Stand on the terrace at the top of Phoenix Tower in Dazhou Phoenix Mountain Park and the city falls away into a green basin, ringed by the ridges of the Daba Mountains. That contrast — dense streets below, mountains on every horizon — is what shapes a visit here.
Dazhou suits travellers who are already in northeast Sichuan or coming down from Shaanxi and Chongqing, and who prefer forest trails, karst gorges and small museums to polished resort towns. The terrain is largely mountainous, summers are hot and humid, and winter is short, mild and foggy.
This guide covers the sights in and around the city, with practical notes on timing and how to pair them, followed by a one-day plan and answers to common questions.
Top things to do in Dazhou
1. Bashan Grand Canyon
Bashan Grand Canyon, once called Xuanhan Bailixia, lies in Xuanhan County and is a national 4A-level scenic spot, geological park and nature reserve. It is known for karst landscapes with caves and gorges, and it preserves historical sites including Fan Kuai's garrison and ancient plank roads. It is also the birthplace of the Tujia folk music Hao Cao Luo Gu.
The site offers two routes: Route A, best in summer, and Route B, best in winter. Entry is ¥120 for Route A and ¥180 for Route B, and the area is open 08:00–18:00. Choose your route by season rather than by preference.
2. Batai Mountains
Batai Mountains sit in eastern Batai Township in Wanyuan City, northern Dazhou, and hold national 4A-level, national geopark and national natural heritage designations. The main peak, Xinbatai, rises to 2,272.3 meters, with other peaks including Laobatai, Duxiu and Zhujian. The stepped landform gives the range its name, and the mist, rainfall and sunlight produce sunrises, Buddha's rays, seas of clouds and cloud waterfalls.
Opening hours are 08:30–17:00. Admission is ¥120 with a ¥30 shuttle fee. The peaks are the priority here, so give the mountain a full day rather than squeezing it around another stop.
3. Wufeng Mountain National Forest Park
Wufeng Mountain National Forest Park, also known as the Bamboo Sea Park, lies in Yuehua Township in Dazhu County, about 18 km from the county seat. It covers 876 hectares at elevations of 600 to 1,080 meters, with a subtropical humid climate, four distinct seasons and mild winters and cool summers. Bamboo forest dominates, alongside forest ecosystems, lakes and resort facilities.
Sources differ on the park's rating and admission: one listing describes it as a national 4A-level tourist attraction with admission of ¥40, while another describes it as a national 3A tourist area with admission of ¥38. Hours are also given as 08:00–17:30 in one listing and 08:00–18:00 in another. Confirm the current price and hours locally before you go. The mild summer climate makes this the natural counterpart to the hotter valley sights.
4. Dazhou Museum
Dazhou Museum stands at 4 Yongxing Road in Tongchuan District, next to the municipal government building. It houses roughly 11,000 cultural relics, of which 3,586 are on display, including national first- to third-class relics. The museum was established in 2006 and opened to the public in 2011.
It is open 09:00–17:00 with no entry after 16:00, closed on Mondays, and admission is free. Bus nos. 10 and 56 stop nearby. Come here first if you want context for the region's Han dynasty and later history before heading to the mountains.
5. Dazhou Phoenix Mountain Park
Dazhou Phoenix Mountain Park on Chaofeng North Road in Tongchuan District is named for a mountain shape resembling a phoenix in flight. It is a forested urban park and the largest city park in Dazhou. Within it you will find Phoenix Tower, Phoenix Pavilion, Red Army Pavilion, Songjun Pavilion, the Yuan Zhen Memorial Hall and several cultural squares.
The park is free and open 08:00–19:00. It is the easiest sight to fit around other plans, and the pavilions and squares make it a reasonable short stop rather than a full day.
6. True Buddha Mountain
True Buddha Mountain on Tingbai Road in Fushan Town, Dachuan District, combines cultural and natural landscapes. The cultural side includes Dehua Temple, Jade Buddha Temple, Jingang Temple and Lingyun Village; the natural side includes Rouge Lake, Sanxian Stone, Conch Cave, Lotus Temple, Yunhua Mountain and Daojiliang.
It is open 08:00–17:00 and admission is ¥38. The site has a long historical and cultural background and a folk-custom character, so allow time for both the temples and the surrounding scenery.
7. Longtan River
Longtan River in Wanyuan offers a rafting course of about 10 kilometers, divided into rapid, gentle and family-friendly sections, with the rafting season running from May to October. Along the route lies the karst cave Yuquan Cave, noted for its underground river and stalactite formations.
A 5-kilometer riverside trail connects waterfalls, ancient trees and other scenic spots. If you are visiting outside the May to October season, the trail rather than the rafting is the reason to come.
8. Shen family mausoleum complex, Qu County
The partially preserved mausoleum complex of the Shen family in Qu County is a well-known architectural monument, built in the Han dynasty. Its gate towers, known as que, are the surviving highlight.
This is a site for travellers with an interest in Han dynasty architecture rather than a general sightseeing stop, and it pairs naturally with the museum's collection if you want to see the period's material culture in more depth.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Dazhou Museum on Yongxing Road in Tongchuan District when it opens at 09:00, and give it the first part of the day for the relics and regional history. Note that it is closed on Mondays and that entry stops after 16:00.
Afternoon: Move on to Dazhou Phoenix Mountain Park, also in Tongchuan District, for Phoenix Tower, Phoenix Pavilion, the Red Army Pavilion and the Yuan Zhen Memorial Hall. The park is free and open until 19:00, so it fits comfortably after the museum.
Evening: Finish with a walk through the park's cultural squares, or return to the museum area if you want to revisit anything you passed too quickly. Both stops are in Tongchuan District, which keeps the day simple.
Frequently asked questions
When is the museum open, and is there an entry fee?
Dazhou Museum is open 09:00–17:00, with no entry after 16:00, and is closed on Mondays. Admission is free. It is at 4 Yongxing Road, Tongchuan District, next to the municipal government building, and bus nos. 10 and 56 serve it.
Which route should I take at Bashan Grand Canyon?
The site offers Route A, best in summer, and Route B, best in winter. Entry is ¥120 for Route A and ¥180 for Route B, and the area is open 08:00–18:00.
When can I go rafting on the Longtan River?
The rafting season runs from May to October. The course is about 10 kilometers and is divided into rapid, gentle and family-friendly sections, with the Yuquan Cave along the route.
What does it cost to visit Batai Mountains and Wufeng Mountain National Forest Park?
Batai Mountains charges ¥120 admission plus a ¥30 shuttle fee and is open 08:30–17:00. For Wufeng Mountain National Forest Park, sources conflict: one gives admission of ¥40 and hours of 08:00–17:30, another gives ¥38 and hours of 08:00–18:00, so check locally before your visit.
Pick the season that matches your route, check the museum's Monday closure, and start mapping your days around the gorge, the peaks and the bamboo forest.