Hohhot

Hohhot lies at the center of Inner Mongolia on the Tumochuan Plain, about 670km (415 miles) from Beijing. It has a population of 1.5 million and covers an area of about 6,200 sq km. The cityname comes from the Mongolian word for "green city", although the grasslands begin about 100km (about 70 miles) outside of town.Hohhot is a pleasant old city with a mixture of modern and traditional architecture and a diverse population of up to 30 ethnic groups. While the majority of the residents are Han, there are sizeable Mongol minorities in parts of the city who have their own markets and restaurants. The Great Mosque and several Buddhist temples are also major attractions.