Luoyang, in western Henan province in central China, is one of the great ancient capitals of China, the seat of emperors on and off for some 1,500 years, from the Eastern Zhou in the 8th century BC to the Eastern Han, the Northern Wei and the Sui and Tang dynasties, when Empress Wu Zetian ruled from here. Its greatest treasure lies just south of the city, where the Yi River cuts through two hills: the Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of tens of thousands of Buddhist statues carved into the limestone cliffs between the late 5th and 9th centuries, crowned by the serene giant Vairocana Buddha of the Fengxian Temple. Luoyang also has the White Horse Temple, traditionally counted as China’s first Buddhist temple; the rebuilt Yingtian Gate and the towering halls of the Tang palace at the Mingtang and Tiantang site; the lantern-lit lanes of the old town around Lijingmen, where visitors stroll in hired Tang-style costume; and the excellent Luoyang Museum. Every April the city celebrates its peonies, the flower of Luoyang, with a festival that fills its parks. Luoyang is a city of about 7 million, 40 minutes from Zhengzhou by high-speed train and a convenient base for the Shaolin Temple. Spring and autumn are the best seasons.
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Top tours in Luoyang
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Luoyang at a glance
- Best for: the Longmen Grottoes, Buddhist art and temples, imperial history, the April peony festival, the old town at night and the Shaolin Temple.
- How long: 2 days; 3 with Shaolin.
- Best time: April for peonies; April to May and September to October for mild weather; summers are hot and winters cold.
- Getting there: by high-speed train to Luoyang Longmen station from Zhengzhou (about 40 minutes), Xi’an (about 1.5–2 hours) and Beijing (about 4 hours).
- Getting around: by metro, bus, taxi and DiDi; Longmen station is about 4 km (2.5 miles) from the grottoes.
- Good to know: all Longmen tickets are real-name; foreign visitors can book on the official website’s inbound channel; evening light tours run from spring.
- Before you go: visa-free entry, the 240-hour transit, the arrival card, payments and general safety are in our China travel guide.
Luoyang’s areas and where to stay
The city lies along the north bank of the Luo River, with the old town in the east, the modern center in the west, and the Longmen Grottoes about 12 km (7.5 miles) south of the center.
The old town and Lijingmen
The old town, around the restored city gate of Lijingmen and the streets of Luoyi Ancient City, has courtyard guesthouses, snack streets, teahouses and costume-rental shops, and is lively and beautifully lit in the evenings. It is the most atmospheric place to stay.
Xigong and Jianxi
Xigong and Jianxi, west of the old town, are the modern commercial center, with malls, the Wangcheng Park peony gardens, hotels of every level and good metro access.
Luolong and the new city
South of the Luo River, the newer Luolong district has the Luoyang Museum, wide avenues, large international hotels and Luoyang Longmen high-speed station, about 15 minutes by road from the grottoes.
Where to stay in Luoyang
- Old town and Lijingmen: old streets, night strolls and local food.
- Xigong: central, with parks, shopping and the metro.
- Luolong: close to Longmen station, the museum and the grottoes.
Rooms fill and prices rise sharply during the peony festival in April, as well as at Chinese New Year, May Day and Golden Week.
The Longmen Grottoes
The Longmen Grottoes, about 12 km (7.5 miles) south of the city center, line both banks of the Yi River for about 1 km (0.6 miles). Carving began around 493, when the Northern Wei moved their capital to Luoyang, and continued for some four centuries, especially under the Tang. More than 2,300 caves and niches hold over 100,000 statues, from tiny figures a few centimeters high to the Vairocana Buddha at the Fengxian Temple, about 17 m (56 ft) tall, completed in the 670s and said to have been funded in part by Empress Wu Zetian. Other highlights on the West Hill include the Binyang Caves of the Northern Wei, the Ten Thousand Buddha Cave and the Guyang Cave, with its inscriptions, among the finest calligraphy of the period. Across the river, the East Hill has more caves, the Xiangshan Temple and the Bai Garden, the tomb of the Tang poet Bai Juyi.
Tickets, hours and booking
According to the Longmen Grottoes’ official website, the full-price ticket costs 90 yuan and covers the West Hill and East Hill caves, Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden; a half-price ticket of 45 yuan is available for 13–17-year-olds, full-time students and teachers. All tickets are real-name, and you enter with your ID; foreign visitors can book through the website’s inbound visitors’ channel, while residents of mainland China use the Longmen Grottoes WeChat mini program; free and discount tickets are verified at the ticket center.
Daytime opening (Beijing time): in the summer schedule, ticket sales and entry start at 8:00, sales stop at 17:30, entry closes at 18:00 and the site clears at 19:00; in the winter schedule, sales stop at 16:30, entry closes at 17:00 and the site clears at 18:00. During the Qingming festival, weekends of the peony festival, May Day and National Day, these times are extended by half an hour.
Evening tours
The “Dengying Longmen” (Longmen in Lights) evening tour, which opened for 2026 on 30 March, shows the West Hill caves and Xiangshan Temple lit after dark. The evening ticket costs 120 yuan and needs a real-name booking; tickets are sold from 17:30 to 19:30, entry is from 18:00 to 20:00, and the site clears at 21:00. The East Hill caves and Bai Garden are open by day only.
Getting to Longmen
Luoyang Longmen station is about 4 km (2.5 miles), or 10 minutes by taxi, from the grottoes; bus 71 takes about 40 minutes. From Luoyang Station (about 19 km/12 miles), bus 81 takes about an hour. From the northeast and northwest service areas, where tickets are sold, it is a 20–25-minute walk to the cave entrance, or a ride on an electric cart (10 yuan one way). Boats connect piers along the river when the weather allows.
Top things to see in Luoyang
White Horse Temple
The White Horse Temple (Baima Si), about 12 km (7.5 miles) east of the city, is traditionally dated to AD 68, when two Indian monks are said to have arrived on white horses carrying Buddhist sutras, making it China’s first Buddhist temple. Its courtyards, halls and the Qiyun Pagoda are complemented by temples in Indian, Thai and Myanmar styles built by those countries.
Luoyang Museum
The Luoyang Museum, in the new city, presents the city’s 13 dynastic eras with bronzes, Tang tri-color glazed pottery (sancai), jade and gold. Entry is free with booking.
Yingtian Gate and the Mingtang and Tiantang
On the site of the Sui and Tang palace city, the reconstructed Yingtian Gate and the Mingtang (Hall of Light) and Tiantang (Heavenly Hall), built over the excavated foundations of Empress Wu Zetian’s ceremonial halls, are spectacular when lit at night. Nearby, the excavated Dingding Gate of the Sui and Tang city is part of the Silk Roads UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lijingmen and Luoyi Ancient City
The rebuilt city gate of Lijingmen and the lanes around it are Luoyang’s evening hot spot: lantern-hung streets, snack stalls, shops and costume studios where you can rent Han, Tang or Song dynasty clothing and walk around for photos.
Guanlin Temple
The Guanlin Temple, south of the city, is said to be the burial place of the head of Guan Yu, the general of the Three Kingdoms period later worshipped as a god of loyalty and war.
More classic sights
- Wangcheng Park: the center of the peony festival, with dozens of varieties in bloom.
- National Peony Garden: a large garden north of the city.
- Ancient Tombs Museum: decorated tombs from many dynasties, reconstructed underground.
- Tianzi Jialiu Museum: the excavated “six horses of the Son of Heaven,” a royal chariot burial of the Eastern Zhou.
- Sui and Tang Luoyang City National Heritage Park: ruins and gardens on the old palace site.
Other things to do in Luoyang
The peony festival
Luoyang has grown peonies since the Sui and Tang dynasties, and its China Luoyang Peony Culture Festival runs each spring, usually from early April to early May, peaking in mid-April. Parks such as Wangcheng Park and the National Peony Garden fill with flowers of every color, and the city fills with visitors, so book well ahead. See our city sightseeing guide.
Food and drink
Luoyang’s signature meal is the water banquet (shuixi), a feast of two dozen soupy dishes served in order, of which the “peony swallow” vegetable soup is the most famous. Breakfast here means soup: beef or mutton soup with flatbread, or bufan soup, with mung bean pancakes. Also try jiangmian tiao, noodles in a slightly sour fermented mung bean broth, and peony cakes as a souvenir. The old town has the best snack streets.
Day trips from Luoyang
- Shaolin Temple and Mount Song: the famous Buddhist monastery, birthplace of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China and Shaolin kung fu, with the Pagoda Forest and kung fu shows, about 80 km (50 miles) east, around 1.5 hours by road; part of a UNESCO site at Dengfeng.
- Laojun Mountain: dramatic peaks with cliff paths and Taoist temples in Luanchuan, about 3 hours south by road.
- Longtan Grand Canyon: a narrow red-sandstone gorge with waterfalls, about 1.5 hours northwest.
- Zhengzhou: the Henan Museum, one of China’s best, about 40 minutes by high-speed train.
- Kaifeng: the Song dynasty capital, with its Iron Pagoda and night markets, about 1.5 hours by high-speed train via Zhengzhou.
- Xi’an: the Terracotta Army and city walls, about 1.5–2 hours by high-speed train.
Nearby destinations
- Pingyao284 km
Getting there and getting around
By train
Luoyang Longmen is the high-speed station, on the Zhengzhou–Xi’an line, with trains to Zhengzhou East (about 40 minutes), Xi’an North (about 1.5–2 hours), Beijing West (about 4 hours) and Shanghai. Luoyang Station, near the old town, has conventional trains. Book on the 12306 website or app with your passport.
By air
Luoyang Beijiao Airport (LYA), north of the city, has domestic flights. Most international visitors fly into Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, about 2 hours away by train or road. Zhengzhou is a designated port for the 240-hour visa-free transit, with all of Henan province, including Luoyang, as the permitted area.
Around town
Luoyang’s metro links Luoyang Longmen station, the new city, the center and the old town. Buses, including lines 71 and 81 to Longmen, taxis and DiDi fill the gaps; taxis are the easiest way to the White Horse Temple.
When to go and how long to stay
Luoyang has a monsoon-influenced climate with four distinct seasons. Spring (March–May) is mild and the peonies bloom in April, the city’s high season. Summer (June–August) is hot, with highs above 32 °C (90 °F), and most of the year’s rain falls in July and August thunderstorms. Autumn (September–October) is clear and comfortable, ideal for the grottoes. Winter (December–February) is cold and dry, with nights below freezing and occasional snow, but few visitors. Luoyang has no station in the WMO 1991–2020 series, so the table uses the 1991–2020 climate normals for the Zhengzhou station of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), about 110 km (70 miles) to the east, as submitted to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): average daily highs and lows, total precipitation, and days with at least 1 mm of rain. Luoyang’s climate is very similar.
| Month | Average high / low | Rain (days with 1 mm or more) | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6 °C (43 °F) / −3 °C (27 °F) | 10 mm (0.4 in), 2 days | Cold and dry; quiet season |
| February | 10 °C (50 °F) / 0 °C (31 °F) | 13 mm (0.5 in), 3 days | Cold; Chinese New Year |
| March | 16 °C (61 °F) / 5 °C (41 °F) | 19 mm (0.8 in), 3 days | Cool and windy; early blossoms |
| April | 23 °C (73 °F) / 11 °C (51 °F) | 37 mm (1.5 in), 4 days | Mild; peony festival |
| May | 28 °C (82 °F) / 17 °C (62 °F) | 58 mm (2.3 in), 5 days | Warm and pleasant; May Day crowds |
| June | 32 °C (90 °F) / 21 °C (70 °F) | 65 mm (2.6 in), 5 days | Hot and dry |
| July | 32 °C (90 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F) | 139 mm (5.5 in), 8 days | Hot and humid; the wettest month |
| August | 31 °C (87 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F) | 137 mm (5.4 in), 8 days | Hot; thunderstorms |
| September | 27 °C (81 °F) / 17 °C (63 °F) | 78 mm (3.1 in), 6 days | Warm and clear |
| October | 22 °C (71 °F) / 11 °C (53 °F) | 39 mm (1.5 in), 4 days | Mild; Golden Week crowds |
| November | 15 °C (58 °F) / 4 °C (40 °F) | 27 mm (1.1 in), 4 days | Cool and crisp |
| December | 8 °C (47 °F) / −1 °C (30 °F) | 8 mm (0.3 in), 2 days | Cold and dry |
The Zhengzhou station receives about 630 mm (25 in) of rain a year, nearly half of it in July and August.
Two days in Luoyang
Day one: the Longmen Grottoes in the morning, including the East Hill and Bai Garden, then the Luoyang Museum, with a night walk around Lijingmen and the old town. Day two: the White Horse Temple, the Yingtian Gate and the Mingtang and Tiantang, and a water banquet dinner; or return to Longmen for the evening light tour.
Three to four days
Add a day trip to the Shaolin Temple, and continue to Zhengzhou and Kaifeng, or west to Xi’an; Pingyao is about 3–4 hours away by train via Taiyuan or Yuncheng.
What a trip to Luoyang costs
Prices are approximate, for October 2026, converted at about 6.74 yuan to the US dollar.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Longmen Grottoes, full price | 90 CNY (about US$13) |
| Longmen Grottoes, half price | 45 CNY (about US$6.70) |
| Longmen evening light tour | 120 CNY (about US$18) |
| Electric cart to the caves, one way | 10 CNY (about US$1.50) |
| White Horse Temple | about 35 CNY (about US$5) |
| Luoyang Museum | free, with booking |
| Water banquet, per person | 60–150 CNY (about US$9–22) |
| High-speed train, Zhengzhou East–Luoyang Longmen | about 60–70 CNY (about US$9–10) second class |
| Mid-range hotel double, per night | 250–550 CNY (about US$37–82), much more during the peony festival |
Practical tips for Luoyang
- Book Longmen with your passport: use the official website’s inbound channel; tickets are real-name and checked at the gate.
- Go early or late: the West Hill caves are crowded by mid-morning; the light tour shows them differently after dark.
- Bring binoculars or a zoom: many carvings are high on the cliffs.
- Plan for the peony festival: book hotels and trains weeks ahead for April.
- Combine Shaolin by car: a private car or tour is easier than buses for the Shaolin Temple.
- Carry your passport: for trains, hotels, bookings and checks.
Safety
Luoyang is a safe, friendly city. The main challenges are weather and crowds. In summer, highs above 32 °C (90 °F) and strong sun make heat exhaustion a risk at the open-air grottoes; go early, drink water and use shade. Summer thunderstorms can be heavy. Winters are cold and dry, and in some years northern Henan has hazy days; check the air quality index. At Longmen, the stairs and paths along the cliffs are uneven and slippery when wet; watch your step and do not climb or touch the carvings. The grottoes, Lijingmen and the peony parks are very crowded during the festival and holidays; watch your belongings and keep children close. Use official taxis or DiDi. In an emergency, call 110 for police, 120 for an ambulance and 119 for fire.
What to pack for Luoyang
Comfortable walking shoes for the grottoes and temples, a hat, sunscreen and water bottle for summer, a light jacket for spring and autumn evenings, and a warm coat for winter. China uses 220 V, with flat two-pin, round two-pin and angled three-pin sockets. See our hiking shoes, rain jackets and travel adapters guides.
Luoyang travel FAQ
How much is the Longmen Grottoes ticket?
90 yuan full price, covering the West Hill and East Hill caves, Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden, or 45 yuan for eligible students, teachers and 13–17-year-olds. The evening light tour costs 120 yuan.
What are the Longmen Grottoes opening hours?
In the summer schedule, entry from 8:00 to 18:00 (ticket sales until 17:30); in winter, entry until 17:00. Times are extended by half an hour on major holidays and peony festival weekends.
Do I need to book the Longmen Grottoes?
Tickets are real-name; foreign visitors can book through the inbound channel on the official website, and the evening tour must be booked in advance.
How do I get to the Longmen Grottoes?
From Luoyang Longmen station, it is about 10 minutes by taxi or 40 minutes on bus 71; from Luoyang Station, bus 81 takes about an hour.
How long should I spend at Longmen?
Allow 3–4 hours to see both the West Hill and East Hill properly.
When is the Luoyang peony festival?
Usually from early April to early May, with peak blooms in mid-April.
How far is the Shaolin Temple from Luoyang?
About 80 km (50 miles), or around 1.5 hours by road.
Can I use the 240-hour visa-free transit to visit Luoyang?
Yes. Arrive at Zhengzhou Xinzheng airport, the designated port in Henan; the whole province, including Luoyang, is in the permitted area.
How many days do I need in Luoyang?
Two days for Longmen, the White Horse Temple and the old town; three with the Shaolin Temple.
What is the best time to visit Luoyang?
April for the peonies, or April to May and September to October for comfortable weather.
Sources and last review
Researched and last reviewed on 5 October 2026. The Longmen Grottoes full-price, half-price and evening ticket prices, eligibility, real-name rules, the inbound booking channel, daytime and holiday hours, the 2026 evening tour opening date, areas and times, transport from the stations and airport, electric carts and boats: the Longmen Grottoes’ official website (lmsk.cn), operated by the Longmen Grottoes Research Academy; visa-free transit and the Henan permitted area: the National Immigration Administration; train booking with a passport: China Railway’s official 12306 site; climate normals: the China Meteorological Administration via the World Meteorological Organization’s 1991–2020 normals (Zhengzhou station, as Luoyang has no station in the series); the exchange rate: the CFETS central parity rate; the Longmen, Shaolin (Dengfeng) and Silk Roads inscriptions: the UNESCO World Heritage List. Carving dates and numbers, the Vairocana Buddha’s height, the White Horse Temple’s date and ticket, the museum booking, the peony festival dates, train times, distances, population and typical prices are general references or estimates, flagged for checking. Prices and rules change, so check locally before you go. For entry rules, money and general safety, see our China travel guide.
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