We traveled to China’s largest border city with North Korea – Dandong – but our arrival didn’t go as planned. What should have been a simple stop quickly turned stressful as we faced unexpected challenges trying to settle in at the border city.
A stressful arrival in Dandong, China's border city with North Korea, leads to hotel chaos, kind locals, and a hard-won Holiday Inn room before exploring the DM
Travel Guides & Tips in this video
A stressful arrival in Dandong, China's border city with North Korea, turned into an unexpected adventure when multiple hotels refused to accept foreign guests without Chinese ID. After a chaotic scramble through unfamiliar booking systems and kind hotel staff who helped translate, this travel couple finally secured a room at a Holiday Inn. Their relief was palpable as they settled in, ordered cheap local food via the hotel robot, and prepared for what promises to be an incredible exploration of the North Korea border tomorrow.
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35 min
2025
Dandong Arrival: Stressful Entry to China-North Korea Border City
We traveled to China’s largest border city with North Korea – Dandong – but our arrival didn’t go as planned. What should have been a simple stop quickly turned stressful as we faced unexpected challenges trying to settle in at the border city.
September 2025 | Vlog 542 | Dandong ,China
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Dandong China North Korea Border Arrival Stressful Hotel Chaos
Embark on a journey to Dandong, China's largest border city with North Korea. Experience the unexpected challenges and stress of arrival in this unique frontier town. This travelogue captures the raw reality of settling in at the border, offering a glimpse into the less-traveled paths of China.
Attractions in this video: Great Wall Of China, North Korea Border
We Stepped Into North Korea / China Forbidden Border Town
More about the current video:(Published on 2025-10-03)
The video follows travel couple Ben and Rian as they take a bullet train from Dalian to Dandong, China's largest border city with North Korea. The journey itself is smooth and efficient, highlighting how comfortable and easy train travel is in China. Rian marvels at the modern infrastructure, explaining how even older bullet trains offer first-class comfort with two-by-two seating and hot water for making tea or coffee on board. The real drama begins upon arrival. Their first hotel refuses them because they lack Chinese ID cards, a security regulation that requires hotels to send foreign passports to the local police. A kind hotel employee leads them to another hotel, which also rejects them. After a tense hour of failed bookings and refund complications, they finally secure a room at a Holiday Inn through Trip.com. Exhausted and relieved, they settle into their clean, modern room, order food via the hotel robot, and Rian makes a solo nighttime walk to buy beer and yogurt, noting how safe China feels. The video ends with immense excitement for the next day's exploration of the North Korean border.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
Q: What happened when you tried to check into the first hotel in Dandong?
A: They couldn't accommodate foreign guests without a Chinese ID card. It's a public security regulation.
Q: How did you finally find a hotel that would take you?
A: A kind hotel employee recommended another hotel, but that one also rejected us. Eventually, we booked a Holiday Inn through Trip.com and it worked.
Q: What was the best thing about traveling by bullet train in China?
A: The first-class seats are 2 by 2, super comfortable, and you can get hot water for tea and noodles on board. It's so easy compared to other countries.
Q: Was Dandong safe to walk around at night?
A: Yes, very safe. I walked alone to buy beer and yogurt, no problem at all. China feels much safer than the US or UK for night walks.
