Yanji in Jilin prefecture, China

As of late, China has become quite the tourist magnet among Singaporeans, with hordes flocking to cities like Chongqing and Chengdu for an affordable getaway. While it might be tempting to book a flight bound for the more popular cities, opting to explore the lesser known destinations could make for an eye-opening trip too. Case in point: Yanji.

It’s a border city in Northeastern China that’s in proximity to North Korea so you’ll find traces of both Chinese and Korean influences on its culture and architecture. Here’s all you need to know about Yanji’s quirks, from signs written in both Mandarin and Korean to its Internet-famous “Bullet Comment Wall”.

The current exchange rate is RMB10 = ~S$1.79 as of 17th April 2025. 

How to get to Yanji?

Yanji’s not the most accessible city to get to if you’re flying in from Singapore, as there are no direct flights to the city. Nonetheless, getting there shouldn’t be too difficult. One way to get to Yanji is to take a flight from Singapore to Shanghai via China Eastern, and after a layover of about 2.5 hours, fly into Yanji from the Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Return flights start from $581, and you’re looking at a total travel time of 10 hours and 45 minutes.

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