The Yalu River that flows through Zalantun's district is not the famous Korean border river but a tributary of the Nenjiang in Heilongjiang — quieter, less known, and genuinely worth experiencing. The river runs broad and unhurried through the valleys below the city, and boat trips from the town waterfront offer the most relaxed way to see the landscape. The water is clean enough that fishing is a serious local pursuit rather than just a tourist activity, and carp, crucian, and northern pike appear on restaurant menus nightly.
In summer, rubber raft trips cover a longer stretch of the river with some gentle rapids. The riverbanks are popular with local families in the evening hours, when the light on the water and the forested hills behind make for a setting that is difficult to find elsewhere in Inner Mongolia's usually steppe-dominated landscape.