Yungang is smaller and need less time to visit...

You do not have to rent a car or take a tour. We took bus 17 from our guesthouse to the end (bus station) and then transferred to bus 3 which dropped us off at the entrance to the park. Paid 1RMB per person for each bus. Ask your hotel/guest house which bus will take you to the bus station and then take bus 3. To return, bus 3 picks you up at the same spot that you were dropped off at. Very good value.

Hola, fuimos en el tren nocturno de Beiging a Datong (es frio) y el tren llega de madrugada llevar aguas y comida, una buena experiencia, el tren es lento pero muy limpio, fuimos directamente al hotel nos dieron desayuno y nos hicieron checkin anticipado, tambien nos consiguieron el guia, basicamente un taxista con experiencia, muy amable, fuimos primero al monasterio y luego a las cuevas, se puede hacer perfectamente en un dia y luego nos dejo en el centro antiguo, nos devolvimos en avion, nos encanto!!

Yes,this is How I did,first the Hanging Temple and then the Grottoes.As a matter of fact they are in oposite directions So you pass Datong again.The Grottoes are a very big site So maybe it is better to get there first.The Hanging Temple is not So dramatic as it looks in pictures and it is quite small. Hope it was helpful.All the Best and have a nice trip. By the way How are you traveling to Datong,by train ,bus,flight and where will you go after Datong?Thank you for your answer.Viorica

Hola, con todo gusto responderé a tus preguntas, envíame un número de teléfono y me comunicaré! O hazme las preguntas por este medio. Un saludo

Hey Susy, Datong is definitely a good place to visit. You have Yungang Grottoes that are accessible by public bus so no need to spend money on a driver (they try to rip off foreigners as much as they can). Not far from Datong I would also recommend a day-trip to visit the Hanging Monastery. It is mind-blowing and almost literally breathtaking. If you like hiking, close to the Monastery you will find Hengshan (one of The Five Sacred Mountains of China). For this day-trip a driver is a must as accessibility to these places is limited. Heading to Pingyao from Datong, a driver will cost you your eyes, liver and kidneys. I would recommend taking the night train. You can get a soft bed for 178 RMB/person. Train leaves Datong at 10:26pm and arrives Pingyao around 6am. I suggest to buy tickets in advance. If you have more days and like mountains and nature, between Datong and Pingyao there is Wutaishan (1 of the Four Great Mountains of Buddhism) which will give you a peace of mind, relax and enjoy pure air in a mountain landscape. Hope above is helpful. Let me know if you need further help.

We went through the CITS office when we to Datong - it was right near the train station. The guide spoke excellent English but I don't remember what we paid. There were 2 others on the little mini bus with us. i booked our Datong accommodation online ... the hotel was called the Sunshine Hyatt ... not Hyatt as in the major chain. It was a 2-3 star hotel. It's got a new name now. the train from Beijing was really easy. We sit up seats .. took about 7 hours. It was very cramped with people standing. Seats were ok though. We upgraded for a few dollars to a sleep on the return because lots of people were smoking in the carriage ... something we're no longer used to. i hope that's of some help. It's worth the trip. We went to the grottos & the hanging temple

I agree, 3-4 hours is enough, the site is not very big and it's not that far from the city. Have fun!

Not really a "do not miss". The grottoes were damaged throughout the years and refurbished in the 1970s. They do seem less authentic. The Hanging Monastery is a class above the grottoes in many ways. Instead of visiting the grottoes, a good alternative is to visit the Heng Shan (Mountain Heng) which is just a good 5 minutes uphill drive from the Hanging Monastery. Hope you find this hopeful. =)