City: Qinghai
Top Things to do in Qinghai
What to do and see in Qinghai, China: The Best Bodies of Water
Qinghai (Chinese: 青海; pronounced [tɕʰíŋxài]), formerly known in English as Kokonur, is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northwest of the country. As one of the largest province-level administrative divisions of China by area, the province is ranked fourth-largest in size, but has the third-smallest population.
Restaurants in Qinghai
1. Qianzi Lake, Guide
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
2. Source of Yangtze River
3. Lake Kokonor
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 597 reviews
Reviewed By garyr0bertb - China, null
I visited Qinghai Lake in December 2020. Qinghai Lake (Koko Nor), China’s largest lake, changes according to the seasons. I wanted to see it in winter, the low tourist season. The lake is majestic, even in winter as the edges are iced over. I took alpine hiking gear but abandoned the idea when the temperatures hit minus 20 centigrade with strong winds blowing. Further away from the lake though it was only minus 12. At the touristy Erlangjian, only 1 of the 25 shops was open and I encountered only 6 other travellers. I saw more yaks & sheep than people. Still I walked for a bit around the lake and noticed a lot of small Tibetan Buddhist shrines and other things I could not identify. I booked a car & driver through a national Chinese tourist company to ensure a knowledgeable and licensed local driver with necessary insurance. We used a translation app to communicate. While only 130 km from Xining, the drive took nearly 3 hours as the driver thankfully drove slowly through the snowy roads. The scenery (photos uploaded) was spectacular, and he knew from experience where to stop and say “photo”. There were only two small towns enroute with distinctive Tibetan architecture. The driver informed me that Qinghai Lake is sacred to Tibetans and many pilgrims come here each year. I only experienced one section of the lake on a day trip and visited the famous Ta’er Monastery on the way home. I intend to visit the lake again in either Spring or Autumn and stay for 4-5 days, do some hiking, visit the mountains nearby and also Chaka Lake. Some Tips # This is a very remote part of China so careful preparation is needed if you do not join a tour group. # Hiring a licensed driver for a day or more provides you with greater flexibility but is more expensive. # Winter is not the best time for everyone. # There is a narrow bitumen bicycle path around the lake or sections of the lake but I’m not sure I would take by racing bike! # Definitely avoid Chinese national holidays unless you are comfortable with large crowds. # Read about its geography, history & religious significance before visiting as it might influence the type of experience you have. It’s a photographer’s paradise. # Remember that most of the land to the water’s edge is fenced, private, pastoral land which means “Keep Out”.
4. Nianbao Fairy Lake
5. The Birds Island
6. Eling Lake
7. Chaka Salt Lake, Haixi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 93 reviews
Reviewed By AmdoBoy - Xining, China
We visited Chaka Salt Lake 茶卡盐湖 Chaka salt lake scenic area is the only 4A scenic area of salt lake tourism in China. It is operated by qinghai chaka salt lake cultural tourism development co., LTD. The scenic spot is named after "sky mirror". Chaka salt lake is located near chaka town, wulan county, haixi Mongolian and Tibetan autonomous prefecture, qinghai province. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, chaka salt lake is pure, blue and white, with reflections intertwined, which looks like a natural mirror. It is one of the "four great landscapes in qinghai" and one of the "55 places one must visit in one's lifetime" in national tourism geographic magazine.
8. Geermu River
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
