Not long ago, a wave of excitement rippled through the travel community as news emerged that Dongtai Jinar Lake, a mysterious body of water hailed as “China’s Maldives,” had reportedly installed guardrails and dug deep trenches to prevent tourists from setting foot in the area.
The news immediately sparked widespread attention and discussion, as if a painting about to be closed was slowly unfolding before everyone’s eyes.
On Douyin (TikTok), a video by female pilot Dingdang further propelled the news to its climax. However, shortly after, an authoritative statement from the Golmud City Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Broadcasting Bureau in Qinghai Province unveiled the truth behind the story.
It turns out that Dongtai Jinar Lake is not an official tourist attraction but rather a production mining area owned by Qinghai Dongtai Jinar Lithium Resources Co., Ltd.
The beauty and mystery of this lake stem from the variations in mineral concentration in the water, creating countless enchanting and unique landscapes that have attracted numerous visitors.
However, due to the recent need for safe production in the mining area, Qinghai Dongtai Jinar Lithium Resources Co., Ltd. had no choice but to implement closed management of the lake area and install wire fences, leading to misunderstandings among netizens. They expressed deep apologies for this and stated that they would actively coordinate to open up sightseeing channels to meet the needs of tourists.
This lake, like a mysterious beauty, sometimes appears a deep blue and other times dries up into a desert. Some netizens have recorded her desolate side, where the once rippling blue waters have now turned into a gray and earthy landscape.
Behind the warning sign “Beware of Drowning” lies a barren land and the remains of “drowned” drones.
Only that river gully still retains traces of her former existence.
It turns out that this lake itself is a massive lithium deposit. River water is artificially diverted to dilute the lithium ore, and when the lake water is drained, it presents a desolate scene.
Now, this paradise on earth, which was only recently discovered, has returned to its original tranquility and mystery.
Although it is regrettable, we should also understand that this place is not a popular check-in spot but a precious gift bestowed upon us by nature.
We hope to have the opportunity to see this Eden again and experience its beauty and mystery.
At the same time, it also reminds us that when it comes to beautiful scenery, we always say there will be plenty of time, but sometimes, beautiful things can disappear in an instant. Therefore, it is essential to travel early and cherish every intimate encounter with nature. Bidding farewell to Dongtai Jinar Lake, Qinghai has many more beautiful landscapes waiting for you to explore.
West Taiji Naier Lake
“A Double Feast”
The stunning wonders of West Taiji Naier Lake are vastly different from the heavenly scenes of Dongtai Jinar Lake. West Taiji Naier Lake is like a jewel embedded in the earth, dazzling and mysterious.
The G315 National Highway acts as a natural dividing line, splitting this salt lake into two, forming a unique “bicolor lake.”
Once, East and West Taiji Naier Lake were part of the same body of water, like twin brothers. However, the passage of time and the miraculous power of nature caused the lake to shrink, forming two separate lakes.
West Taiji Naier Lake, this salt lake where solid and liquid coexist, has been continuously replenished by the endless water supply from the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains, as if it were the most precious gift nature has bestowed upon this land.
But its charm goes far beyond that. The copper ions on one side of the lake give it a blue-green dual-color spectacle, like a painter’s palette, full of vibrant colors that captivate the soul.
Standing on the national highway and looking to both sides, the scenery is utterly different, as if one is in two entirely different worlds, an incredibly magical feeling.
The water on both sides is so clear that it resembles a mirror, reflecting the sky and mountains. Along the shore, trees are lush and verdant, with various flowers blooming in competition, full of vitality. A gentle breeze brings a touch of coolness, refreshing the mind and soul.
The distant mountains stand still, like a guardian silently protecting this tranquil lake.
Although the environment of the salt lake seems harsh, West Taiji Naier Lake has displayed an astonishing vitality.
Wild ducks and birds soar freely here, either leisurely wandering or flying in pairs, flapping their wings and leaving beautiful ripples on the water’s surface. These creatures coexist harmoniously with the lake, forming a beautiful painting.
West Taiji Naier Lake, this treasure of nature, attracts countless tourists with its unique charm. Here, you can experience the wonder and beauty of nature and appreciate the true meaning of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
Dachaidan Emerald Lake
“Tears of God”
If the phrase “large and small pearls falling onto a jade plate” could be painted into a picture scroll, it would certainly depict the stunning scenery of Dachaidan Emerald Lake.
Dachaidan Emerald Lake is like a massive emerald embedded on the plateau, belonging to the magnesium sulfate subtype salt lake. Due to the varying concentrations of potassium, magnesium, lithium, and other elements in the lake, the surface presents an ever-changing array of colors. Each area of water is unique, like drops on nature’s palette, making it a visual feast for the eyes.
Standing by the lake, the interplay of pale cyan, emerald green, and deep blue water areas washes over your eyes like a dream. You feel as if you are in an emerald fairy realm, with each step treading on a colorful dreamscape.
Strolling along the paths of Dachaidan Salt Lake, on one side are the majestic Kunlun Snow Mountains, and on the other side are the peculiar Yardang landforms, resembling a green jade mirror reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and snowy peaks. You feel as if you are in a mysterious place, drifting between reality and dreams.
The scenery before your eyes is breathtakingly beautiful, as if the most brilliant moment has arrived in the human world.
If conditions permit and with permission, you can fly a drone to view this paradise from God’s perspective.
Those colorful salt pools are like a spilled palette, or treasures bestowed upon this land by God. They are embedded on the plateau at an altitude of over 3,000 meters, tranquil and profound, telling the mystery and beauty of nature.
When the evening glow falls on this emerald lake, it shines with a golden brilliance, transforming its appearance once again.
At this moment, the lake surface is like a bright mirror, reflecting everything in the sky and blurring the horizon. You feel as if you are in a golden dream, experiencing the wonder and charm of nature.
Mangya Emerald Lake
“The Green Gem of the Earth”
Mangya Emerald Lake, like a piece of pure and flawless jade frozen in time, adds a touch of water-like tenderness to the once Silk Road post where Han envoy Zhang Qian set foot, and now a real-life Mars post.
If Dachaidan Emerald Lake is a romantic poem intertwining dreamlike landscapes and oceans, then Mangya Emerald Lake is a top-grade emerald personally carved by the heavens, magnificent and dazzling, shining with the most magical natural radiance west of the Northwest, becoming a stunning natural album.
Compared to the colorful hues of Dachaidan Emerald Lake, the colors of Mangya Emerald Lake are more pure. Whether viewed from the ground level or from high above, the lake water presents a pure and flawless emerald green, as if it were a treasure left on earth by the heavens, truly embodying the name “Emerald Lake.”
Walking on the white roads formed by condensed salt crystals, the industrial salt crystals gently appear under the shallow water and clear lake surface, like light green ice blocks shrouded in a faint mist, exuding a charming luster.
Looking into the distance, this fairyland-like scene becomes even more magnificent. Mangya Emerald Lake is like an ancient “bronze mirror,” quietly reflecting the surrounding majestic mountains, conversing with their shadows, as if immersed in the graceful poetic atmosphere of flowers reflected in the water, making one intoxicated.
Charhan Salt Lake
“A True Realm in the Sky”
The scenery of the Northwest takes vastness as its undertone, and among them, Charhan Salt Lake interprets this “vastness” to the fullest.
On this boundless land, Charhan Salt Lake is crowned with the character “big,” standing proudly among its peers. It stretches over 160 kilometers from east to west, with a width ranging from 20 to 40 kilometers from north to south. Its total area reaches a staggering 5,856 square kilometers, dwarfing Chaka Salt Lake by a whopping 56 times.
Even on a global scale, it is second only to the Great Salt Lake in Salt Lake City, USA, firmly occupying the second-largest salt lake in the world.
The vastness of Charhan Salt Lake is awe-inspiring. Not only is this salt lake immense in size, but it also holds abundant salt resources, with its economic and resource value far exceeding people’s imagination.
According to salt industry experts in Qinghai, the potential development value of Charhan Salt Lake is a staggering 1.2 trillion yuan. Once mined, it could supply the global population for a thousand years.
However, to protect this precious salt lake ecosystem, relevant authorities have established a 24-hour patrol system by armed police, strictly prohibiting unauthorized mining and random entry by tourists. They guard the tranquility and beauty of the lake, ensuring its safety and integrity.
Of course, the beauty of Charhan Salt Lake lies not only in its vast size and rich resources. The lake surface is like a newly cultivated fertile land, layered and shimmering.
Here, you cannot smell any “breath of life.” There are no green grasses, no playful fish, and few birds resting. But it is precisely this pure greenness that gives Charhan Salt Lake its unique charm.
It is serene and profound, like a green gem embedded in the vast land of the Northwest, radiating a captivating glow.
Ayakum Spring
“The Devil’s Eye”
Ayakum Spring is undoubtedly the most “peculiar” place on the land of Qinghai.
Viewed from above, the spring’s eye and the gushing water intertwine, coupled with the unique sediments on the surrounding land. Together, they outline a stunning pupil shape, like a gigantic eye embedded in the vast land, affectionately called the “Eye of the Earth” by people.
In the water of Ayakum Spring, the sulfur content is extremely high, causing mineral deposits to gradually settle on the surrounding soil as the spring water flows.
These sediments not only erode the surrounding vegetation and soil, making the area devoid of grass, but also form a series of eerie and unique patterns, like mysterious runes on the earth, telling untold secrets.
To this day, Ayakum Spring remains shrouded in mystery, with no detailed investigation yet to uncover all its secrets. This makes this wonder even more alluring, evoking a sense of awe.
However, when visiting Ayakum Spring, safety is of utmost importance.
Please note that the closer you get to the spring’s eye, the softer the soil becomes, and a slight misstep could cause you to sink. Therefore, when photographing the beautiful scenery of Ayakum Spring, please strictly follow the safety regulations and do not cross the safety line to ensure your own safety.
Ebao Ridge
“The Most Mars-like Place on Earth”
In the distant past, over 75 million years ago, the Qaidam Basin quietly emerged, revealing its initial form.
Through the tireless sculpting of the “wind ax,” the great sculptor of nature, over tens of millions of years, the Yardang landforms of Ebao Ridge gradually unveiled their magnificent and spectacular scenery.
From afar, Ebao Ridge resembles a series of majestic city towers, standing on the horizon with an awe-inspiring presence.
Among them, vivid scenes reminiscent of the “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” painting come into view, as if the world’s myriad of wonders are condensed on this magical land.
Stepping into this area feels like traveling through time and space, arriving on a distant Mars.
The primitive natural state here is relatively well-preserved, giving a sense of mystery and desolation. No wonder people call this place “the most Mars-like place on Earth.”
It is worth mentioning that hidden in this desolate land, there is a yellow sulfuric acid lake. This lake is like a guardian, silently watching over the land, making the sense of desolation even more profound.
Under the sunlight, the lake water shimmers with a golden glow, harmonizing with the surrounding Yardang landforms, forming a unique natural painting.
Wusute Yardangs on Water
“Globally Unique”
The Yardang wonders bloom leisurely in the lake, making it the world’s first discovered Yardang landscape on water, truly one-of-a-kind.
These Yardang landforms floating on the water surface seem like art pieces carefully condensed by Mother Earth using millions of years of salt and sand, then delicately sculpted by the skillful hands of the wind.
Some of them shoot straight into the sky, like the fingers of the earth pointing to the heavens; others meander and twist, like the earth’s veins flowing silently. Each Yardang carries its own story and history, telling the vicissitudes and changes of this land.
In the boundless desert, a “vast ocean” miraculously appears, with Yardang landforms hidden within, contrasting with the azure blue lake water.
The light and shadow on the lake surface change like a masterful painting, outlining the silhouettes of the Yardangs in a dreamlike manner. This beauty is so poetic and picturesque, making people intoxicated.
Qilian Mountains – Zhouer Mountain
“The Little Switzerland of the East”
This place is not Switzerland, but its magnificence surpasses the imagination of Switzerland.
Compared to the Danxia landforms in Zhangye, the visual impact it brings is more unique, as if nature has exhausted all its colors and brushstrokes to create a distinct miracle on this land.
At dawn, the warm sun falls like silk on Zhouer Mountain, and under the outline of light and shadow, the lines of the mountains intertwine with gentleness and grandeur, like a dream.
The gentle grasslands and the red-roofed, white-walled buildings create an interesting contrast, resembling an oil painting of Nordic scenery, with the blue sky and white clouds becoming the most beautiful backdrop.
This natural painting perfectly blends the delicate charm of the south with the rugged wonder of the north. Every scene seems like nature’s meticulous craftsmanship, allowing people to immerse themselves and linger with no desire to leave.
The beauty of Qinghai is beyond words and cannot be fully experienced through hearsay.
This summer, why not find a suitable time to come in person and feel the shock and beauty brought by this land?
