Yanji (Chinese: 延吉 Yánjí, Korean: 연길 Yeon-gil) is a city in Jilin Province. Unlike other Chinese cities, this little city is relatively clean and peaceful. You can find quite a lot of cafes that serve good coffee, and also you will see many tea houses (茶坐) around the city.
Koreans first migrated to the Yanji area after a series of famines struck in 1869. The area, called the Yanbian Chaoxianzu (Korean) Autonomous Prefecture, is the home of the largest group of ethnic Koreans living outside of Korea, and while there are a small number of expatriates from North and South Korea, most of the Koreans living here hold Chinese, not Korean citizenship. Since large areas of Yanbian were off-limits to travelers, the tourist facilities and people who speak English are kind of non-existent, but that is changing.
Yanji is a small city by Chinese standards, but it's big enough for not wanting to walk long distances, especially during the middle of summer or winter. As of 2025, no shared bike systems exist, meaning visitors have to use either taxis or buses to get around. Taxis fares start at ¥5. Additionally to having your address written in Chinese, it's likely you could also present it in written Korean, as most people in Yanji (even ethnic Han Chinese) are fluent in it. Taxis are plentiful and waiting times should never be long. You can also use ride-hailing apps such as Didi. At the airport, Didi drivers pick you up on the parking lot, across from the road on which taxis wait.
Yanji is not much of a sightseeing destination; there is no outstanding architecture (apart from a few Russian-style buildings which are relatively new), nor stunning scenery in the immediate surroundings of the city. Rather, it's a non-touristy place to wander, indulge, and get lost in: a melting pot of Korean and Chinese culture, unobtrusive yet busy to a certain point. The city is not totally devoid of attractions, though: 1 Korean Folk Customs Park of China (Chinese Chaoxianzu Folk-custom Garden, 中国朝鲜族民俗园), Yannan Road (延南路) (bus nos. 1, 16, 21, 32, 41, 43 and 46), ☏ +86 433 4356627. 09:00-21:00. A re-creation of a traditional Korean village.
If you spend a couple of nights in this little city, you can check out a small amusement park right next to the bridge of Yanxi Street (延西街; Yanxijie). A dozen small rides, and lots of beer stalls. 1 Head Mountain (帽儿山; Mào'érshān), Yanlong Road (延龙路) (bus lines 16, 21 and 43, all of which pass through the city centre and terminate at a big carpark near the park's main entrance), ☏ +86 433 2051688. Open all day. For a decent view over the city or a walk through nature, domestic tourists and locals alike visit this mountain, which is classified as AAAA tourist site and, surprisingly for a destination with this rating, has no entrance fees (as of 2019).
Cold noodle; the characteristic food of Korean-Chinese, authentic taste is nowhere else to be found. Sweet, cold, a bit spicy at the same time. Price is ¥10-15. Look for the sign 冷面 (lěngmiàn) or 랭면 (raengmyeon). Some are around Renmin Road and Guangming St. Also this city is famous for other Korean specialities, like BBQs (including Korean BBQ 韩式烧烤, yanbian chuan 延边串) and Shenjitang (参鸡汤. 삼계탕 samgyetang in Korean), herbs and ginseng chicken soup with boiled rice in it. Also, lots of 'dog meat (狗肉)' restaurants are in the city, too. Yanji Water Market is one of the largest morning markets in the area.
Under South Korean influence, you can find a number of decent cafes around the city and it's a lot more than other closer bigger cities. Few clubs are scattered in the city, mostly South Korean DJs are playing Korean pop. 1 Hands Coffee 핸즈커피 含旨咖啡, Xintian Building No. 103 Aidan-Road 743 爱丹路743号鑫田大夏103室, ☏ +86 433-832-8859. This small cozy cafe is pleasant and peaceful, which is quite rare in northeast China. It's a branch of a South Korean coffee franchise company. Serves various kinds of coffees (espresso based and hand drips), smoothies, cakes and fresh fruit juices in reasonable price. Waiters will greet you in Korean, but English menu is available. Free Wi-fi.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Aug, Yanji typically sees ~28°C daytime highs and 15 rainy days.
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