Travel guide to Emerald Lake and Qarhan Salt Lake: Uncovering the secrets of Northwest China's world-class lakes
Preface
Mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas have always been gifts from nature, but one "sky mirror" frequently pops up on our social media feeds. The distant Uyuni Salt Lake and the nearby Chaka Salt Lake are both standouts, drawing crowds of people, emptying the streets, scarves fluttering in the salt lakes, and crowds wandering the salt flats. Where can I find peace and tranquility to rest my restless soul, to enjoy the world of salt lakes all to myself?
I stumbled upon a thread on WeChat Moments about several world-class lakes hidden in China's northwest, yet they're still largely undiscovered. Each of these lakes rivals the finest scenery, yet only one percent of the population has ever seen them. So, I'd like to share them with you, so we can explore these hidden gems of the northwest together.
Emerald Lake, a secret place bestowed by God
Why is it called Emerald Lake?
Emerald Lake, as its name suggests, boasts an emerald hue, a characteristic it boasts. Its waters are clear, its salinity moderate, and it's abundant in artemia, though fishing is prohibited to protect the environment. The eastern side of the lake serves as an important winter pasture for herders, and various waterfowl also inhabit the lake during the migratory season. Many people may not have heard of this area; it was originally the mining area of the former Da Qaidam Chemical Plant's salt lake mining team.
It has become what it is today after the decline of its industry. Because it is still in a relatively original state, there are no scenic spots and ticket offices here. It is still a virgin land for tourism and a mysterious niche travel destination.
The causes of the colorful salt lake
Because evaporation from salt lakes in arid and semi-arid regions is greater than or equal to precipitation and recharge, the water is saturated with high concentrations of salt, as seen in the Greater Qaidam, Lesser Qaidam, Qarhan, Dabusun, and Chaka Salt Lakes. The differences in salt content caused by evaporation during their formation give the lakes their distinct colors. Salt crystals precipitated from some salt lakes also create lines and joints on their surfaces, creating a vibrant, multicolored effect when light refracts.
The best time to view Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake displays different colors throughout the year. From December to January, it partially freezes over, creating a more crystalline effect. Summer, from May to August, is even more translucent, making both periods ideal for a visit. The sunrise and sunset periods, in the morning and evening, further enhance the emerald hues, reflecting the changing sunlight.
How to Enjoy Emerald Salt Lake
Although it's right next to the town of Daxiadan, Emerald Lake doesn't have any clear signage, so many people who visit Daxiadan don't know how to find it. Therefore, if you're driving, you'll really need a local guide. The lakeside is perfect for posing, but the best angle is from a high vantage point, so a drone is best for capturing it.
About 2 hours is enough to spend time at the edge of Emerald Lake, but if you want to see more charming scenery, you may need to wait for the brief moments of sunrise and sunset. Although it is a salt lake, some wild ducks will still appear from time to time to play in the lake, bringing a touch of vitality to the desolate northwest. It is also an excellent place to shoot Tik Tok and short videos. The planning of the scenic area has begun, and perhaps it will become a fixed scenic area in the future, so while you are free now, you might as well travel boldly and meet Emerald.
Where is the mysterious Emerald Lake?
Where is Emerald Lake? Searching through Baidu, Google, and Sogou, I couldn't find the location of the Emerald Lake in the picture. This is because the official name of the salt lake isn't "Emerald Lake," but rather a common name based on its characteristics. The actual Emerald Lake is called "Yike Qaidam Lake" on Baidu Maps and "Dachaidam Lake" on Google satellite images. The lake is located near Dachaidan Town (located in Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China), our destination and transit point.
Da Qaidam, a small town nestled in the highlands of the Gobi Desert, epitomizes China's development in the 1950s and 1960s. Countless mainlanders flocked to the "treasure trough" of Qaidam, and the population reportedly once reached 100,000. However, with the decline of industry and the shifting oil production areas, Da Qaidam is now primarily developing its most promising new tourist destinations: the Water Yadan, Emerald Lake, and the Nanbaxian Devil City. Corresponding transportation and accommodation development is also underway.
Transportation to attractions
train
Currently, the only trains passing through Daxiadan are Train No. 7583 from Xining to Mahai (stopping at 2:20) and Train No. 7584 on the same route in the opposite direction (stopping at 10:06).
Tips:
The train journey from Xining to Daxiadan Town usually takes about 8.5 hours. Train No. 7583 departs only on the 10th, 20th, and 30th of each month (with the last day in February), while Train No. 7584 returns the next day. Daxiadan Railway Station is 2.5 kilometers northeast of the town, and a taxi ride costs about 10 yuan. Train tickets to Daxiadan can only be purchased at the train station. Tickets are not available by phone, via the 12306 website, or at ticket agencies.
coach
Dachaidan Bus Station is located on Renmin East Road
Tips:
Specific flights
To Golmud: Two departures at 9:30 and 14:00, 43 yuan, 3 hours
To Delingha: Two departures at 11:00 and 13:00, 45 yuan, 3.5 hours
To Xining: 17:45, fare 156 yuan, 12 hours
To Dunhuang: Two departures at 10:30 and 12:00, 83 yuan, 6 hours
Transportation within the town
There is no public transportation at the moment. It takes about 30 minutes to walk through the town, and the starting price for a taxi is around 10 yuan.
Emerald Lake Accommodation
Daxiadan Town is a key transit point connecting Qinghai Lake and Dunhuang. With the growth of tourism, the local government has also vigorously developed tourism facilities. Daxiadan Town's hotels are primarily business-class, with only one youth hostel currently located. Accommodation and dining options are primarily concentrated along Chuangxin Road and Tuanjie Road. While the rooms are spacious and clean, the amenities are rather basic, and the showers are typically low-power.
Hotel Recommendation
1. Delingha Tiancheng Hotel
The hotel is clean and tidy, with bright lighting and a large parking lot. The location is very good and it is convenient for dining and shopping.
Address: Dahua Street, Dachaidan Town, Delingha
Price: about 150 yuan per night
2. Haixi Dachaidan People's Hotel
The hotel's location is very good, there is a bus stop nearby, the room is very clean, the price is affordable, and the cost performance is really high.
Address: No. 104, Building 11, Wenquan Road, Dachaidan, Haixi
Price: about 100 yuan per night
3. Haixi Gobi Youth Hostel
This youth hostel just opened in May 2016 and is the first choice for budget travelers.
Address: Dahua Street, Haixi
Price: about 32 yuan per night
Reflection of the Sky - Qarhan Salt Lake
Deep in the heart of Qinghai lies the Chaerhan Salt Lake, Asia's largest salt lake. I first encountered it through a short video on the social media feeds of some of the most famous people, and I wondered where in the world such a secret place might be. It turns out it's right here in Qinghai, so it's not far away.
The Qarhan Salt Lake is 56 times larger than the Chaka Salt Lake, and its salt reserves are enough to sustain the world's population for thousands of years. Located in the heart of the Qaidam Basin, known as the "Cornucopia," it overlooks the sky illuminated by the Kunlun Mountains, the ancestor of all mountains.
Chaluhan is not a regular scenic spot. It belongs to a Fortune 500 company and creates unimaginable economic value, but it also has super high appearance. The inappropriate metaphor "People who are more beautiful than you work harder than you" is just right here.
There are layers of salt crystals, salt flowers in various shapes, and the world-famous 32-kilometer "Ten Thousand Meter Salt Bridge". It is built purely of salt crystals. The road leading to Kunlun Mountain divides the lake into different blocks, and appears blue or green under the changing light.
Causes of the formation of Qarhan Salt Lake
The Qarhan Salt Lake is the lowest and most central area of the Qaidam Basin. Hundreds of millions of years ago, the Qaidam Basin was once a vast ocean. Due to the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the landmass shifted, transforming the Qaidam Basin into a basin. The Qaidam Basin boasts over a hundred lakes of varying sizes, with the Qarhan Salt Lake being the largest and most famous. Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica mentions Qarhan, a region rich in natural resources, and the "green salt" used at the time originated there.
Legend of Qarhan Salt Lake
Long ago, the land of Chaerhan was overflowing with gold, silver, and jewels. However, the mountain gods and demons were undutiful and indifferent, fighting endlessly for the treasures year-round, bringing great disaster to the area. Upon learning of this, the Queen Mother of the West, residing deep within Mount Kunlun, declared, "This is outrageous" and resolved to put an end to the situation. She ordered the Water God to send down heavenly waters to flood the land, leaving only the descendants of the human race. Thus, the salt lake appeared. In fact, Chaerhan Salt Lake was formed when an ancient ocean, separated by the mountains through the crustal shifts of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, gradually shrank and dried up.
How to enjoy the Qarhan Salt Lake
The Chaerhan Salt Lake is approximately 60 kilometers from Golmud City. No entrance fee is required; simply register at the security office at the entrance and drive directly to the central pier. The central pier is a popular tourist destination, boasting the famous Chaerhan Salt Flower sculpture. This is a crossroads, with roads leading to different salt zones. This road, built for transportation, is Chaerhan's "Ten Thousand Meter Salt Bridge." If you have time, explore the depths of the lake. With luck, you might spot machines extracting brine and the whiter salt flowers.
Salt flowers—the name for the beautifully shaped crystals—are formed during the brine crystallization process. The varying concentrations, durations, and composition of the brine result in these stunning, almost magical, salt flowers. These salt flowers, shaped like pagodas, palace lanterns, pavilions, and even the heads of fantastical beasts, stand in clusters within the salt lake, adding to the region's unique charm.
There is also a Salt Lake Museum at the entrance of the Salt Lake Group (ticket price: 50 yuan, 9:30-16:30 in summer; 10:30-16:00 in winter). The museum is divided into two floors, one introducing the different salt flowers, and the other about corporate culture. The salt lake sand table is worth a look.
Tips: A round-trip taxi charter in Golmud costs about 180-200 yuan. You can also share a car at the Hexi roundabout in the city center, which costs 20 yuan per person one way. However, you cannot directly enter the Salt Lake Group's trial investment center and need to walk for about 30 minutes.
Where is the Qarhan Salt Lake?
The nearest city to the Qarhan Salt Lake is Golmud. Whether it is tourists coming to the salt lake from other places or guests flying directly to the nearest location of the salt lake, they will choose to stop in Golmud.
Golmud is an emerging industrial city. In just a few decades of history, it has developed into the second most prosperous city in Qinghai, second only to Xining. However, compared with the harsh natural environment and scenery around it, this city seems so out of place and too prosperous. This city is closely related to the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. With the opening of the railway, it has increasingly become a distribution center for surrounding attractions. In addition to the Qarhan Salt Lake we mentioned, when you come to Golmud, you can also see the Kunlun Mountains and Wild Ox Valley.
Transportation to attractions
airplane
Golmud Airport is located 15 kilometers west of the city center. It has direct flights to Xining (13:00) and Xi'an (21:55), mostly operated by China Eastern Airlines, with one flight per day. Airport phone number: 8423333
How to get to the airport: There are currently no airport shuttle buses or public buses from Golmud city to the airport. The taxi fare is about 50 yuan.
train
Golmud Railway Station is located in the south of the city. As an important transit station along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, it connects Xining, Lhasa, Beijing, Shanghai and other places.
coach
Golmud Long-Distance Bus Station (No. 23, Jiangyuan South Road): Located on the north side of the railway station, buses mainly depart for Xining, Dunhuang, and Delingha. Station phone number: 8453688
Taishan Road Bus Station: Main buses go to Lanxian, Delingha, Daxiadan, and Xiangride. Station phone number: 8419756
City transportation
The bus fare in Golmud is 1 yuan; the starting price for a taxi is 6 yuan.
Qarhan Salt Lake Accommodation
The most important accommodation around the Qarhan Salt Lake is in Golmud. With the development of tourism, Golmud has abundant accommodation resources, including various chain hotels, business hotels, youth hostels, and star-rated hotels. These hotels are mainly concentrated in the area around the railway station and Kunlun Middle Road.
Hotel Recommendation
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Qinghai Golmud
The hotel is excellent, with a great location and a beautiful lobby and building. The room has a large bathtub and double vanity. There are plenty of restaurants nearby.
Address: No. 15-02, Kunlun South Road, Golmud
Price: about 500 yuan
Golmud Yellow River International Hotel
The hotel is in a very convenient location, with easy parking, a friendly front desk, complete internal facilities, and a humidifier in the room.
Address: No. 62 Kunlun Middle Road, Golmud
Price: about 250 yuan
Golmud Tianyin Business Hotel
The room is clean and tidy, fully equipped, with plenty of hot water. The front desk is friendly and the service is thoughtful. The price is affordable and cost-effective.
Address: No. 42, Jinfeng Middle Road, Golmud
Price: about 98 yuan
Golmud Bindi Hotel
The location is very good, the sanitation is very clean, there is parking space, the surrounding environment is also good, it is very convenient for dining out and shopping, and the price-performance ratio is also very good.
Address: No. 40 Zhongshan Road, Golmud
Price: about 170 yuan
There are some minor issues in Golmud. First of all, you must pay attention to safety when crossing the road, as local drivers drive relatively fast. Also, because it is close to Kunlun Mountain, Kunlun jade and other jade products are very common in the local area. If you don't have excellent identification ability and strong bargaining skills, it is easy to be deceived.
Tips:
Hospital
Address: No. 18 Kunlun Middle Road (located on the west side of Kunlun Plaza, the largest hospital in the area)
Telephone: 8496722; Emergency number: 8490677
bank
Bank of China Plaza Branch: Located in the southwest corner of Kunlun Plaza, it provides currency exchange services.
ICBC Golmud Branch: No. 2 Jiangyuan South Road, close to the railway station and the city center.
post office
Yingbin Road Branch, northwest corner of the railway station square
Conclusion
Without travel, you've never truly experienced the vastness of our motherland. Even if you've searched the world, home still offers the best. In our vast, untouched Northwest, countless hidden gems remain, unexplored. Whether it's the vast, vibrant beauty of Emerald Lake or the mysterious salt formations of the Qarhan Salt Lake, these small yet beautiful, world-class landscapes await you.
