Xi'an
Where the Silk Road still serves halal
The easiest city in China for Muslim travelers — centuries-old Muslim Quarter, the Great Mosque, and the Terracotta Army within an hour.
Halal ease
9/10
First-timer
Moderate
Prayer
9/10
Family
8/10
XIY
~40 km northwest of city center · 45 min by airport metro line 14
March–May, September–November
Hot dry summers (35°C+), cold dry winters (-5 to 5°C). Spring and autumn are mild.
Mandarin (Shaanxi dialect; understandable but accented)
Population 13.6 million
CNY (¥) · ¥1 ≈ 1.6 MYR · 0.15 USD
Time zone UTC+8 (same as Beijing)
Flights from Southeast Asia
Direct and 1-stop options into XIY from the main Southeast Asian gateways. Schedules change seasonally — verify on the airline's site before booking.
Singapore
from SINChina Eastern 1-stop
1-stop via Shanghai
Scoot + China Eastern 1-stop
1-stop via major hubs
Malaysia
from KULAirAsia X 1-stop
via KUL–PVG–XIY
China Eastern 1-stop
via KUL–PVG–XIY
Indonesia
from CGKChina Eastern 1-stop
via CGK–PVG–XIY
Air China 1-stop
via CGK–PEK–XIY
3 days in Xi'an
Old walled city & Muslim Quarter
Morning
- • Start at the South Gate (Yongningmen) of the ancient city wall
- • Walk or rent a bike on the wall (¥54) — 14 km loop, 2-3 hours
- • Stroll Beiyuanmen Muslim Quarter from the West Gate (Xi'an) entry
Afternoon
- • Lunch in Muslim Quarter — yangrou paomo + roujiamo
- • Visit the Great Mosque of Xi'an (742 AD) — enter from Huajue Lane
- • Drum Tower and Bell Tower photos from the outside
Evening
- • Sunset at Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Da Ci'en Si)
- • Watch the music fountain show (free, every evening)
- • Dinner back near the Muslim Quarter — try liangpi or kebabs
Terracotta Army day trip
Morning
- • Take tourism bus 5 (¥7) from Xi'an Railway Station to Lintong
- • Arrive at Terracotta Army by 8:30 to beat crowds
- • Pit 1 (the army) → Pit 2 (archers) → Pit 3 (command HQ)
Afternoon
- • See the Bronze Chariots exhibit and on-site museum
- • Lunch near site — halal options exist, ask for 清真
- • Optional: Huaqing Hot Springs on the way back
Evening
- • Train or bus back to city (~1 hour)
- • Tang Dynasty show with dinner — book a halal-friendly option
- • Or visit Datang Furong Garden night views (¥60)
Mosques, mausoleums & local life
Morning
- • Daxuexi Mosque — second oldest in China
- • Stroll through the Hui neighborhood near Dajingmen
- • Pick up shaomai breakfast from a street vendor
Afternoon
- • Hanyangling Museum (Emperor Jing's mausoleum) — quieter than Terracotta
- • Or: Shaanxi History Museum (free, book online 3-7 days ahead)
- • Late lunch: sao zi noodles or biangbiang mian
Evening
- • Walk the illuminated wall (lights on after sunset)
- • Try Persian-style lamb at a Muslim Quarter restaurant
- • Try bingfeng soda (the local lime drink) at any corner shop
Where to stay
Inside the South Gate (Yongningmen) area
Walkable to Muslim Quarter, city wall, and the South Gate night views. Many halal restaurants and Hui bakeries on the doorstep.
¥300–600/night (mid-range)
Bell Tower / Drum Tower area
Central for metro, walking distance to the Great Mosque and Beiyuanmen. Best for first-timers who want everything nearby.
¥250–500/night
Big Wild Goose Pagoda / Qujiang
Quieter, modern hotels, near Tang Dynasty themed sites and Datang Furong Garden. Good for families. Less halal on the doorstep but DiDi is cheap.
¥350–700/night
Insist on a smart-toilet room
The single biggest quality-of-life upgrade is booking a hotel with an electric smart toilet seat (智能马桶). The Japan-style washlets — heated seat, warm-water spray, dryer — are far more common in modern Chinese hotels than you'd think. When booking, search "smart toilet" in the property description or reviews. The international chains and modern local brands in this city almost always have them.
Full hotel guide & search strategy →Getting there & around
From the airport
Airport metro line 14 connects XIY to North Railway Station (¥16, 45 min). Last train ~22:30. After that, DiDi is the safe bet (¥100–140 to city center). Avoid touts offering taxi inside the terminal — use the official taxi queue.
Metro
8 lines. Clean, English-announced, but signs are Chinese-only in some stations. Use AMap or Baidu Maps for routing. Single ride ¥2–9.
Taxi
Metered. Insist on the meter (打表, da biao). Most drivers don't speak English — show the destination in Chinese on your phone. ¥15 flag fall. We recommend using DiDi instead for a safer, scam-free experience.
We recommend using DiDi instead of taxis. We've had mixed experiences with taxis — DiDi offers a safer, worry-free, and scam-free experience.
DiDi
Didi works in Xi'an. Connect a foreign credit card or use Alipay to hail. Cheaper than taxis for non-Chinese speakers.
Tips
- • Walking inside the walled city is easy — everything is flat and close
- • Rent a bike on the wall instead of a private car tour
- • Tourism bus 5 (游5) to Terracotta Army is the cheapest and easiest option
Halal restaurants
Tong Sheng Xiang (通盛祥)
¥40–80 per personBeiyuanmen Muslim Quarter
Old-school Hui place, English menu, easy for first-timers. Cash or WeChat pay.
Lao Sun Jia (老孙家)
¥50–100 per personEast of Bell Tower
Heritage brand, slightly more upscale. Their paomo is the gold standard.
Ma Hong Xiao Yan Paomo (马洪小炒泡馍)
¥30–50 per personMuslim Quarter
Local favorite for the stir-fried paomo, less touristy than the main street spots.
Bai Ji Sheng (白己生)
¥30–60 per personWest of Bell Tower
Loved by locals. No English menu — point at photos or use translator.
Hui Wei Snacks (回味小吃)
¥15–30 per personDaxuexi Lane
Casual street food, great for a quick halal bite. Cash preferred.
Mosques & prayer spaces
Great Mosque of Xi'an (西安化觉巷清真大寺)
Huajue Lane, Lianhu District
08:00–19:00 (closed during prayer times ~12:30–14:00 and Friday noon)
Active mosque dating to 742 AD. Beautiful Chinese-Islamic architecture. Modest dress required — bring a scarf.
Daxuexi Mosque (大学习巷清真寺)
Daxuexi Lane, Lianhu District
Open daily, more flexible hours for prayer
Second oldest mosque in China, more local, less touristy than the Great Mosque.
Top things to do
Terracotta Army (兵马俑)
Lintong District·Half day (3-4 hours on site)
Tickets: ¥120 (book official site or Trip.com)
Book the official guided tour (¥30-100) — without a guide, it's just a room of statues. Avoid the 'free guide' touts at the bus stop.
Ancient City Wall (西安城墙)
City center (loop)·2-3 hours (walk or bike)
Tickets: ¥54
Best at golden hour. Bike rental ¥45 for 2 hours.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda (大雁塔)
Qujiang·1-2 hours
Tickets: ¥50 (just the climb); plaza is free
Free music fountain show nightly — arrive 20 min early for a spot.
Shaanxi History Museum (陕西历史博物馆)
Xiaozhai·2-3 hours
Tickets: Free (book online 3-7 days ahead)
Outstanding regional history. The 'Tang Dynasty treasures' exhibit is the highlight. Basic English signage.
Bell Tower and Drum Tower (钟楼鼓楼)
City center·1 hour
Tickets: ¥50 combined
Better seen from outside. Worth the ticket for the views only if you have spare time.
Food to try
Yangrou paomo
yáng ròu pào mó
Crumbled flatbread soaked in lamb broth, eaten by hand-tearing the bread into small pieces. The signature dish.
Find: Tong Sheng Xiang, Lao Sun Jia, Ma Hong
Roujiamo
ròu jiā mó
Chinese 'hamburger' — spiced braised lamb in a crispy baked bun. Cheap street food.
Find: Any Muslim Quarter stall
Biangbiang noodles
biáng biáng miàn
Wide hand-pulled noodles with chili oil and vinegar. The character is the most complex in Chinese.
Find: Specifically Hui-run noodle shops — ask
Liangpi
liáng pí
Cold rice-noodle salad with chili oil, garlic, and vinegar. The perfect summer meal.
Find: Hui Wei Snacks, Muslim Quarter stalls
Persian-influenced kebabs
chuàn
Spiced lamb skewers with cumin and chili, an echo of the Silk Road. Found everywhere in the quarter.
Find: Night stalls in Beiyuanmen
Apps to set up before you go
WeChat
Pay for everything — vendors rarely take foreign cards. Set up before arrival.
Alipay
Backup payment; foreigner-friendly tourist pass activates ¥800 of prepaid credit.
AMap (高德)
Best English-Chinese bilingual routing for metro, walking, and DiDi.
Pleco
Camera translation for menus — point at the Chinese, get English. Essential in Muslim Quarter.
Common scams to avoid
Fake 'student guides' at Terracotta
Young men offering discounted 'student' tickets or unofficial guides at the Lintong bus stop.
How to avoid: Buy tickets online in advance. Use the official guided tour service inside, not touts outside.
Free tea ceremony scam (Muslim Quarter)
A 'friendly' student invites you to a traditional tea ceremony, then charges ¥300+ per person.
How to avoid: Politely decline and walk away. This is rare in Xi'an but occurs.
Unmetered taxi from airport
Drivers refusing to use the meter, quoting 2-3x the actual fare.
How to avoid: Use the official taxi queue or DiDi. Take the metro if arriving before 22:00.
Phrases in context
清真
qīng zhēn
halal
The single most important word. Print it on a card. Most Hui restaurants in Xi'an respond instantly.
羊肉泡馍
yáng ròu pào mó
lamb paomo
Pronounce it badly and locals smile. The signature Xi'an dish.
不要辣
bù yào là
no spicy
Sichuan-leaning places can be aggressive with chili.
洗手间在哪
xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ
where is the bathroom
Standard Mandarin. xi shou jian zai nar.
多少钱
duō shǎo qián
how much
For haggling at street stalls.
The verdict
Xi'an is the single best starting point in China for a Muslim traveler. The Muslim Quarter, the Great Mosque, the halal infrastructure — they all predate the Ming dynasty. You'll find it easy, the food is the stuff of legend, and locals are used to Muslim visitors.
Best for
- ✓ First-time Muslim travelers to China
- ✓ Family trips with kids and elderly
- ✓ Anyone interested in Silk Road history
Not for
- ✕ Beach lovers (no coast)
- ✕ Shoppers looking for luxury malls
Recent traveler intel
Halal food confirmed — Xi'an Muslim Quarter
Muslim Quarter restaurants recently checked by travelers. Multiple halal-certified vendors operating with visible signage.
On-the-map places
Great Mosque of Xi'an
Huajue Lane, Lianhu District, Xi'an
Historic mosque dating to 742 AD. Unique Chinese-Islamic architecture. Active prayer space.
Muslim Quarter
Beiyuanmen, Lianhu District, Xi'an
Famous food street with abundant halal options. Roujiamo, yangrou paomo, and biangbiang noodles.
Terracotta Warriors
Lintong District, Xi'an
World-famous archaeological site. About 1 hour from city center. Halal food available nearby.