A Weekend Getaway in Tangshan

Deluxe Room. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

One can return to the hotel after a full day of admiring the glorious history, and relax with a refreshing cup of tea and live music in the Lobby Lounge, or a dip in the Health Club's indoor pool, to prepare for spending the following day wandering through the city's urban area.

About 15 minutes drive away is Kailuan Park — another must-see destination in Tangshan. The park is located in the Kailuan Group, which has more than 136 years of history of industrial heritage, mining culture and modern industry exposition, along with viewing collections of precious historical relics, videos and 4D movies.

Visiting the mining area takes guests back in time to truly experience the development of coal mining, and creating lasting memories.

South Lake Park in south Tangshan is a place to refresh oneself. With an area of 30 square kilometers, South Lake Park is a large-scale park collection combining a wetland park, a sports center, a botanical garden and several other parks large and small.

Before 2008 when construction of the park started, the site was a polluted wasteland due to coal mining. Now it is one of Tangshan’s most popular destinations, with nine lakes, five islands and more than 120 scenic spots including a musical spring. Visitors can fish, plant trees, golf, or go boating or horse riding.

Famed as "the porcelain capital of North China," Tangshan started its porcelain production as early as the Ming Dynasty, around 600 years ago. There are currently nearly 100 porcelain factories and studios in Tangshan, making more than 500 kinds of porcelain every year, including porcelain for daily, architectural, industrial and art use.

Besides buying porcelain products, tourists can visit the production lines to view the process of porcelain making. A typical porcelain making discovery tour includes raw materials, model making, sintering and coloring.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Tangshan, is offering an introductory rate of 588 yuan for single occupancy or 688 yuan for double occupancy, including breakfast at Café Shang, a 20-percent discount on laundry and late check-out till 4 pm. By paying an extra 100 yuan per person, buffet lunch and buffet dinner are also offered at Café Chang. The late check out enables guests abundant time to explore the city before heading home after a relaxed and enjoyable weekend.