles alongside; it is for those physically more fit and adventurous.
However, the rest of park is can be done at any fitness level, as there are elevators and cable car for those that are not into steps, or it can be combined.
There is a hotel on premises, but only Chinese speaking.
The view and the whole idea of "hanging temples" all over, is for me once in a lifetime experience and would highly recommend - one entrace fee of 110 RMB (year 2011), would recommend tour guide, small additional fee for elevators and cable car.
Any additional information, feel free to send me a private message.
Written December 16, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J J Wouters
Utrecht, The Netherlands4 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
We went by public from Pingyao. In total it took us 1,5 hours. By train from Pingyao to Jiexiu (¥ 7-9), which takes 20-30min. When exiting the station, walk to the road and turn left. After 100m there is a small bus station with buses going to Mian Shan. Ours left at 11:00, for ¥2.
The site itself is amazing, although expensive. If your bored from sitting in the bus, there is a nice hike at the beginning. From the first stop, you can walk to the caves, over the dragon rigde. This takes about 2 hours up and down, but gives amazing views.
The site itself is amazing, although expensive. If your bored from sitting in the bus, there is a nice hike at the beginning. From the first stop, you can walk to the caves, over the dragon rigde. This takes about 2 hours up and down, but gives amazing views.
Written November 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Larry H
Portland, OR502 contributions
Apr 2016 • Solo
While visiting Pingyao I arranged a day-trip to Mian Shan. The hotel arranged for a driver (no English) for 300 RMB for the day.
At the entrance you have the opportunity to hire an English speaking guide for the day. Then it is onto a bus and a goo 30 to 40 minute ride up twisting winding roads (with spectacular views) to the temple area.
There are 4 or 5 major areas to visit. The first you come to are a series of temples built in 620 to 641 AD. These are all up on the side of cliffs and do require some climbing. But it is worth the effort!
The Zig-Zag stairway up to a temple is sturdy and not at all scary - just a little strenuous. Take water. At the top you can follow a very nice rock-paved trail around the top of the mountain to two gazebos with wonderful views.
I didn't do the valley with the stream although the guide was pushing this. Seeing cartoon characters in and along the waterway wasn't why I was there.
If you are in the Pingyao area, don't miss the Mian Shan scenic site!
At the entrance you have the opportunity to hire an English speaking guide for the day. Then it is onto a bus and a goo 30 to 40 minute ride up twisting winding roads (with spectacular views) to the temple area.
There are 4 or 5 major areas to visit. The first you come to are a series of temples built in 620 to 641 AD. These are all up on the side of cliffs and do require some climbing. But it is worth the effort!
The Zig-Zag stairway up to a temple is sturdy and not at all scary - just a little strenuous. Take water. At the top you can follow a very nice rock-paved trail around the top of the mountain to two gazebos with wonderful views.
I didn't do the valley with the stream although the guide was pushing this. Seeing cartoon characters in and along the waterway wasn't why I was there.
If you are in the Pingyao area, don't miss the Mian Shan scenic site!
Written May 4, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Seasondtraveller
Paris4,354 contributions
Mar 2015 • Solo
This is about one hour drive South of Pingyao. You need to buy a ticket for 150 RMB or so to get access to the whole site, which is too vast to visit on foot. Buses run fairly frequently ferrying visitors from one part of the site to the next. Some of the temples are magnificient, others are in serious need of renovation. Most shockingly, there are a few really ugly and big hotels which spoil the site. Hopefully, they will be torn down in due course. Visiting most of the temples takes up close to a full day if you take your time.
All in all, I prefer the hanging temple in the Datong region, which has a more authentic feel.
All in all, I prefer the hanging temple in the Datong region, which has a more authentic feel.
Written March 18, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Harriet K
18 contributions
Nov 2014
Made a day trip from Pingyao. Hostel organised a car for Y90 a person and the driver waited for us. No student discount for non Chinese students.
It felt like the kind of place that could have been unpleasantly busy in peak season, but was really nice in early November.
The park runs along one side of a mountain gorge with a bus running between the various attractions. There were lots of temples, but I didn't visit these.
At the end of the bus line you could walk (4 k) to a waterfall cave. This was a nice walk alongside the steam with lots of pretty waterfalls. There were also a lot of statues, inexplicably including a collection of dinosaurs. There were rather a lot of picnic benches/bins/fences which slightly spoilt charm of the walk.
A real highlight was the climb up the waterfall with steps in the rocks and rope ladders. It was a lot of fun and amazing views.
We also took the zig zag path which was a stair case literally stuck on the side of a cliff. It was safe and easy climb, with amazing view, but not good if you don't have a head for heights!
It felt like the kind of place that could have been unpleasantly busy in peak season, but was really nice in early November.
The park runs along one side of a mountain gorge with a bus running between the various attractions. There were lots of temples, but I didn't visit these.
At the end of the bus line you could walk (4 k) to a waterfall cave. This was a nice walk alongside the steam with lots of pretty waterfalls. There were also a lot of statues, inexplicably including a collection of dinosaurs. There were rather a lot of picnic benches/bins/fences which slightly spoilt charm of the walk.
A real highlight was the climb up the waterfall with steps in the rocks and rope ladders. It was a lot of fun and amazing views.
We also took the zig zag path which was a stair case literally stuck on the side of a cliff. It was safe and easy climb, with amazing view, but not good if you don't have a head for heights!
Written November 9, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chandra W
Colombo, Sri Lanka3 contributions
Nov 2013 • Solo
It's an amazing place with ancient temples built on to the side of huge cliffs on wooden stilts & cantilevers. Picturesque Canyon with a rivulet and Iron steps fixed to the side of the cliff & chain bridges leading to the top at around 1.6kM trek. Not for the faint hearted. Wonderful cascading small waterfalls and waterways with typical Chinese bridges etc in another location. Many other interesting & beautiful places. In couple of Temples there are the mummified real bodies of renowned Buddhist priests from around 1700 years ago encased in clay, yet maintaining the body/facial features. It's a 70 sq.km area and during the season an internal bus service is available and also cable cars functioning. Off season though no crowds & queuing, getting about is difficult. Have good walking anti-slippery shoes.
There are a few hotels within the Mts. costing from low to high. Entrance to the area is 150 RMB. Be prepared for a lot of climbing on steep steps along the cliff side. There is a wonderful 'Sky Bridge' at one location. You will never forget the amazing structures & breathtaking views of this not so well known place.
Fully worth a visit even if you do not want to climb.
There are a few hotels within the Mts. costing from low to high. Entrance to the area is 150 RMB. Be prepared for a lot of climbing on steep steps along the cliff side. There is a wonderful 'Sky Bridge' at one location. You will never forget the amazing structures & breathtaking views of this not so well known place.
Fully worth a visit even if you do not want to climb.
Written November 15, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelinMom138
Baltimore, MD42 contributions
Aug 2019
Highly recommended, and easy side trip from Pingyao. We spent a full day and could have spent more time exploring this beautiful mountain and its many temples! Keep in mind, this is not like a national park in the U.S. - it is much more developed, with a road that winds along the side of the mountain to most of the temples and other sites along the way, and there are buses that ply the road and stop at each of the sites. The temples are beautiful, built into and hanging off the side of the mountain. Highlights were a sort of ravine that had metal steps and ladders along both sides so you can climb up one side and back down the other. A must-do! It looks more daunting than it really is, even though some of the steps seem a bit sketchy - you aren't too high up at any time. Also, once you get to the end of the road, there's an open-air market that's perfect for grabbing some lunch, then you can continue to walk back, past the large hotel, into a stream valley. There are two ways you can go, but again, this is China, so it's a bit developed as "nature" sites go. Still, it's very pleasant and shady, there are small waterfalls along the way and snack vendors here and there. Other reviewers talk about hiking or walking the whole way, but I cannot imagine how you'd be able to see much of the mountain without using the buses or driving between sites at least a bit. There are many trails higher up or on the other side of the mountain that we did not have a chance to explore. We hired a driver from our hotel in Pingyao, and he drove us to the ticketing building and from there we took the buses around the mountain. It occurred to me later that our driver probably could have driven us along the mountain as well, as there were cars on the road in addition to the buses.
Written October 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is one day trip enough to see the area?
Written August 26, 2018
Hi
Unfortunately i didn't see everything there was to see to really be able to advise as to whether is worth a second day. I personally would suggest getting there early and just going 1 day. It also depends how long you're in the area as Wangs family house was nice too and not too expensive.
Hope you have a great time whatever you decide!
Written August 27, 2018
How to get there and where to stay that night. I have been to Pingyao before but I think easiest to go there again overnight and next day 30 min fast train to Jiexiu , then bus to mianshan, can you spend 2 days here (or 3?), if so where to overnight ?
I was then thinking to go to Qikou to overnight and visit Lijiashan, overnight in Qikou, then next day bus to Taiyuan , Xinxiang and Luoyang, then huangshan. any thoughts on this route, anyone been these place ?
Written July 16, 2017
johnahmong
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
if the shulltle buses are not running in the low season, are there other modes of transpotation going up the end of the mountain? if we are walking up and down slowly and seeing the sights ,how long will it takes.
Written February 6, 2017
Hi,
I have a question about Mountain.
How I can get to the Mountain from Jiexiu east. And there is also in Train station some storage lockers?
What will be price if I take a taxi.
And how many hours do you recommend for a visit?
Thank you
Written August 19, 2015
Which hostels/hotels in Pingyao offer day trips to MianShan?
Written February 27, 2015
For those that travel from Pingyao. Did you take trip organized by your hostel (if so, which hostel)? And how much time would you need to experience Mian Shan in its entirety?
Written January 24, 2015
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