It is China's sixth-most populous province, with a population of over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital and largest city. It borders Shanxi to the west, Henan to the south, Shandong and Liaoning to the east, and Inner Mongolia to the north; in addition, Hebei entirely surrounds the direct-administered municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin on land. Its population is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0.3% Mongol. Varieties of Chinese spoken include Jilu Mandarin, the Beijing dialect of Mandarin, and Jin Chinese.
Getting to Hebei
Hebei is well connected by high-speed rail, with most cities reachable by bullet train from Beijing or Tianjin. Six routes from the national "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" network pass through the province, and a growing web of intercity lines fills in the gaps.
Worth seeing
To the north of Beijing, Hebei offers a variety of tourism activities and sights. On the coast, Beidaihe serves as the nearest beach getaway for Beijing residents. Chengde, known for its Qing Dynasty summer resort, stands as the most historically spectacular site in the province. West of Chengde, visitors can enjoy the Chongli ski slopes and Huailai's wine-tasting vineyards.
Things to do
Skiing - Some of the best domestic skiing facilities are in Chongli, a skiing venue for the Winter Olympics in 2022 Diving, hiking and camping on the Great Wall - Don't just go to the Great Wall for sightseeing, you can dive at the Panjiakou Reservoir at a spot where the Great Wall is submerged; take a hike exploring the "wild" or partially restored sections of the wall (e.g.
Where to eat
Hebei offers a cuisine that leans heavily towards meat, favors noodles over rice, and closely resembles the culinary styles of Beijing. As a diverse province, Hebei boasts a range of regional foods, from the coastal areas to the grasslands in the northwest. In Tangshan, you'll find a rich assortment of seafood, reflecting the coastal influence.
Getting around Hebei the local way
- Get inThe two intercity lines running between Beijing and Tianjin also make stops in Langfang and the Sanhe exclave, making them useful for day trips from either city.
- Get aroundReaching more remote parts of a county may require an additional trip by bus, minibus, or shared taxi from the bus station in the county seat.
From Wikivoyage: Hebei, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.