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Explore the region
About Xiangshawan
Its name refers to the sound that dry sand can make when disturbed, although conditions do not always produce it. Beyond the main dune, Xiansha and Yuesha are separate recreation areas with different programmes. Begin with the desert landscape, then choose one recreation zone according to the activities operating that day instead of assuming that every island and hotel area shares the same access.
The resort lies in Dalad Banner, roughly halfway between Baotou and Ordos City, within the great northern bend of the Yellow River. It occupies the far eastern corner of the Kubuqi Desert (库布其沙漠), which forms the northern half of the Ordos Desert and in turn the southwestern part of the Gobi Desert. The sand is very fine and soft, and wind-sculpted dunes in the resort reach over 90 meters high. The resort area is separated from the reception zone and main roads by the valley of the Sasol River (索沙河), formerly called the Laotai River (牢太河).
Xiangshawan is a AAAAA-rated tourist area in Dalad Banner. Amid a national campaign against desertification, it was developed as China's first desert-themed tourism resort on a site in the Kubuqi Desert considered largely unreclaimable. The resort is organized into four 'islands' of activities around the Sand Dune Resort.
Mongolian folk culture is displayed at the site, and annual events include an International Photography Week and a sand sculpture festival. The resort is busiest in summer, and a ski resort has been under development to draw visitors during the winter months as well.
What to look for
- The large crescent-shaped dune and surrounding sand ridges.
- One of the operator's distinct recreation areas, Xiansha or Yuesha, selected from the current programme.
Location & getting there
Getting to Xiangshawan
Arrive at Xiangshawan's eastern reception and parking area in Dalad Banner, on the Baotou–Ordos corridor.
- The reception area is separated from the dunes by a valley; check the day's cableway and internal transport arrangements before choosing your ticket.
Combine your visit
Suggested order within this visit:
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Reception and valley crossing
Confirm the route and reach the desert visitor area.
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Main dune landscape
Take in the sand forms before the activities.
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Xiansha or Yuesha recreation area
Choose one zone suited to your interests and the current programme.
This sequence is an editorial suggestion based on the features described in the sources. Access to individual buildings or areas should be checked locally; no travel time or shared admission is implied.
Find Xiangshawan
响沙湾 · 鄂尔多斯
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
Baotou Museum 包头博物馆
45 km awayBaotou Museum connects the city's trading history with the older cultures of the Yinshan region. Its rock-art collection is especially useful: animal figures, hunting and pastoral scenes preserve a visual record that differs…
View guide →Wudang Lamasery 五当召
68 km awayWudang Lamasery, also called Badekar Monastery, spreads up a mountain valley northeast of Baotou. White, flat-roofed buildings form a Tibetan architectural ensemble, with larger teaching and assembly halls set among smaller…
View guide →Ordos Museum 鄂尔多斯博物馆
73 km awayOrdos Museum is both a regional-history collection and one of Kangbashi's most distinctive modern buildings. Its rounded bronze-coloured shell encloses irregular, light-filled internal spaces. Inside, the Yellow River Flows…
View guide →Sources & visit information
The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1330760550.
Background paragraphs condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "Xiangshawan", English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1330760550.