🇨🇳Luoyang
Ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, home to the cliffside Buddhist carvings of the Longmen Grottoes and China's self-declared 'City of Peonies.'
In photos
Quick facts
Money & what things cost
Luoyang runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay just like the rest of China — both work for foreign cards in their tourist/international mode, and cover everything from the Longmen Grottoes ticket counter to a bowl of noodles at a night-market stall. Cash still works as backup, but cashiers are increasingly short on change. A VPN is worth setting up before you land, since Google, WhatsApp, and most Western apps are blocked here just as they are everywhere else in mainland China.
What locals earn
| Average monthly salary (Luoyang, urban) | ≈ ¥6,100 ($850) | noticeably below Xi'an or the coastal megacities |
| Typical entry-level salary | ≈ ¥3,500–4,800 ($485–665) | |
| Minimum wage (Henan province) | ¥1,900/month (≈ $265) |
Food & drink
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Water banquet (shuixi) soup course, per bowl | ¥8–15 | $1.10–2.10 |
| Full water banquet meal (shared, per person) | ¥40–80 | $5.50–11 |
| Steamed buns or noodle breakfast | ¥5–10 | $0.70–1.40 |
| Sit-down restaurant, per person | ¥35–70 | $4.85–9.70 |
| Bubble tea / coffee | ¥12–25 | $1.65–3.50 |
| Local beer at a bar | ¥8–20 | $1.10–2.80 |
Transport
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Metro or bus ride | ¥1–4 | $0.15–0.55 |
| Didi (ride-hail) across town | ¥12–25 | $1.65–3.50 |
| Taxi flag fare | ¥8 | $1.10 |
| Bus to Longmen Grottoes from downtown | ¥2–3 | $0.30–0.40 |
| Didi from Beijiao Airport to city | ¥35–55 | $4.85–7.65 |
Where to sleep & what it costs
| Tier | Per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | ¥40–75 ($5.50–11) | A handful of backpacker hostels cluster near the Old Town |
| Budget hotel | ¥150–260 ($21–36) | Chains like Hanting and Jinjiang Inn are common near the train station |
| Mid-range hotel | ¥260–480 ($36–67) | Best value near the Old Town or Wangcheng Avenue |
| Luxury | ¥700+ ($97+) | A few international chains near the high-speed rail station |
Getting around
- From the airport
- Luoyang Beijiao Airport (LYA) is small and about 20 minutes from downtown. Didi runs ¥35–55; there's no dedicated airport express, so ride-hail or a taxi is the standard option. Many travelers instead arrive by high-speed rail from Xi'an or Zhengzhou, which is faster than flying for most China itineraries.
- To the Longmen Grottoes
- The site sits about 30–45 minutes south of downtown. Bus 71 or 60 runs there directly for a couple of yuan; Didi is ¥20–35 and far quicker. Many people combine it with the nearby Xiangshan Temple and the White Garden (Bai Garden) on the same visit.
- Metro
- Two lines now cover most of the city center, the train stations, and connect reasonably close to the Longmen Grottoes area. Clean and cheap, with English signage.
- Didi (ride-hail)
- The easiest way to reach spread-out sights like the White Horse Temple, which sits well east of downtown and isn't convenient by transit. Fares are low by Western standards.
- On foot
- The Old Town (Luoyang Ancient City) and the area around Yingtianmen Gate are compact and pleasant to walk, especially in the evening when the gates are lit up.
Neighborhoods to stay in
- Old Town (Luoyang Ancient City)
- Historic streets, night snacks, and walking distance to Wenfeng Pagoda — the atmospheric first-timer base.
- Near Luoyang Longmen station (high-speed rail)
- Closest base to the Longmen Grottoes and convenient for onward travel to Xi'an or Zhengzhou, but further from the Old Town.
- Wangcheng Avenue / city center
- Modern hotels, malls, and restaurants, with easy metro access to most sights.
- Near Luoyang Longmen Botanical Garden
- Best base during peony season in April, if seeing the flowers is the priority.
Tipping & etiquette
- The 'water banquet' (shuixi) is a set sequence of 24 soup-based courses — it's traditionally meant to be shared slowly among a group, so ordering it solo isn't really the point.
- Peony season (roughly early-to-mid April) brings huge domestic crowds — book grottoes tickets and hotels well ahead if visiting then.
- Haggling is fine at souvenir stalls and markets, but not in shops with posted prices.
- Avoid the topics of Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang politics with new acquaintances — it's more awkward for your host than risky for you.
- Photography at the Longmen Grottoes is allowed without flash, since flash damages the stone carvings over time.
Safety & common scams
Luoyang is very safe for violent crime, including walking alone at night in the Old Town. The real friction points for visitors are the language barrier — English is rarer here than in Xi'an or Beijing — plus peony-season crowds and the Great Firewall, rather than any personal danger.
Scams to know
- Unofficial 'guides' outside the Longmen Grottoes offering a shortcut or discounted ticket — buy only at the official counter or online through the site's official channel.
- Fake 'antique' peony porcelain or bronze relics sold as ancient at tourist-area stalls — treat everything sold this way as a modern reproduction.
- Unlicensed black cabs near the train stations quoting flat inflated fares — use Didi or the metered taxi queue instead.
- Overpriced tea-ceremony invitations from overly friendly strangers near tourist sights — the same routine seen in Beijing and Xi'an; politely decline.
Emergency numbers: 110 (police) · 120 (ambulance) · 119 (fire) — English-language support is minimal; your hotel can help translate if needed
Phone & internet
Get an eSIM (China Unicom/China Mobile via Airalo) before you land, or a physical tourist SIM at a Zhengzhou or Xi'an airport if arriving overland — Luoyang's own airport has limited SIM counters. As everywhere in China, Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and most Western apps are blocked by the Great Firewall, so set up a reputable VPN before you leave home. Alipay and WeChat both work without a VPN and double as payment and translation tools.
First-timer FAQs
How much time do I need for the Longmen Grottoes?
Budget half a day. The main riverside cliffs (West Hill) hold the famous Fengxian Temple and its giant Buddha; crossing the bridge to the East Hill and adding Xiangshan Temple takes another hour or two. Entry is roughly ¥90–100; go early in the morning to beat both the heat and the tour groups.
Do I need a visa?
Most Western passport holders need a visa arranged in advance through a Chinese embassy or consulate. Luoyang's own airport isn't a visa-free transit entry point, so if you're flying in internationally, you'll almost always be arriving overland by rail from a city like Xi'an, Beijing, or Zhengzhou instead.
Is April really worth the crowds for the peonies?
If flowers are the draw, yes — Luoyang's peony gardens (Wangcheng Park, the National Peony Garden, and Suiyangzhai) are genuinely spectacular for about two to three weeks each spring, and it's a uniquely Chinese domestic-tourism experience. Just book everything — trains, hotels, and grottoes tickets — well in advance, since this is the single busiest stretch of the year.
What is a 'water banquet' exactly?
A Luoyang specialty of roughly 24 courses, all soup-based or served with sauce, eaten in sequence over one long meal — traditionally for a group of at least four. It sounds unusual to first-timers but is one of the most distinctive food experiences in China; ask your hotel to book a reputable water-banquet restaurant rather than picking one blind.
How many days do I need?
One full day covers the Longmen Grottoes and the Old Town at a reasonable pace. Two lets you add the White Horse Temple and a proper water-banquet dinner. Luoyang also works well as a one- or two-night stop on a high-speed rail route between Xi'an and Zhengzhou/Beijing.