Not long ago, a piece of news caused a stir in the tourism industry:
Dongtaijinaier Lake, known as the “Chinese version of Maldives”, is undergoing a transformation – installing guardrails and digging deep trenches to block tourists’ footprints.
This news quickly spread on the Internet and attracted widespread attention.
However, it was followed by the clarification of the Qinghai Golmud Municipal Culture, Sports, Tourism and Radio and Television Bureau:
It turned out that Dongtaijinaier Lake is not a tourist attraction, but a production mining area of Qinghai Dongtaijinaier Lithium Resources Co., Ltd., and there has never been a plan for tourism development.
The beauty of the lake comes from the dual influence of climate and mineral concentration. It sometimes ripples and sometimes quietly retreats.
It is this unpredictable charm that attracts countless tourists to yearn for and explore.
However, due to the need for safe production in the mining area, the lake area has been closed recently, which has made many netizens feel regretful and puzzled.
We deeply apologize for this misunderstanding and will actively coordinate with relevant companies to explore the possibility of opening a tour channel to meet the viewing needs of tourists.
However, we must also admit that this paradise on earth is gradually returning to its original tranquility and original intention.
Looking back, it is not the first time that Dongtaijinaier Lake has faced rumors of closure, and it even “disappeared” from people’s sight.
Some netizens recorded its desolate side. The once blue waters turned into a dry desert, and only the gray and earthy dry land was left behind the warning sign.
The wreckage of the drone lay quietly on the ground.
Only the river ditch can still vaguely recognize its former existence.
But in fact, this land is originally a super-large lithium deposit. The artificial diversion of river water to dilute the lithium ore is only a temporary phenomenon.
Today, this paradise on earth has returned to its original state and continues to exist for its true purpose.
Although it is regrettable, we must accept the fact that Dongtaijinaier Lake is not a popular check-in point. Its beauty and tranquility need our respect and care.
We look forward to seeing this Garden of Eden again in the future, and we also hope that every traveler can cherish the beauty in front of them, because some beauty is really fleeting.
The meaning of travel lies in exploration and discovery, and Qinghai, this vast land, still has countless scenery worth pursuing.
Let us continue to move forward with our thoughts of Dongtaijinaier Lake to explore more unknowns and beauty.
West Taijinaier Lake
The magnificent picture of West Taijinaier Lake
Different from East Taijinaier Lake, West Taijinaier Lake shows the wonders of nature with its unique posture.
G315 National Highway is like a jade belt, dividing this salt lake into two, creating a unique “two-color lake” picture.
Once upon a time, East and West Taijinaier Lake were the same lake, but later because the lakes retreated, they became independent landscapes.
Xitaijinaier Lake, a salt lake with both solid and liquid phases, has always been bathed in the blessings of the northern slope of Kunlun Mountain, and the endless water source nourishes it.
The copper ions in the lake water give it a magnificent blue and green color, which is breathtaking.
Standing on the road and looking to both sides, the scenery is completely different. You seem to be on the dividing line, with deep blue on one side and fresh green on the other. This feeling is extremely magical.
The lake water on both sides is clear and transparent, like a mirror, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds and the trees and flowers on the shore. The breeze blows, bringing a hint of coolness, and the mountains in the distance stand quietly, guarding this quiet lake.
Although the environment of the salt lake is not friendly to birds, Xitaijinaier Lake has attracted many birds to come and live with its superior natural environment.
Wild ducks and flying birds are in groups, wandering leisurely or flying in pairs, their wings crossing the water, leaving ripples.
This picture of harmonious coexistence between man and nature makes people sigh at the magical charm of nature.
Dachaidan Emerald Lake
If the poetic meaning of “big and small pearls falling on a jade plate” can be embodied in a picture, then it must be the Dachaidan Emerald Lake.
The Dachaidan Emerald Lake under the camera is a model of magnesium sulfate subtype salt lake.
Due to the presence of potassium, magnesium, lithium and other elements in the lake at different concentrations, this lake presents a myriad of colors, and each water area is unique, like a palette in nature.
Standing by the lake, the light blue, emerald green and dark blue waters in front of you constantly wash away the visual boundaries, as if you have stepped into a dreamlike emerald wonderland.
Walking along the road of Dachaidan Salt Lake, on one side is the majestic Kunlun Snow Mountain, and on the other side is the mysterious Yadan landform, like a green mirror, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds and snow peaks, making people feel as if they are in a dream beyond reality.
This scene is like a highlight moment in the world, which makes people moved.
If conditions permit, with permission, you may as well use a drone to rise to a high altitude and feel the magnificence of this land from a bird’s-eye view.
Those colorful brine pools are like a palette left by God on the plateau, and like a fairyland given to the earth, quiet and profound.
When the evening glow falls, the golden afterglow is attached to the Dachaidan Emerald Lake, and the green lake water puts on new clothes, turning into a bright mirror, reflecting everything in the sky, making the skyline blurred in the interweaving of light and shadow, like a flowing painting.
Mangya Emerald Lake
Mangya Emerald Lake, like a piece of pure jade gem, is inlaid on the Silk Road post station where Han envoy Zhang Qian once set foot – this real version of the Mars post station, adding a touch of watery tenderness to it.
If Dachaidan Emerald Lake is like a dreamy landscape painting, showing the romance and beauty of the sea, then Mangya Emerald Lake is the top-grade emerald gifted by God, dazzling and becoming the most magical natural picture album west of the northwest.
Compared with the blue, green and blue of Dachaidan Emerald Lake, the colors of Mangya Emerald Lake are not as rich, but more pure.
Whether it is viewed from the ground or from the air, the lake presents a pure emerald green, which truly interprets the name of “Emerald Lake”.
Walking on the white road surface solidified by salt crystals, the industrial salt crystals covered by shallow water are gently displayed under the clear lake surface, like light green ice covered with mist, which is so beautiful that it makes people intoxicated.
Looking far away, this fairyland becomes magnificent again.
Mangya Emerald Lake is like an ancient “bronze mirror”, reflecting the surrounding towering mountains, and talking with their shadows, as if making people intoxicated in the graceful poetry of flowers reflected by the water.
Chaerhan Salt Lake
The scenery of the northwest has always been characterized by vastness, and the Chaerhan Salt Lake interprets this “vastness” to the fullest.
Among many salt lakes in China, the Chaerhan Salt Lake stands out for its unparalleled “largeness”.
It stretches more than 160 kilometers from east to west and spans 20 to 40 kilometers from north to south, with a total area of an astonishing 5,856 square kilometers, which is 56 times that of the Chaka Salt Lake.
Looking at the world, its area is second only to the Salt Lake City Salt Lake in the United States.
It is this vast area that gives the Chaerhan Salt Lake rich salt resources, and its economic and resource value far exceeds people’s imagination.
According to Qinghai salt industry experts, the potential development value of the Chaerhan Salt Lake is as high as 12 trillion yuan. If it is mined, its salt volume is enough to supply the world’s population for more than a thousand years.
However, in order to protect this precious salt lake ecosystem, we have taken strict measures.
The armed police patrol 24 hours a day, strictly prohibit illegal mining and tourists from stepping on it at will to ensure the tranquility and safety of the salt lake.
Of course, the beauty of the Chaerhan Salt Lake is also unparalleled. The lake surface is like a piece of fertile land that has just been cultivated, with layers upon layers and sparkling waves.
There is no hustle and bustle of life here, no embellishment of green grass, no fish playing, and few birds stopping here. Only the pure greenness quietly spreads between heaven and earth, which makes people fascinated.
Aiken Spring
Aiken Spring is undoubtedly the most “strange” secret place in Qinghai.
Under the camera, looking down from the air, the spring eye and the gushing spring water, as well as the minerals deposited on the surrounding soil, together outline a peculiar pupil pattern, like a deep and mysterious eye, embedded in this vast land, known as the “Eye of the Earth”.
The water of Aiken Spring has a very high sulfur content, which causes the surrounding soil and vegetation to be corroded. Wherever the spring water goes, no grass grows, leaving only strange lines, like scars on the earth and marks of time.
To this day, Aiken Spring still maintains its mysterious veil, and no detailed investigation has yet revealed all its secrets. This makes people full of awe for it and adds a bit of mystery to it.
However, when appreciating this wonder, safety is always the top priority. The soil near the spring is soft, and you may fall into it if you are not careful.
Therefore, when taking pictures of the beauty of Aiken Spring, remember not to cross the safety line to ensure your personal safety.
Oboliang
More than 75 million years ago, the Qaidam Basin first showed its grandeur. After countless years of carving by the “wind axe”, it finally gave birth to the magnificent Yadan wonder of Oboliang.
Looking at Oboliang from a distance, it is like an ancient city wall with towers, standing on the vast land.
Inside the city wall, a vivid Qingming Shanghe Tu seems to jump out before your eyes, and all the world is in it, making people indulge in this magnificent picture.
This area maintains a relatively complete original natural state. Walking into it, it seems to have traveled to the distant Mars.
The desolation and mystery are amazing. No wonder people call it “the most Mars-like place on earth”.
It is worth mentioning that there is also a yellow sulfuric acid lake hidden in this mysterious land.
This lake quietly guards this land, adding a bit of desolation and mystery.
It seems to be the guardian of this land, silently witnessing the changes of time.
Usut Water Yadan
The Yadan landform is like stars dotted between the lakes. This is the first water Yadan wonder discovered in the world.
They seem to be artistic masterpieces carefully condensed by Mother Earth with salt and sand, and then carefully carved by the hands of wind erosion.
Some of these Yadans are towering into the sky, while others are winding and twisting like a giant dragon.
Each of them carries its own story and history, silently telling the changes of time.
In the boundless desert, a “vast ocean” appears out of thin air, and the Yadan landform is hidden in it.
The blue lake and the amazing landforms complement each other, with golden reflections and ever-changing colors, forming a beautiful and picturesque natural picture.
Qilian Mountain Zhuoer Mountain
Although this place is not Switzerland, it is better than Switzerland and more spectacular.
Zhuoer Mountain under the camera is a treasure of Danxia landform. It blends with fields, forests and grasslands to form a unique landscape. Compared with the Danxia landform in Zhangye, it has a completely different visual impact.
When the warm morning sun shines on Zhuoer Mountain, it gently outlines the softness and majesty of the mountains, interweaving a moving picture.
The gentle grassland connects the red-roofed and white-walled buildings, set against the background of blue sky and white clouds, as if you are in a small town in Northern Europe, full of exotic customs.
The scene in front of you is like a natural painting, perfectly blending the delicate charm of Jiangnan with the rugged magic of the north.
This kind of beauty cannot be fully described in words. Only by experiencing it in person can you truly appreciate the charm of Qinghai.
The beauty of Qinghai cannot be felt by hearing about it.
This summer, find a suitable time to take a trip on a whim, so that your soul can be truly relaxed and nourished in this beautiful land!
