3 Days in Sanmenxia: What to Do and See in Sanmenxia

Day 1 | Morning

Shanzhou Cave Dwellings

Opening Hours: Open from 8:30am-6:30pm

Ticket Price: 60 RMB

Recommended Length of Stay: 3-5 Hours

Location: Shanzhou, Sanmenxia, China

The Shanzhou Cave Dwellings are located in the south of Shan County in Sanmenxia. The site is easily accessed by road or rail. The cave dwellings kept residents cool in summer and warm in winter, and provided excellent shelter from wind and earthquakes. In addition to spending the night in renovated dwellings, visitors can relax in the hot springs, taste local cuisine, and watch traditional cultural performances.

Day 1 | Afternoon

After finishing the tour at Shanzhou Cave Dwellings, you can head to Guo State Museum, the most worth visiting place around the corner.

Guo State Museum

Opening Hours: Open from 9:00am-5:30pm

Ticket Price: 40 RMB

Recommended Length of Stay: 2-3 Hours

Location: Liufeng N Rd, Hubin Qu, Sanmenxia Shi, Henan Sheng, China

The Guo State Museum in Sanmenxia City is a specialty museum built on the site of the Guo State cemetery from the Western Zhou period and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in China. The Guo State cemetery is a large-scale state cemetery from the Western Zhou period and the Spring and Autumn Period, that is large in size, complete at various levels, well-ordered and well-preserved presently discovered in China. Since the discovery, various relic sites have been uncovered and many cultural relics have been unearthed.

Day 1 | Evening

If you want to explore other popular attractions later, Swan City International Hotel is a suitable place for you to stay and refresh.

Swan City International Hotel

The Swan City International Hotel provides a great place for travelers to relax after a busy day. The Swan City International Hotel offers a pleasant stay in Sanmenxia for those traveling for business or leisure.

The hotel is only 5km from Sanmenxia South Railway Station and 52km from Zhangxiao Airport, giving guests a number of convenient transportation options. With multiple attractions nearby including Shaanzhou Scenic Area, Baolun Pagoda and 三門峽天鵝觀賞區, guests will find plenty to keep themselves occupied.

In their spare time, guests can explore the hotel's surroundings. For those driving themselves, parking is provided on site.

According to our guests, this hotel provides a very high level of service. This hotel is the usual choice for a large number of business travelers.

Day 2 | Morning

Gaoyang Mountain Hot Spring International Resort

Opening Hours: Open from 8/12-8/15,9:00am-10:30pm;Open from 8/16-8/11,Tue-Sun,12:00am-9:00pm

Ticket Price: 108 RMB

Recommended Length of Stay: 0.5-1.0 Days

Location: East of Shaanxi People's Hospital at the intersection of Shenquan Road and Shanzhou Avenue, Sanmenxia City (South section of Yunquan Road, Wentang)

Gaoyang Mountain Hot Spring International Resort is huge. It is divided into five major areas, including Hot Spring Town, Gaoyang Mountain Theme Park and Folk Culture Square. The functional area includes facilities such as a wave pool, a hot spring rafting river, a buffet restaurant and a special hot spring bath. It is a hot spring resort destination that combines water park, hot spring baths and guest rooms.

Day 2 | Afternoon

Having the chance to enjoy the charming Gaoyang Mountain Hot Spring International Resort, Three Gorges Dam next to it is another great place that you will never want to miss!

Three Gorges Dam

Opening Hours: Open from 8:00am-6:00pm

Ticket Price: 30 RMB

Recommended Length of Stay: 2-2 Hours

Location: Wangda Road, Hubin District, Sanmenxia CityWangda Road, Hubin District, Sanmenxia City

The Yellow River has a total length of 120 kilometers in Sanmenxia City, forming a magnificent scene of vast water, among which the Yellow River Dam is the most spectacular. The main dam of the dam is a concrete gravity dam with a length of 713.2 meters and a height of 106 meters; the auxiliary dam is a reinforced concrete core wall with a length of 144 meters and a height of 24 meters. The powerhouse of the power station is of the type behind the dam, with a total length of 223.88 meters. The ancient plank road of the Yellow River: It is located on the steep cliff on the north bank of the lower reaches of the Sanmenxia Dam, close to the Yellow River. There are two. One is higher from the river level and the other is lower from the river level. It can be seen from the relics that the ancient plank road of the Yellow River is a narrow stone road cut out at the impact of the river water on both sides of the Yellow River close to the Sanmen Canyon, and then at the road break. A row of deep square holes was chiseled, and then wooden stakes were plugged to form a trail for boatmen to pull fibers up. It is still clearly visible today. There are about 800 or 900 of these square holes scattered on the stone walls of the entire plank road. In ancient times, people drove wooden stakes into the cave to climb to the rock wall. The bull nose allows the tracker to tie a rope to climb, and when encountering wind and waves, the boat can be tied nearby. Mainstay: Located in the rapids below the Sanmenxia Dam. The scorpion on the Yellow River also called it "come to me". When the water is shallow in winter, it is about 7 meters above the water surface; in the flood season, it only shows a spire, and it looks as if it will be engulfed by the flood immediately, which is extremely dangerous. For thousands of years, regardless of the invasion of heavy rain or the scouring of stormy waves, it has been turning the tide and standing majestically in the Yellow River. It has been hailed as a symbol of the spirit of the Chinese nation since ancient times. When Emperor Taizong Li Shimin came here, he also wrote the poem "Looking up on the main pillar, looking at the Dragon Gate in the north, the vast Yuji, and the vast Changchun". In addition, there are Zhanggong Island, Dresser, Dayu Park, Yingbin Pavilion, Yellow River Sanmenxia Exhibition Hall, China-Japan Friendship Orchard and other attractions.

Day 2 | Evening

For convenient access to more popular attractions, Swan Lake International Hotel is the best places.

Swan Lake International Hotel

Situated in Shanzhou Park, the Swan Lake International Hotel (Tian’ehu Guoji Dajiudian) is an eight-minute drive from downtown. A 20-minute drive takes guests to Sanmenxia Railway Station. 



This hotel offers rooms equipped with modern amenities including international direct-dial telephones, central air conditioners and in-room safes. Wi-Fi is available in the public areas of this Sanmenxia hotel.



The on-site restaurant serves an assortment of dishes from Chinese and Western fares. Room service is available. 



Modern meeting facilities in the hotel include a business center offering a variety of services.

The swimming pool, the SPA room and the tennis court offers more pleasure for guests.

Day 3 | Morning

Emerald Ritz Spa Health Center

Opening Hours: 9:00-23:00

Ticket Price: 139 RMB

Recommended Length of Stay: 3.0-4.0 Hours

Location: Spring Emerald City, Shaan County, Sanmenxia City, Shanzhou District

The Emerald Ritz Spa Health Center is a high-end hot spring health club invested in and built by Liheng (China) Group and managed by Zhengzhou Dalangtaosha Hotel Management Company, a leading Chinese bathing brand. Located in Shaan County of Sanmenxia City, a noted historical and cultural city, the Emerald Ritz Spa Health Center is in the heart of the golden delta of the Yellow River, at the junction of the three provinces of Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi. The Spa Center is a creative combination of modern Chinese and foreign architectural styles and traditional culture, creating a stylish theme with a strong sense of the times.

Day 3 | Afternoon

Having the chance to enjoy the charming Emerald Ritz Spa Health Center, Swan Lake National Urban Wetland Park next to it is another great place that you will never want to miss!

Swan Lake National Urban Wetland Park

Opening Hours: Open 24 hours

Ticket Price: Free

Recommended Length of Stay: 3-4 Hours

Location: 209 National Rd, Hubin Qu, Sanmenxia Shi, Henan Sheng, China

Swan Lake National Urban Wetland Park starts from Jinchang Overpass in the east and ends at the intersection of Shanzhou Avenue and Yanguan Road in the west. To the south, it connects to Shaanxi Avenue and it expands to the Yellow River Wetlands in the north. The scenic spot consists of three parts, including the Shuanglong Lake White Swan Watching Area, the Shaanzhou Old City and the Yellow River Ecological Forest Belt. Swan Lake is also known as Qinglong Lake. Every October, there are tens of thousands of white swans, which will remain for the winter. Canglong Lake has many aquatic plants, including reeds, cattails and lotuses. On Zhaogong Island is a colorful peony garden and various peony varietals are planted here. Yingxiang Pavilion is an imitation Tang Dynasty building erected to commemorate Heshanggong, the river god. Standing on the Yingxiang Pavilion, visitors can behold the beautiful panoramic view.

* All reviews in the blog are machine-translated.