Things to do in Dingbian

Dingbian Salt Lake Scenic Area

Dingbian Salt Lake Scenic Area is located in Dingbian County in the northwest of Shaanxi Province. It is the only lake salt producing area in Shaanxi Province.

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Ningxia

Shapotou Scenic Area

The scenic spot is located 16 kilometers west of Zhongwei City, Ningxia, on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert. The scenic spot has successively won honors such as "the first batch of national 5A-level tourist attractions", "the top 500 global environmental protection units", and "the first batch of national tourism standardization demonstration units". The three major cultural elements of the scenic area include the "Yellow River Culture" based on the intangible cultural heritage sheepskin rafts, the "Desert Culture" based on straw grids and Desert Legend Park, and the "Starry Sky Culture" based on the Desert Star Hotel. The tourism resources of these three elements have created a unique and magnificent landscape of "sunset over the long river and starry sky in the desert". The "six major ways to play" are highly praised and loved by tourists. Among them, the Yellow River projects include sheepskin rafting, Huangtengda, Yellow River speedboat, drift boat, passionate sandboarding and high-altitude bungee jumping, etc. The desert projects include Desert Camel, Desert Flying (Stepping into the Blue Clouds), and Sand Sea. Surfing, etc., starry sky projects include stargazing lectures, meteor feasts, sand therapy experiences, star cakes and other special products. In addition, there are also privately customized products for hiking, desert expansion, and educational and entertaining study experiences. The scenic area not only has diverse cultural elements and fun project experiences, but also multi-level accommodation experiences waiting for you: the butler-style Diamond Hotel, the quiet Desert Star Hotel for stargazing, the quiet Yellow River Courtyard in the bustling city, and finally the economical and affordable business-style Tourist Service Center Hotel and other differentiated tourist accommodations for you to choose from.

Maliantan Shamo Park

Maliantan Shamo Park, located in Dingbian County, Yulin, has undertaken tree planting and environmental protection, and its endless stretches of yellow sand offer a distinctive desert charm.

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Yinchuan

Xixia Imperial Tombs

Xixia Imperial Tombs, located in the western suburbs of YinchuanHelan MountainsLocated at the foot of the mountain, it is the royal tomb complex of the Xixia dynasty, where several emperors of the Xixia dynasty were buried. The entire tomb area now contains 9 imperial tombs and about 270 satellite tombs, making it one of the largest royal tomb complexes in Chinese history. The shape of the tombs is different from that of other Chinese tombs, resembling an inverted steamed bun. In addition, the attraction also features facilities and venues such as the Xixia Imperial Tombs Museum, the Xixia Imperial Tombs - Xixia History and Art Gallery, and the Xixia Stele Forest, helping visitors understand the history and culture behind the tombs. The attraction currently has tomb no. 3 and others open for visitors. Tomb no. 3 (the "Tai Tomb" of Li Yuanhao, the founding emperor of Xixia) is relatively close to the Xixia Imperial Tombs - Xixia History and Art Museum and the Xixia Stele Forest. The Xixia dynasty was established by the Tangut people, whose writing and customs differed from those of the Han Chinese in the Central Plains. After the dynasty fell, the cities and history of Xixia mysteriously vanished into the Gobi Desert, becoming an enduring mystery of the ages, and were not discovered and deciphered until modern times. The Xixia Imperial Tombs Museum houses a rich collection of artifacts from the Xixia dynasty, among which many stone carvings in Xixia script and murals with Xixia style are treasures. The free guided tours inside the museum are also excellent, helping visitors understand the customs, culture, and rise and fall of the mysterious Xixia dynasty, and allowing for a more meaningful visit to the imperial tombs. On July 11, 2025, the Xixia Imperial Tombs were officially inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List. Within the attraction, you can walk up close to visit the Haowang Tomb. The massive inverted semicircular mausoleum stands upon the barren land, bringing the weight of history vividly before your eyes, while in the distance theHelan MountainsThe foothills are crisscrossed by ravines and gullies, evoking a sense of desolate grandeur and the vicissitudes of time. The Xixia Imperial Tombs Museum within the attraction has newly opened. Its exhibits are divided into six sections: Xixia history, Xixia culture, Xixia religious art, Xixia social economy, the Xixia Imperial Tombs, and protection and inheritance. Nearly 5,000 items are on display, including thangkas, documents, clay sculptures, bronze and iron wares, textiles, and porcelain, among which are a large number of fine artifacts unearthed during archaeological research on the Xixia Imperial Tombs in recent years.

No. 1 of Family-friendly Attractions in Yinchuan

China West Film Studio

Zhenbeibao Western Cinema is located in Xixia District, Yinchuan City. In this studio, which is characterized by simplicity, roughness and desolation, classic films such as "Wrangler", "Red Sorghum", "Journey to the West", "Thorn Mausoleum", "Jin Yiwei" and hundreds of influential film and television films were filmed. In the remaining part, a large number of celebrities from the Chinese film industry have left their footprints here, such as Gong Li, Jiang Wen, Zhang Yimou, Ge You, Zhou Xingchi, Donnie Yen and so on. The cinema consists of three parts: Mingcheng, Qingcheng and Old Yinchuan Street. Tourists can visit the cinema along the "figure 8" route of Old Yinchuan Street. Here, you can see the appearance of Yinchuan in the first half of the 20th century, and eat local traditional snacks such as mutton soup. The Ming and Qing cities in the film city were rebuilt from the military castles left over from the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the Ming and Qing cities, you can see many familiar movie scenes, such as: the gate tower where Sun Wukong and Fairy Zixia are standing in "Journey to the West", the throne of the Bull Demon King, the torture platform of the Tang monk; and the movie "Journey to the West" The Moon Gate in "Red Sorghum", the winemaking workshop where "My Grandpa" urinated after being drunk, the sedan chair that Jiu'er took when he got married, the big vat for wine, and the bowls. There are costumes and props for rent in many places in the studio. Here, you can wear a set of costumes in the play, use the props in the movie, and walk around the scenes of the movie to live the addiction of being a star. Before going to Zhenbeibao Western Studios, you can revisit a few classic movies first, and then go to visit, you will have a different feeling.

No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Northern Shaanxi

The Wave Valley Scenic Area

Wavy Valley is also known as Jingbian Red Sand Rock Canyon. It is part of the Jingbian Longzhou Danxia Landform and is located in Yanjiazhaizi in Longzhou Township, southeast of Jingbian County. The Wavy Valley is a red sandstone landform with a magical appearance and high scientific research value. The spectacular landscape naturally formed over hundreds of millions of years. It is rare in China and can compete with the Danxia landform in the United States!

No. 4 of Best Things to Do in Ningxia

Helan Mountain Rock Painting

Helan Mountain Rock Painting Scenic Area is a national key cultural relic protection unit and a national 4A-level tourist attraction. It is known as the "history book in stone", "prehistoric human art gallery" and "the place where Chinese culture traces its origins". The Yinchuan World Rock Art Museum in the scenic area displays representative rock art from more than 60 countries and regions in the world, covering the latest results and information of current rock art research. There are 6,000 prehistoric rock paintings between 3,000 and 10,000 years old in the rock art site area. They are renowned in the international rock art community for their large number, rich content, wide range of themes, and rarity in the world. Yinchuan Han Meilin Art Museum collects and exhibits more than 1,000 works inspired by and based on Helan Mountain rock paintings by Mr. Han Meilin, showing the fusion of ancient and modern. After years of protective development, the scenic spot has become a comprehensive tourist attraction integrating exhibitions, science education, research and exchanges, artistic creation, leisure vacations and other functions.

No. 19 of Best Things to Do in Shaanxi

Baota Mountain

Baota Mountain is located in the center of Yan'an city, by the side of the Yan River, and is named after the pagoda on the mountain. The pagoda was first built in the Tang Dynasty, and the existing structure is a pavilion-style brick pagoda rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty. The pagoda, together with the mountain, the Yan River, and the bridge, forms the city skyline of Yan'an and is also a symbol of the revolutionary holy land in people's hearts. The poet He Jingzhi wrote in "Returning to Yan'an" the famous line, "How many times in my dreams have I returned to Yan'an, embracing Baota Mountain with both hands," adding emotional weight to this mountain. The mountain is densely scattered with historical sites, including Song dynasty cliff carvings, Fan Gong Well, beacon towers, Star-gazing Tower, Jialing Academy, ancient city walls, and the former site of the Japanese Workers' and Peasants' School. Among them, the inscriptions "Jialing Mountain" in clerical script and "My chest harbors tens of thousands of armored soldiers" by Fan Zhongyan of the Northern Song dynasty have long been renowned. An iron bell cast in the Ming dynasty still hangs beside the pagoda, which was used for timekeeping and alarms during the CPC Central Committee's Yan'an period. Ascending the mountain path to Star-gazing Tower and beacon tower areas offers panoramic views of Yan'an city and the Yan River. After nightfall, the mountain and pagoda illuminate, and gazing back at the lit pagoda from near Yan River Bridge remains a favorite photo spot for many travelers.

Dingbian 359Th Brigade Cave Dwelling Site

No. 3 of Family-friendly Attractions in Ningxia

Ningxia Museum

The Ningxia Museum is a provincial-level comprehensive museum in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The building's floor plan is shaped like the Chinese character "回" (hui), reflecting the region's name. The architectural elements used in the exterior decorations, such as the Kalavinka (a mythical bird) and the strongman-shaped support base, as well as the decorative patterns on the four main gates, are representative of Ningxia's historical and cultural heritage and possess distinct regional characteristics. The museum has four floors, with the three ground floors open to the general visitors. The first floor of the museum houses the visitor service hall and temporary exhibition halls. Here, you'll also find the rock painting exhibition titled "Stone carvings as history books." Stepping into this hall feels like entering an ancient era. While travelers often prefer visiting the ancient rock paintings in Helan Mountain, many rock art sites across Ningxia remain less visited due to their remote locations and limited transportation. In this exhibition hall, visitors can get up close with a wider collection of Ningxia's rock paintings. The museum's second floor houses the "General history of Ningxia exhibition hall," a key area for travelers. Treasures like the Western Han dynasty silver-inlaid bronze sheep, Tang dynasty stone door panels depicting the Sogdian whirl dance, Western Xia dynasty gilded bronze ox, and human figure pedestals are all displayed here. Travelers can also view rubbings of the "Stele inscription of the reconstructed Huguo Temple stupa in Liangzhou," where the Western Xia script appears more block-like than Chinese characters. The third floor features folk culture exhibits, including interactive electronic screens for experiencing Ningxia's unique square chess game.