Shiqian Hot Spring

The Shiqian Hot Spring valley lies southwest of Tongren, where natural mineral springs emerge at the base of a limestone ridge at consistent temperatures around 45°C. The resort infrastructure is modest — pools, bathhouses, and a small number of guesthouses — and the valley setting is more attractive than the facilities. The water is clear and has a slight mineral taste; the springs are a sodium bicarbonate type associated with therapeutic properties for skin conditions.

The springs are popular with domestic tourists from the surrounding cities and provide a relatively simple contrast to the more demanding experience of Mount Fanjing. The journey from Tongren takes about 90 minutes by road. The surrounding valley landscape — forested limestone hills, clear streams, terraced fields — is worth the trip even for people indifferent to hot water.

things to do sight
A story
Shiqian Hot Spring holds the distinction of being China's first nationally designated hot spring resort, a title awarded in 1914 during the early Republican period when Chinese tourism infrastructure was not exactly booming. The springs here are bicarbonate-calcium type, emerging at around 45°C from a narrow valley where the geology happens to be ideal — warm mineral water, cold clear air, and a landscape that has not been substantially altered by the resort status. The designation has meant protection as much as development.