Xiangshawan

Background

Xiangshawan lies in Dalad Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia, backed by the eastern end of the Kubuqi Desert, about 44 km south of Baotou and about 55 km north of Ordos's Dongsheng District. Its crescent-shaped dunes are 90 to 110 meters high with slopes of about 45 degrees. Slide down in dry weather and you hear sounds like horns, drumbeats and even car or aircraft engines; the cause has never been settled. The resort opened around 1999 and is recognized as China's first desert resort; it was listed as a national 5A scenic area in 2011. It is divided into themed "island" zones such as Xiansha, Yuesha, Liansha and Fusha, and preserves an area of unreclaimable natural desert where you can experience the Mongolian culture of Ordos.

Local customs

• Slide down the dunes to hear the sand sing, ride a camel or a horse across the dunes, and take a desert vehicle or the cable car for a view over the sea of sand
• stay in a yurt, eat hand-held mutton, and watch the Ordos wedding performance and songs and dances by the Xiangshawan Art Troupe.

Travel tips

• The desert sun is strong and the wind carries sand, so bring sunglasses, a headscarf, sand gaiters and plenty of drinking water
• day-night temperature differences are large, so bring a jacket. After rain the damp sand sings less, and the effect is best on clear, dry days.
• It takes about 1 hour by car from Baotou or downtown Ordos, and cable cars link the zones inside the resort. May to October is the best time to visit, with the fullest range of activities in summer
• there is a ski field in winter, but it is windy and cold.