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OverviewQinghai Lake, lying in the food of Sun-Moon Mountain and the northeast of Qinghai Plateau, is the largest inland salt water lake in China with a circumference of 360km and a surface area of over 4,500km squared. The beauty here lies in its salty vastness and the remote peace that it instills. The colors that can be found around the lake are of purity and contrasts, from the deep yellows of oil seed rape against the cold blues of the lake to the dark greens of distant mountains against the fluffy white of bilious clouds.
Admission fee: RMB 50/person, RMB 45/person for boat and RMB 15/person for Bird Island)
Transportation: In Xining City taking shuttle bus at long-distance Bus Station to Heima River which is far from Egg Island about 50 kilometers is about RMB 20/person lasting 5 hours. Then Rent mini bus to Egg Island is about RMB 50.
Accommodation: There are basically two options, one in Gonghe and the other on Bird Island. The Qinghai Lake Tent Hotel is a two star hotel that lies around 30km from the Sun Moon Mountain, in Jiangxigou Township, Gonghe. The hotel has about ten cabins and a restaurant. A Mongolian cabin for two costs RMB 280, a double with bath is RMB 240, without bath is RMB 160. The hotel also offers dorm beds for RMB 30 in a triple. The Bird Island Hotel is on the island, a little rough but cheap. Doubles are RMB 120, dorm beds are RMB 25. It is also possible to rent tents from the locals around the Bird Island. Generally these are pre-set up, with beds within, and will cost around RMB 10-20.
Attractions
Bird Island.jpg)
Bird Island, where thousands of birds inhabit, lies in the northwest corner of Qinghai Lake. It is a heaven of the reproduction of Asian birds, and the top among the eight bird reserves in China. Every May and June, the best time of bird watching, migratory birds fly from faraway mountains and deserts to breed here. It is quite a spectacle of thousands of birds flying over the sky, with their nests thickly dotted and colorful eggs interspersed all over the island. Besides, Haixi Shan, Shadao (Sand Island), Sankuaishi (Three Rocks), Erlang Sword Peninsula, and Qinghai Lake Fishery are scenic spots in Qinghai Lake that are worth visiting.
Sand Island
Like a crescent floating on eastern Qinghai Lake, Sand Island is formed by sand blown by wind. It is connected with the dunes on the east bank of the lake. At present, the scenic spot has been equipped with some recreational facilities and sports establishments.
Haixin Mountain
Haixin Mountain is an isle shaped like a spiral shell located in the middle south of the lake, covering an area of 1 square kilometer. The body of the isle is made up of ivory white granite and gneiss. With the coverage of green vegetation over 50%, the isle is a good place for horse-raising. What’s more, temples and other subsidiary buildings well suit the lake and the hill, and on the peak of the hill the panorama of the Qinghai Lake can be overlooked.
Food
Zeng Gao
Zeng Gao is a traditional snack for breakfast In Central Shaanxi. It is made from glutinous rice and dates in a steamer which is developed from an ancient cooking vessel Zeng, hence the name Zeng Gao. Dates have a lot of medicinal functions such as enriching the blood and calming the nerves and Zeng Gao has a strong flavor of dates and Is soft, sticky and tasty.
Dried Beef Cubes
"Snow Mountain” Dried Beef Cubes are made of fresh yak meat from Qinghai Plateau. It is a nourishing food with good color and sweet smell.
Kebab
Many tourists will be impressed by a kind of kebab called “Leiba” in Xining. This is actually turkish toasted meat.
Attentions
1. Keep away from dogs when you get along with herdsmen, and pay attention to wolves when you camp at night.
2. Do not go through dangers in order to be close to the lake, for some places are wetlands and swamps.
3. Do not swim in the lake or leave rubbish there.
4. The sunshine is very intense in the plateau through the temperature is not so high. You are suggested to bring PA+++ sunscreen.
5. The temperature differs greatly from day to night. Check the weather forecast before a trip.
6. Moisture-proof when camping. If you don’t have a special dampproof mat, plastic cloth will do instead.