Manzhouli has endured its hardships and returned, so here are some blunt truths

Eight days in Manzhouli? No! You can fully explore this "Sino-Russian-Mongolian mixed border town" in just three days! Includes a nanny-level guide + pitfall avoidance tips If travel is a level-up game, Manzhouli is definitely an SSR-level dungeon of "exotic charm + natural scenery + foodie paradise"! This is China's largest land port, with Russia's Zabaykalsk to the left and Mongolia's grasslands to the right. Walking the streets feels like a magical scene of "seeing three countries at a glance." Day 1: Hardcore border gate tour + Matryoshka doll carnival night 🌅 Morning: Border Gate Scenic Area · China on the left, Russia on the right • 7:30-9:00 Check in at the fifth-generation border gate, pose in front of Boundary Marker No. 41! Bright-colored clothes are recommended to create a "coolest guy VS coldest monument" contrast with the gray marker. • Hidden feature: The red exhibition hall in the scenic area offers a VR experience; put on the glasses and instantly travel back to the site of the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. 🌞 Noon: Lubuli Western Restaurant · Russian cuisine blind box challenge • Must order: canned stewed beef (so tender chopsticks can pierce it), Russian grilled sausage (warning: juicy explosion when bitten), borscht (sweet and sour appetizer). 🌙 Evening: Matryoshka Square · Night tour of a fairy tale world • After 7:00 PM, the entire square lights up, and the 30-meter-tall giant Matryoshka doll transforms into a glowing Christmas tree. Day 2: Grassland trek + lakeside daydreaming 🌄 Morning: Hulun Lake · Pretend you’re at Lake Baikal • 8:30-10:00 Take a taxi to the north shore of Hulun Lake; the water is so blue it looks fake! Bring a scarf for a wild run. • Paid activity: Boat tour 120 RMB/person; the captain will take you to the lake island to feed seagulls (bread 10 RMB per bag, even pigeons would want to switch careers). 🌤 Noon: Beihu Park · Local secret canteen • Must eat: lamb shaomai (thin skin, big filling, one bite and the juice shoots to your chin), guocha (savory milk tea with fried rice, drink it and instantly feel revitalized). 🌇 Evening: Mammoth Park · Time travel to Jurassic • 6:00-8:00 PM Free entry to shoot the colorful fairy tale castle! The mammoth sculptures come with a natural soft light filter; recommended outfit: long dress + straw hat. Day 3: Cultural street sweep + shopping spree 🌅 Morning: Sino-Soviet Street · Sino-Russian-Mongolian version of "Yiwu Small Commodities Market" • 7:00-9:00 Wallet emptying alert! Russian chocolate 5 RMB/pack, Matryoshka doll 15 RMB each (80 RMB in the scenic area), wool shawl 30 RMB... 🌞 Noon: Nomin Tara Milk Tea House · Milk tea life-saving station • Must order: salty milk tea (tastes bad at first sip, addictive by the third cup), Buryat steamed buns (stuffed with lamb filling that can burst). Average 25 RMB per person, recommended with fried cakes, a sweet and salty combo locked in! 🌙 Evening: Wedding Palace · Pretend you’re in St. Petersburg • 7:00-8:30 PM Free entry to the Gothic palace for night shots! The white building under the lights has a sacred filter; pose with a picnic basket on the steps to fake a noble afternoon tea. Must-visit checklist · Lazy traveler express • Free attractions: Mammoth Park outskirts, Sino-Soviet Street, Wedding Palace night view • Paid hits: Matryoshka Square (100 RMB), Border Gate Scenic Area (80 RMB), Hulun Lake boat tour (120 RMB) • Food pros and cons: ✅ Lubuli canned stewed beef (so good you’ll lick the plate) ❌ "Authentic Russian food" at the scenic area entrance (three times the price and tastes bad) Accommodation guide · Border town version of "Dream Home Makeover" • Matryoshka Hotel: The world’s largest Matryoshka-shaped hotel, rooms look like fairy tale castles! Downside: 10 km from downtown, only delivery for late-night snacks (recommend spicy hot pot, 30 minutes delivery). • Shangri-La Hotel: Five-star in city center, floor-to-ceiling windows facing Matryoshka Square, perfect for photo lovers. Downside: eating too much Russian sausage at breakfast might give you nightmares. Transportation guide · Budget traveler’s gospel • Bus Route 6: City → Border Gate Scenic Area (2 RMB, 40 minutes) • Bus Route 10: City → Matryoshka Square (1.5 RMB, 30 minutes) • Hidden route: Taxi apps Gaode faster than Didi; drivers might take you to their ranch to milk cows for free! (But don’t actually milk, or you’ll get chased) Three-day expense list · Poor but proud • Day 1: Morning tea 15 + Border Gate ticket 80 + Russian meal 150 + bus 4 = 249 RMB • Day 2: Mammoth Park free + shaomai 15 + guocha 10 + Mammoth night view free = 40 RMB • Day 3: Sino-Soviet Street shopping 50 + milk tea 25 + Wedding Palace free = 75 RMB Total: 364 RMB (broke but having a blast!) Photo spots · Social media killer moves 1. Border Gate viewing platform: Shoot the boundary marker at a 45-degree upward angle with the Russian town in the background (pretend you’re filming an international blockbuster). 2. Matryoshka Square carousel: Shoot silhouettes under night lights, caption your post: "The 108th way the runaway princess dies." 3. Hulun Lake sunset: Use a telephoto lens close to the water surface; the sparkling waves look like scattered diamonds. Blood and tears tips · Veteran’s roar • Sunscreen! Sunscreen!: UV index off the charts, sunglasses + hat + sunscreen are a must-have trio! • Bring cash!: Some small shops only accept cash; don’t cry if your phone has no signal (don’t ask for WiFi password, the answer is "Grassland signal is as free as the wind"). • Don’t wear white shoes!: Grassland mud + lakeside sand = shoe death warning. Manzhouli is like a mixed-blood handsome guy, stunning at first sight, falling for him again! But if you ask me: "Is three days enough?" I can only say—if your camera memory isn’t enough, three days is indeed enough! But if you want to try all Russian and Mongolian food, ride horses and shoot arrows, sleep in a Matryoshka bed… I suggest staying a whole month!