Luoyang Travel Forum

I'm in Pingyao and heading my way to Shanghai.Is Luoyang worth a stopover from Pingyao? It appears that its main attraction is the Shaolin temple, but it's miles away from Luoyang town proper.

Actually the main attraction in Luoyang is Longmen Grottoes, where you can see Buddhist statues and frescoes similar to Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi.
The Shao Lin Temple is located east of Luoyang near Dengfeng, about 90 minutes away by bus. I would say both attractions are worth a stop between Pingyao and Shanghai, especially if you somehow missed Yungang Grottoes in Datong.

Confucius has said what I already wanted to say. The main draw of Luoyang would be the Longmen Grottoes instead of Shaolin Temple, which's nearer to Dengfeng, but which's reachable from Luoyang in about 1.5-2 hours.

Everybody likes to quote what Confucius says!

The honourable sage, Confucius:

Thanks for your advice. Pingyao by the way is fantastic. It's the China of my fantasies. Well-preserved old Ming buildings everywhere and they are still being used.

As an additional question: What's to do in Luoyang town itself? Is it another modern highrise smoggy Chinese city? Any other town between Pingyao and Shanghai worth a stopover?

Thanks Ellyse too.

Have you seen enough temples yet? Just outside Luoyang is the White Horse Temple (Bai Ma Si)
The annual Peony Festival in Luoyang starts around April 15, but follow up with Wangcheng Park authorities because I'm not sure if there's anything special going on before that date.
While in Luoyang yuou should traeta yourself to a "Luoyang Water Banquet" and enjoy local specialites of this ancient capital. The restaurant called "Really Unusual" (Zhen Bu Tong) in the old part of town is one of the best places to try it.
Luoyang is also the best place in China to purchase Tang San Cai (Tang Dynasty tri-color glazed ceramics) if you are into that kind of stuff.

Another good place to stopover would be Kaifeng, especially if you like food!
Having the famous Luoyang "water banquet" when you're on your own is pretty hard, as I found out... I wish I could've asked the bunch of Westerners at the next table if I could join them.

Agreed. Afterall your are CONFUCIUS, the modern day sage in travel in general and China Travel in particular. I have benefitted from your advice. Yes you are an expert in the name of TRAVEL.This is an HONEST APPRECIATION from the Lone Ranger. Right on! and Cheers!

So much and so clear, coming from Confucius.My coming travel to Luoyang is so much lighter and trouble free. Lone Ranger is like having an invisible companion. Thank you.