14 Days in Chaoyang

The 42.6-metre North Pagoda stacks five eras — a Liao brick body of the 1040s over Northern Wei, Sui and Tang predecessors, on foundations of Longcheng, the Yan capital founded in 341; the museum keeps the 1988 hoard.

1. chaoyang north pagoda
2. chaoyang north pagoda museum
3. chaoyang south pagoda

Slabs in the quarry section preserve a 120-million-year-old lake world of early birds, feathered dinosaurs and fish; the indoor hall shows delicate specimens with the lighting they need.

1. chaoyang bird fossil park

A 90-minute drive west, the park protects a Hongshan culture ritual complex some 5,500 years old — goddess temple, stone-pile tombs and jade pig-dragons in the on-site museum.

1. chaoyang niuheliang site

A soak day in the thermal village northwest of Lingyuan, a bathing stop along the old western road for centuries, with valley walks between the walnut orchards.

1. chaoyang reshuitang hot spring

The Dongshanzui altar (excavated from 1979) belongs to the same 5,000-year-old Hongshan world as Niuheliang, and Pigeon Cave above the Daling river holds a Palaeolithic occupation at least some 50,000 years old.

1. chaoyang dongshanzui site
2. chaoyang gezi cave

Granite peaks and pines east of Beipiao town, the 'little Huangshan of western Liaoning'; stairways and loop trails take three to four hours with the Daling plain below.

1. chaoyang dahei mountain

The big dam on the Daling river southeast of town holds a long reach of water; in migration seasons swans and geese rest on the shallows, and the shoreline road makes a slow scenic drive.

1. chaoyang baishi reservoir

The hillside at Sihetun is where the 1996 Sinosauropteryx discovery was made, the find that opened the feathered-dinosaur chapter; the protected beds and village exhibits sit about an hour from the city.

1. chaoyang sihetun fossil site

Temple terraces and a Liao-era pagoda on the hill east of the city; the road climbs to the upper courts and steps link the rest, an easy half-day.

1. chaoyang phoenix mountain

An honestly labelled neighbouring-city day — the HSR link opened in January 2021 puts Jinzhou just over half an hour away; at Bijia Mountain a sand causeway rises from the sea at low tide, so time the walk with the tide tables.

1. chaoyang jinzhou bijia mountain

The second honest neighbour day, and the longest drive — Chengde's walled summer resort, built between 1703 and 1792, lies about three hours southwest by road; start early and consider the evening train back.

1. chaoyang chengde summer resort

A second look at the museum galleries fills gaps from the first visit, and the Qing-era Youshun Temple (late 1600s, Kangxi years) stands a few streets south with its courtyards intact.

1. chaoyang north pagoda museum
2. chaoyang youshun temple

A slow day on the pedestrian street between the two pagodas — stone-rubbing shops, tea houses and the evening lamps on the Liao brickwork make the best final light.

1. chaoyang murong street

Breakfast from the morning markets, one last look at the pagodas, then the HSR — Beijing about two hours, Shenyang about an hour.

1. chaoyang city markets