Hailar

Hailar (海拉尔 Hǎilā'ěr) is a city in Inner Mongolia Province in China.

Understand

The city was founded in 1734 as a Chinese garrison town, and has a population of around 200,000.

Hailar is a multi-ethnic town, with notable Han, Mongolian, Hui, Daur, Evenki, and Russian populations. As such, signs are usually bilingual.

Climate

Hailar has a dry, humid, humid summer, due to the East Asian monsoon. Winters are long, very dry and severe. Sunshine is abundant year-round. More than two-thirds of the annual rainfall occurs during the three summer months, June-August.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Hulunbuir Hailar Airport (HLD  ^IATA). Has flights to Beijing, Hohhot, and international flights to Choibalsan, Mongolia.  

By train

Hailar's railway station is the penultimate major station before Manzhouli, the port city that stands close to the Russian border. It is on the Western line of the Trans-Siberian express route. Trains to Harbin take about 12 hours, and 27 to Beijing.

By road

Via China National Highway 301.

Get around

Hailar has frequent buses that cover the town.

Do

Hulunbuir Grasslands, said to be the best one in mainland China.

Eat

Try local food: lamb, bef by the bones, 1 kg minimum. Restaurant name: Qi Jian Fang 七间房 : ¥28/500g

Drink

Home to the great Hailaer Beer.

Sleep

Budget

• Dong Fang Business Hotel (东方商务宾馆, 24 East two St Hailar district, Hulun Buir City (呼伦贝尔市海拉尔区东二道街24号). Clean, large room with computer: ¥120

Mid-range

• Beier Hotel Hailar, 36 Zhongyang Avenue, ☏ +86 470 8332511, fax: +86 470 8334960.