Aerial View of "Da Hai Dao" - National Geographic's Certified Mars-like Beauty

Yes, I'm back in my beloved "Beautiful Xinjiang" again! This time specifically for Hami's Da Hai Dao (Great Sea Road) that I missed last time. The weather was perfect for two days, though we endured 7 hours on bumpy roads and scorching heat! My eyes feasted on spectacular views while my body battled fierce winds and heat waves - forever respecting and loving nature!

Finally, I saw with my own eyes the place National Geographic certified as "Earth's most Mars-like terrain"! Red layered cliffs like flaky pastry cut through the Gobi Desert, camel thorns swaying between wind-eroded castle-like formations, and jagged rocks gilded by the sunset - I declare this the true alien planet landing site!

The entire Da Hai Dao region features yardang landforms, with the most beautiful concentrated in Echo Wall, Fairy Cave (Sky-reaching Cave), and the Mars Camp core area.

The pterosaur fossil site is located in Pterosaur Grand Canyon. It has greater historical significance than recreational value, and due to poor road conditions, stopping to explore is not recommended.

For wind-eroded Gobi landscapes, the most representative is Secret Great Wall, where visible wind-eroded stone pillars point skyward, resembling ancient architectural ruins. From a drone perspective, it looks like a massive black dragon skeleton.

The Eye of Lop Nur, located near Secret Great Wall, appears as undulating black mountains to the naked eye. A drone with wide-angle view is needed to see its complete form.

The Gobi agate market near Secret Great Wall has been largely picked over, but collecting some yourself as souvenirs is still a good option.

Post by howlmind | Apr 27, 2025