Pictures of North Korea Border from China traveling from Changbai mountain to Dandong

prince666

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Shandong (China)
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Hi Guys

With Phils interest with Borders and with his determination to go to the border with Russia/China/North Koran

I have dug deep to find some interesting pictures of a drive from Changbai Mountain to Dandong following the river Yalu.


This RR will not be a detailed report but just pictures with side notes.



This route is not travelled by many westerners, IMO one of the best parts of China.


We will start the Picture RR with some snaps of Changbai Mountain


Interesting link about the Chinese border with NK ........https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93North_Korea_border


Link about the mountain ..........https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paektu_Mountain




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Above the clouds at 2744 m



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The above pictures is of NK side of the mountain with steps leading down to the lake

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The very top

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Nice waterfall with Border line to the right
 
With Chanbai Mountain done I started to head towards the Yalu River town of Hyesan (NK) and Changbai (China).



Most of the road was under construction (2011) with new tunnels.



When I arrived at the river for some reason i dint realise i was at the border of NK?



I was standing there looking across the river at large town on the other side, looking at people washing in the river, it then occurred to me that no one was washing on this side of the river.



Its NK , my first real look at people from NK .



At one point downstream I stop and was viewing the other side of the river , when a guy rushed passed me with a plastic bag in hand .



And stated to swim across the river in plain view of the NK army, on talking to local people this happen a lot with local NK people swimming across to do some shopping in China, was told that the lookout post are in on the act.



Not many western people visit this area and my presence soon attracted the attention of the local National security police.



And was invited out for a meal all low key but was asked some question.



On finding out I was married to a Chinese lady and was not just a tourist all was fine.



With the opportunity of having a meal with this guy, I asked some question about the area
He told me people are very poor and are in a bad way over in NK but many locals have family over in NK so locals try and help the best there can and we the police turn a blind eye ?



But he goes on to say we have a big problem with local bad people from NK come over of a night and rob local Chinese people and sometime local people get killed? so he was concerned about me walking about of a night near the river.



Do you catch the guys I asked.



yes sometimes will do.



And?



well he said let say there never go back and never seen again?



sounds like the wild west here .......





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On the way to the river

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Like most places in China some good roads



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And the loads of bad roads




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New Tunnel start "in"




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New tunnel ends "out"




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River border with NK




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The NK guy with shopping in hand




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Nearly across in plain view of the NK Army



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NK Army look out post every 200 m or so but only near towns and no Army post on the Chinese side?




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Inside with live loaded guns and are ready to shot???
 
After my nice meal out with the cop last night he asked if he could show us around the next day.


yes why not it's not every day you get you this opportunity with a free guide.


The guy took us to a viewing area above the town with great views over into NK.

After a few hours with him it was time to dump him so we could look about ourselves .


we decided to head North up the river to the East Gate of the Mountain park , generally not used a lot by people but gave us the chance to see NK a lot closer.


On leaving the town the Army lookout post became fewer and fewer until we came to a part of the river which was very narrow , from my place in China NK was only 10 m away, but at this point was some Border fences.







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View into NK with the lager town is in China and to the top left you can just make out the NK town


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Our Friend ??


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Nice and close to NK now



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Old Bridge from years ago




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Very very close now you could jump across....


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Border fences



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Not sure.... could be a very old bridge



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Army camp along the river in NK
 
Hi Phil
will do but will add at the end Goole Maps need to get all the pictures up first, then work on the maps for you ok
could you please edit the thread name should be Dandong at the end cant do it my end ???

Thanks

loads to come would love to do again but to the very top next time to Khasan who would like to do this one ????
 
On the way up to the East gate at times I was very very close to NK there is no other place with all the other Border areas with NK that you can get this close and no had to pay $15 and kept at the border for 3 hours. sorry phil


Along the road I stop to view some kids playing in the river on the NK side, you need to Zoom into the pictures to see what I am about to tell you.


On watching the kids play in the river they notice me taking pictures of them to which at this point the kids would hide from me behind rocks.


The next 10 mins became a cat and mouse between me and the kids, me trying to take pictures with the kids trying to hide.
I later found out the kids have been told by the Army that by having your picture taken would land them in a prison camp....

As I said life is hard in NK.
Come on NK Governments these are just kids having fun.

Going back a bit to my time with "my Friend" I asked him about local trade with NK
From NK we get over rice, vegetables which the Chinese people love due to the none use of pesticides not used in NK so the food is very healthy
We send over TV,Videos, power generators ect all done on the "Barter exchange system"






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You can see the road in China with the river and NK just a few meters away


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You need to zoom in to see the kids playing in the river


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NK people don't care about pollution into rivers
 
With my time over in Hyesan (NK) and Changbai (China) it's time to head south along the river Yalu to Linjiang taking the S303.



Sometime towns are near the river on the Chinese side but no towns on the NK side and vice and versa.



Next you will see some very nice towns over on the NK side which are not local people house more likely Government official of NK .



But you can get a good idea of how scenic the area is.



My trip was done August time but due to how far north you are this area gets cold with loads of snow and have been told it has some of the best seasonal views in China.



Most people have no idea how many bridges cross over from China to NK but I can tell you from my trip I counted about 15.
sometimes these are in towns sometimes not with most are train bridges.




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Town on NK side with only a road of the China side



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Army lookout post again




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Great roads with great views



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One more bridge


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These are not locals houses in NK



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Heading south along the river
 
Still heading south now towards a town called Ji'an not sure if I am on the S303 still , just try to keep along the river as much as I could at some point I will have to head inland to bypass a area with no roads along the river.



From the pictures you can see its been raining for most of the time, not good with roads which are cut into the sides of mountains.



It was only time before I hit a big land slide and my luck was running out.



Came round a corner found the road completely blocked by a landslide, do I turn round and go back 200 km or wait, I started to talk to the Chinese worker and ask how long, was told maybe 2 hours maybe 6 hours.
Ok I said its time to get ones shirt off heheh with me smashing fuck out of the rocks with a big hammer it got the other worker in more of a rush to keep up with me.



After 1 hour we had cleared a path to get by, needless to say other waiting cars tried to get pass first but the Chinese works stop them in their tracks to let me have the pleasure to go first.







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River looks wider now???

Along the Yalu many Dams are built and this area of wider river must be due to a Dam further down the river at some point



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Looks like trouble ahead




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Landslide



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Police boat on the river



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You can see the road cut into the side of the mountain




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Luck run out now




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Shirt of getting to work




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All cleared now with my co-workers




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The police boat docks along the river


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Viewing platform along the river which was found in most towns on the river overlooking NK





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Great views
 
The weather has not been on my side but I still think the pictures are ok.


I needed to head inland a bit due to the lack of roads hugging the river.


All what you are seeing goes on for 1500 km without the need to go into a large Chinese city which for me is spot on.


From my start point at the mountain to Dandong you should be ok with about 5 days now to do the top part which I have not done I think about 4 more days.


So let's say 10 Days total.


On most of the trip when asked if you get many western people around the area, the local tell me i am the first western person there have seen?.


This whole area is not visited by Chinese or western people what a shame or should I say good it's not until you get down to Dandong that you start to see tourist [FONT=&quot][/FONT]

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Nice roads


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Great views once again just keep coming


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Very old army lookout post again




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My apologies for so many river pictures not much on tourist attraction around here.


Well near the end so just need to post a few more.

I ended up travelling about 50 km inland to be able to rejoin the river further down with roads, and ended missing out on about 100 km of the river .


when I found a way back to the river I was just upstream of a Dam which at this point had created a large lake, then i see a sigh in English which said " picture gallery"


WTF...... had to stop and find out .....

Ok the story is a Chinese guy and his wife started a hotel with the view to let a increasing demand by mainly South Korea people coming here to take pictures and stay and sell the pictures from the hotel ?

The lake was just so scenic, and I started to ask about the area.


The owner then asked would I like to go out on the lake on a boat ?? yes I said why not.
A few calls was made and I was told to meet a guy down by the lake in 15 mins, on walking down to the lake edge was meet by a old Chinese guy with a fishing boat that he has converted to take tourist out.


Nice guy been fishing the lake for over 50 years and told me the lake is over fished so he looked at other ways to earn some RMB.


On the lake was about 15 other fishing boats ALL Chinese when asked why no NK boats he told me people from NK are not allowed to fish on the lake due to the fact the government is worried there would try and make a run to China in the boat
.

Life is hard in NK ??


I always considered that when you are on a lake or a river where the countries border is split down the middle you are not allowed to cross ?
Well we was getting closer and closer to NK land, can this be correct are we safe?


I spot some Chinese fishing boats only 5 M away from the NK and ask if that is safe?


Yes all ok i been doing this for 50 years ?


Now I am thinking ......... How hard would it be for the boat to pull up and I jump out and get a picture of me on/in NK with no Visa
Ok let's ask .....


This is how the conversation goes.......


M...... is me
C...... is the old Chinese guy



M Can I get off the boat ?

C where would you like to get off

M over on NK land ??
C no no no you will be shot I will have my boat taken and will be tortured

no no no it can't happen.

M please???

C you are mad you will get us all killed

M ok how about I pay you 100 RMB (500 B)

C ok we can do ???


The old guy waited a bit looked about then placed the front of the boat on NK land I got off and had my picture taken on NK with no visa?


Would the NK Army guys shot at me, yes without a doubt, how danger/stupid was it VERY
Look what happen to Phil with a Visa to be in Russia and just getting to close to NK border.


But it had to be done and I am still here to tell the story


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Hotel owner and his wife

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The old fishing guy with his boat


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Me having to hide as a NK Army boat goes by ?

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NK land ???

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Is he mad ??

whos that guy with no Visa in NK

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Yes other people wanted to do as well


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Chinese fishing boats very near NK as well

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What this so far east as well


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Dandong Here I come


At last we are at the end on this small insight into the area of China that borders NK,
we end this trip with the final leg into Dandong which is famous for the bridge that the USA bombed during the NK war.


And the half left which is on the Chinese side which attracts 1000s of tourist a day.


Link...... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandong



Night time Dandong is lit up very well but just over the river is Sinuiju which is a very large city for NK but of a night its is complete darkness.







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For all you dog lovers here is a dog called "lucky"

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Why lucky ??? lucky the other dog was lying down ??
The look on the dogs faces "did I do well "



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More great roads


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More landslides



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GPS with no roads on view




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One of the large dams



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Nearing Dandong now seeing Fencing





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In the distance you can see the start of the great Wall of China



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The bridges lit up in Dandong

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THE END

Hope you have enjoyed the RR as much as me seeing it for real ?????


 

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looking ADVenturous out there Steve..and sexy shirtless !! :) :applause:
 
An interesting read with great photos Steve

Thanks Colin.


From the master of RR your comment is truly welcome, as I said I done this route over 4 years ago now and I have not found or read other RR from this area on no other forum.
Maybe people think the area is to restricted being close proximity to NK, but this was not the case,
and asking that same question to my new "friend" who invited us out for a meal one night.
He told me why should we protect our borders? no one from China tries to sneak across?
It all comes the other way and the NK Army does a very good job in stopping this with 1000s of armed soldiers stationed along the border our job over on the Chinese side is very easy.
 
Thread title edited as requested.
 
Thanks. Great pictures and a good read
 
Thanks Bigfella ...... RR take a lot of time to do, but this [FONT=&quot] route[/FONT] generally not travelled by locals or tourist.
Just nice to post something new.....
 
Great pictures and a fascinating read. I really enjoyed this thread. Cheers
 
Great feedback is always welcome hope to complete the north section soon which I understand is better then the south section !
 
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