Panjin
Understand
Located on the wide flat wetlands near the mouth of the Liaohe River, Panjin has become famous for its birds and wildlife. The city is also a major oil producer. The phone code for the city is 0427.
Get in
There are Chinese day tours from Shenyang and Panjin (right at the Railway Station's Square) to see the red beach.
By train
Panjin has two train stations and is connected to most Chinese cities. Panjin North Railway Station is far from city center, and Panjin Railway Station is more convenient for visitors. Trains from Shenyang to Panjin take from 1h15m (G train) to 2h30m (K train). Keep in mind that if one arrives at Panjin North Railway Station, it will take another hour to get to the city center.
By bus
There are three long distance bus stations in Panjin. Buses serve most northeastern Chinese towns and cities.
Panjing Long Distance Bus Station (盘锦长途客运站): right next to the Railway Station, phone: 0427-2823997
Panjin Bus Station (盘锦客运站): Xinlongtai District, Taishan Rd 145, phone: 0427-2812172
Liaohe Youtian Bus Station (辽河油田客运站): at Xinlongtai District, Shuangxing Rd 199, phone: 0427-7802472
By plane
Panjin is 120 km from Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, 260 km from Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, 100 km from Jinzhou Xiaolingzi Airport.
Get around
With sights spread out, bus and taxi are usually needed.
See
- Red Beach Scenic Area (红海滩风景区 Hónghǎi Tānfēng Jǐngqū). This is a National Nature Reserve area covering 20 square kilometres. Rare birds can be found here. The site gets its name from the unusual colour of the beach seaweed which is bright red. A local delicasy is crabs. Most tours of the Red Beach will include a change to sample one of these crustations yourself.
For advanced travellers who refuse to join tours, there are minibuses to Red Beach Resort at the front of Liaohe Youtian Sport Center 辽河油田体育馆 (add: No.110, Xinglongtai St). The bus departs daily at 07, 11, 15, 17:10 from the sport center, and returns from Red Beach Resort at 06, 08, 13, 16. The minibus costs ¥7 and takes around an hour. From the Red Beach Resort, tuktuk, taxi or minibus are required to reach the Red Beach, and bargaining is necessary. As of July 2015, the golf carts in the beach area are not running anymore, and visitors need to hire their own vehicle in the beach (tuktuk, taxi or minibus).
- Panjin Forest Park (盘锦森林公园 Pánjǐn Sēnlín Gōngyuán).
- Liaohe River Forest of Steles (辽河碑林 Liáohébēilín).
- Xin Yuan Ecological Park (鑫安源生态园 Xīnānyuán Shēngtàiyuán).
- Panjin Equestrian Club (盘锦马术俱乐部 Pánjǐn Mǎshù Jùlèbù), Xinglongtai District (兴隆台区 Xīnglóngtáiqū, ☏ +86 2921001. Riding lap ¥15 (one kilometer); group 7% discount.
- Lakeside Park (湖滨公园 Húbīn Gōngyuán).
- First Sino-Japanese War Martyr Cemetery (中日甲午末战殉国将士墓).
- Liaohe River Forest of Steles (辽河碑林 Liáohé Bēilín).
- Zhong Xing Park (中兴公园 Zhōngxīng Gōngyuán), 100 Mount Tai Road, Xinglongtai District (By No. 1,5,7 or 10 bus from the train station), ☏ +86 2881028.
- Clams Kong Scenic Area (蛤蜊岗风景区 Gélígǎng Fēngjǐngqū).
- The Zhang's Cemetery (张氏墓园 Zhāngshì Mùyuán), Dongfeng Town Ye Village 东风镇叶家村. Family cemetery for Marshal Zhang Xueliang.
Eat
Panjin's rice and river crab are famous. At bus and train stations one can see people taking bags of Panjin rice back home.
Go next
Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province, and Dalian, the seaside city, are both conveniently connected to Panjin by train and bus. In the southwest, Huludao, which has Xingcheng Ancient Town, Qinhuangdao, Tianjin and Beijing are all easily reachable by train and bus. in the southeast, Dandong, a border city with North Korea, is also reachable.