Three Gorges Dam

Built on a 262-meter ridge overlooking the project site, this is the highest vantage point in the park and the primary dam viewing platform. On a clear day, it offers a sweeping bird's-eye panorama of the entire concrete wall, the upstream reservoir, and the surrounding granite hills.

Viewed from alongside Tanziling, these twin lock chambers act like a giant water staircase that raises and lowers 10,000-ton freighters over a 113-meter difference in river level. Watching multiple vessels slowly lock through the deep rock-cut channels takes patience, as a full transit takes around three hours.

Named for its elevation of 185 meters above sea level, this roadside plaza sits at the exact height of the dam crest on the northern bank. It puts you nearly eye-level with the calm reservoir waters and offers a close view of the vertical ship lift structure.

Located downstream on the southern bank of the Yangtze, this open-air park faces the front wall of the dam head-on. It displays gigantic dump trucks, colossal boulders, and concrete tetrapods used to block the river course during construction, and is the best spot to photograph spillway discharges.

Situated across from the River Closure Memorial Park, this large engineering museum chronicles the history, hydrology, and construction of the dam. Scale models and historical footage help put the massive physical structures outside into context.

The dam is a high-security zone with strict identity and bag screening at the Tourist Transfer Center. Foreign visitors must carry their original physical passport to register and board the mandatory park shuttle buses.

Security checks at the visitor center are thorough, equivalent to airport screening. Drones, lighters, and flammable items are strictly prohibited inside the dam zone and will be confiscated or held at the checkpoint.

Private cars and taxis cannot drive inside the scenic zone, and distances between viewpoints are too far to walk. Every visitor must use the internal sightseeing bus loop, so allow at least three to four hours for transfers and waiting times.

The viewing decks at Tanziling and the 185 Platform are vast concrete plazas with very little shade. Bring a hat, sunglasses, and drinking water in warm weather, as the reflection off the concrete and river can be intense.