Aksay Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)

Checked in at the Oil Town, the filming location of the movie 'The Nine-Tiered Demon Tower'

🌺Checked in at the Oil Town, a town full of legendary colors, and it's also the filming location of the movie 'The Nine-Tiered Demon Tower'. 🌺This place is now a film and television base. I personally think it's a great place for shooting, with ruins, unfinished buildings, etc. It feels a bit like the desert map in the game 'PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds'. 🌺Once you're here, you'll definitely be attracted by the natural scenery. The unique Danxia landform and the vast Gobi desert make you feel like you're in another world. 🌺It's about 110 kilometers from Dunhuang City to Aksei Oil Town, and it takes about 2 hours. We first played on the Qinghai side, came up from Dachaidan, and it took about four to five hours by car. ⚠️Important!! The navigation address is not 'Oil Town' but 'Boluo Transfer Well'. 🌺I got a lot of cool photos from the nearby Danxia landform. Here, you can admire the spectacular rock formations and marvel at the wonders of nature. Taking pictures here feels so good, the sense of picture is super strong, don't miss this unique town, come on a memorable trip to the Oil Town! And you can also get a bunch of cool photos!

Oil Town: The Overnight Disappearance of 200,000 Residents, What Secrets Are Hidden

🏜️ In the Gobi Desert of Gansu, there is a town surrounded by the desert—Oil Town. This place was once a bustling residence, but now it has become a ghost town, leaving behind countless mysteries and legends. 🌀 🎬 👥 🎥【Mysterious Disappearance】 On a certain night in 1983, the 200,000 residents of this town suddenly disappeared without leaving any trace. Was it an alien attack? A secret experiment? Or some other unspeakable secret? To this day, this mystery remains unresolved, attracting countless explorers and the curious to investigate. 🏞️ 🏘️ 📻【Current State of Oil Town】 Today's Oil Town, with its dilapidated buildings, abandoned facilities, and traces of past life, inevitably makes one imagine the prosperity of the past. Walking on the deserted streets, it's as if one can hear the echoes of the past and feel the breath of history. 📸 📷 🎬【Photography Paradise】 - 🚌 Monster Attack Bus: Aerial photography with a drone, as if you are in a monster movie. - 💀 Giant Skull: Standing inside the skull, you will become the protagonist under a wide-angle lens. - 🌈 Colorful Kindergarten: Use the windows of the empty house opposite to frame the scene, making your running more story-like. - 🚦 English Road Signs: Standing under the road sign, as if you have traveled to the scene of the American film 'Silent Hill'. 🚗 🔧 🧭【Travel Tips】 - 🚘 Due to the remote location of Oil Town, it is recommended to hire a private car or carpool, as self-driving may lead to getting lost due to signal issues. - 🧥 Gansu has strong winds and sand, so bring a cool windbreaker that can keep you warm and look good in photos. - 🍞 There are no snack bars in the scenic area, so bringing your own water and food is a wise choice. 📍 🗺️ 📍【Location Information】 Oil Town is located in Aksai Kazakh Autonomous County, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, at the intersection of National Highway 215 and Provincial Highway 314. 💰🎫【Ticket Information】 Tickets are 30 yuan per person, with the option of a sightseeing car for 20 yuan per person.

Akesai Oil Town

Akesai Oil Town is the filming location for the movies 'Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe' and 'Wind Blast'. It was also once the place where China made its atomic bombs. Now, it is a perplexing ruin, a mysterious deserted city. Akesai Oil Town was originally a mysterious town without even a name, only known by the code 404 of a prefecture-level city, relying on oil extraction as its main industry. In 1983, it was attacked for unknown reasons, and the bustling town in the desert turned into an empty city overnight. Later, it gradually became known because the movie 'Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe' was filmed here, and it got its current name. Now, all that can be seen are the ruins of the original kindergarten, hospital, auditorium, mosque, church, etc... The town is like a boundary marker. In front is, and behind is a vast and sacred snow mountain. The snow mountain appears far away in the photos, but it is actually right in front of your eyes. Looking from the ruins, it seems as if the culprit is this sprawling mountain range...

Overnight, 200,000 people mysteriously disappeared from the town of Aksai Oil Town

Aksai Oil Town】 Located deep in the northwest of our country, this town is permeated with the wails of monsters everywhere. The streets are littered with damaged vehicles, and monsters crawl on the wreckage of houses, patrolling the area. From a distance, it looks like a town that has been overrun by monsters and turned into ruins. It is said that in 1983, 200,000 people relocated overnight for unknown reasons. There are various speculations and rumors, attacks, and accidents, etc. The town as it is seen now has become a ruin, where one can only vaguely make out the once-existing schools, restaurants, factories, and other buildings, reminiscent of scenes from the American film Silent Hill, as if you were really there. Aksai Oil Town, a location for many movies, is great for shooting retro and nostalgic photos. Before coming here, it might be helpful to watch movies that were filmed here, such as 'West Wind Fierce' and 'The Ghouls'. The town, due to its unique geological features of the Gobi Desert, has been turned into a film and television base, where once inside, you feel as if you are truly experiencing the fear from American monster movies, with various sound effects permeating the valley, as if you really went to Silent Hill.

Chaidan-Lake in North Qinghai

We found this lake on our roadtrip from Golmud (Qinghai province) to Dunhuang (Gansu province). Xiaochaidan lake is situated in the north of the Chaidam basin with the elevation of 3171m. It covers an area of 40 square kilometers. You can leave the highway on various points to get to the lake, but keep attention on the traffic! ℹ️ The lake is not "developed" so it's basically pure nature. Some local people sell handcraft and some drinks. The lake is not for swimming, besides salt there are various other minerals inside the lake. ↪️ It's only possible to get there by car. It's far away from any bigger town. Nature ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Adventure ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Comfort ⭐⭐ #naturalwonders#summervacation#hikingtrails

Xinjiang is not as far as imagined, but it's great for photography

When traveling I like to enjoy the scenery along the way I like even more the moments when the scenery is captured Summer is not far away The most beautiful summer I am willing to dedicate to Yili, Xinjiang The splendid summer flowers The deep blue lakes The snow-capped mountains reaching into the clouds The comic-like forests All can be found here Many sceneries have become the ultimate beautiful spots that go viral on social media Perfect for travel photography and check-ins Actually, with proper planning Going to Xinjiang is really not that far and expensive 🚗Itinerary: 1⃣️Day One: Chengdu to Aba County, the scenery in Aba County is really not to be underestimated, especially the view from the observation deck of Langyi Temple overlooking the monastery and the grasslands. 2⃣️Day Two: Aba County to Delingha, mostly taking the Dema Expressway, but it's important to fill up the tank at the first service station after leaving Jiuzhi, as there are no gas stations for the next 600+ kilometers before reaching Delingha. 3⃣️Day Three: Delingha to Dunhuang, you can take a detour to see Lake Xiaochaidan and the 315u-shaped highway. The journey that seemed far is actually quite fast when you're enjoying it, and the scenery along the way is very unique, making the trip particularly interesting. 4⃣️Day Four: Dunhuang to Urumqi, the Xinjiang tour begins, although the previous part is on the road, but the scenery along the way is very good, and it's also half of the Northwest loop, which is very worthwhile. The rest of the time is for traveling the Yili loop, which you can plan according to your own preferences. But I think Sayram Lake, Yizhao Highway, Xiatat, and Qiaxi are must-visits. Whether for landscape or portrait photography, they are great. A basic route to consider: Urumqi-Sayram Lake-Huocheng Lavender-Yizhao Highway-Zhaosu Xiatat-Kalatahai Town-Qiaxi-Nalati-Duku-Urumqi. Among them, Sayram Lake and Qiaxi are very suitable for camping in the wild. Self-driving trips will be quite long, if you only have 7-8 days, you can fly directly to Urumqi or Yining, and then rent a car to travel

Xiaochaidan Lake "Run in the wilderness and lakes!"

Xiaochaidan Lake is also located in Haixi Mongolian Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, and is a typical alpine glacial lake at an altitude of about 3000 meters. This is the most shocking stop in the three-lake loop for me, driving on National Highway 215, with a desert on one side and a snow-capped lake on the other. Stop by the roadside, run! Run! Rest by the lake, how beautiful! How beautiful! This is the second stop of the three-lake loop. You can get infinitely close by stopping by the roadside. The Qilian Mountains are covered with snow in front, and there is an endless desert behind. There is no special shooting point, it looks good no matter how you shoot!

Qinghai-Gansu Tourism｜Fresh 7-day travel guide for Qinghai-Gansu loop

Day1: Depart from Xi'an——Xining——Qinghai Lake——Chaka Town (stay) Depart by early flight, rent a car online in advance, choose airport pick-up, have lunch, then buy snacks, water and fruits for the road First stop at Qinghai Lake, we did not choose to go to Qinghai Lake Scenic Area Navigate to Heima Town, then go 15km ahead where there is no charge, there is a camping site, you can camp there to watch the sunrise Day2: Chaka——Xiaochaidan Lake (pass by)——Chaerhan Salt Lake——Xiaochaidan Lake (pass by)——Dachaidan (stay) Chaerhan Salt Lake, we went to Chaerhan Salt Lake, if time permits, you can go to Emerald Lake, it is not recommended to go to Chaka Salt Lake The Xiaochaidan Lake we passed by on the road is really super beautiful, (you can bring some bread to feed the seagulls) You must bring sunglasses otherwise you can't see anything, it's too dazzling You must do sun protection, it's best to bring a hat or an umbrella, take photos and then take it Go to Dachaidan town to eat their hand-grabbed mutton and kang pot beef, it's very delicious and has no mutton smell Day3: Dachaidan——Liuge Expressway (small U-shaped road)——Dangjin Mountain——Petroleum Town (filming location of Nine-layer Demon Tower)——Aksai——Dunhuang (Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring)——Shazhou Night Market——Dunhuang City Area (stay) Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, the ticket can be used for 3 days, bought a round-trip sightseeing car, bought sand sliding, you must find a ladder to climb when you enter the desert, otherwise it's really tiring, the sand is really soft, it is recommended to wear sandals, there will be a star concert at eight thirty, the whole audience sings. Day4: Dunhuang——Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring (photo shoot)——Dunhuang Qili Town (stargazing)——Dunhuang City Area (stay) Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, we were tired from playing the day before, slept late the next morning, went out for lunch, went to the entrance of Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area to do makeup and then took photos, after taking photos, you can ride a camel with makeup Qili Town stargazing, a few minutes drive out of the city, stars all over the sky, and faintly saw the Milky Way, the moon was like a lamp that night Day5: Dunhuang Museum——Guazhou——Son of the Earth——Jiuquan (stay) Dunhuang Museum, we didn't get Mogao Grottoes, if you want to go to Mogao Grottoes, remember to buy tickets in advance, otherwise you can't book, you can only see four grottoes with the ticket Guazhou Son of the Earth, there are several sculptures on the way from Dunhuang to Jiuquan "Son of the Earth" "Han Wu Xiong Feng" "No Bound" "Gobi Ark" Day6: Jiuquan——Qicai Danxia——Zhangye (stay) Qicai Danxia, you need to take a bus to each viewing platform, the last one, Hongxia viewing platform has the best view Day7: Zhangye——Biandukou——Qilian Mountain Grassland——Xining——Xi'an Qilian Mountain Grassland, the three of us rode horses and played for an afternoon, it was very good.

The 29th day of my journey. We drove to the Sugan Lake, even for the locals, it's not a familiar place. I saw the mirror of sky here, out of my expectation!

Wearing the traditional costumes of the Assac nationality, walking on the grasslands of the blue sky and white clouds, the nearest to the sky, farther away from the dust.

Qinghai-Gansu Tourism｜Fresh 7-day travel guide for Qinghai-Gansu loop

Day1: Depart from Xi'an——Xining——Qinghai Lake——Chaka Town (stay) Depart by early flight, rent a car online in advance, choose airport pick-up, have lunch, then buy snacks, water and fruits for the road First stop at Qinghai Lake, we did not choose to go to Qinghai Lake Scenic Area Navigate to Heima Town, then go 15km ahead where there is no charge, there is a camping site, you can camp there to watch the sunrise Day2: Chaka——Xiaochaidan Lake (pass by)——Chaerhan Salt Lake——Xiaochaidan Lake (pass by)——Dachaidan (stay) Chaerhan Salt Lake, we went to Chaerhan Salt Lake, if time permits, you can go to Emerald Lake, it is not recommended to go to Chaka Salt Lake The Xiaochaidan Lake we passed by on the road is really super beautiful, (you can bring some bread to feed the seagulls) You must bring sunglasses otherwise you can't see anything, it's too dazzling You must do sun protection, it's best to bring a hat or an umbrella, take photos and then take it Go to Dachaidan town to eat their hand-grabbed mutton and kang pot beef, it's very delicious and has no mutton smell Day3: Dachaidan——Liuge Expressway (small U-shaped road)——Dangjin Mountain——Petroleum Town (filming location of Nine-layer Demon Tower)——Aksai——Dunhuang (Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring)——Shazhou Night Market——Dunhuang City Area (stay) Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, the ticket can be used for 3 days, bought a round-trip sightseeing car, bought sand sliding, you must find a ladder to climb when you enter the desert, otherwise it's really tiring, the sand is really soft, it is recommended to wear sandals, there will be a star concert at eight thirty, the whole audience sings. Day4: Dunhuang——Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring (photo shoot)——Dunhuang Qili Town (stargazing)——Dunhuang City Area (stay) Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, we were tired from playing the day before, slept late the next morning, went out for lunch, went to the entrance of Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area to do makeup and then took photos, after taking photos, you can ride a camel with makeup Qili Town stargazing, a few minutes drive out of the city, stars all over the sky, and faintly saw the Milky Way, the moon was like a lamp that night Day5: Dunhuang Museum——Guazhou——Son of the Earth——Jiuquan (stay) Dunhuang Museum, we didn't get Mogao Grottoes, if you want to go to Mogao Grottoes, remember to buy tickets in advance, otherwise you can't book, you can only see four grottoes with the ticket Guazhou Son of the Earth, there are several sculptures on the way from Dunhuang to Jiuquan "Son of the Earth" "Han Wu Xiong Feng" "No Bound" "Gobi Ark" Day6: Jiuquan——Qicai Danxia——Zhangye (stay) Qicai Danxia, you need to take a bus to each viewing platform, the last one, Hongxia viewing platform has the best view Day7: Zhangye——Biandukou——Qilian Mountain Grassland——Xining——Xi'an Qilian Mountain Grassland, the three of us rode horses and played for an afternoon, it was very good.

Biggest salt water lake in China

Qinghai Lake, nestled in China's Qinghai Province, is the largest saltwater lake in East Asia, covering approximately 4,600 square kilometers. Its beauty lies in its serene, azure waters and the surrounding Tibetan Plateau's majestic landscapes. At an elevation of 3,205 meters, the lake is a vital ecological hotspot, home to diverse avian species and unique aquatic life. The lake holds cultural significance for Tibetans and the local Tibetan-Qiang people. It's a site for various religious ceremonies and festivals. However, environmental concerns, like shrinking water levels due to climate change and pollution, pose significant challenges to its preservation. Conservation efforts are underway to safeguard this remarkable natural treasure. #timetotravel #China #nature

Turquoise Eye of Qinghai Province

Tibetan plateau AKA "Roof of the World" is the highest in the world and Qinghai lake (青海湖) is the largest saltwater lake in China. 🌊Have you noticed that we're speaking in superlatives? It's not a coincidence. Qinghai lake (青海湖) definitely deserves to be be called the sea of the West due to its size, vastness, and the fact that it resembles a sea in certain aspects. It's a saline waters boasts incredible variety of wildlife at an altitude of 3205m. "On the plateau's crest, a jewel so grand, Qinghai Lake's waters stretch across the land. Azure skies embrace its tranquil face, A mirror of nature's serene embrace." 😍 Tips and tricks: If you want to visit Qinghai lake without any tour operators or rental cars you can easily get there from the Xining bus station (西宁汽车客运中心站). Several buses go to Qinghaihu (hu = lake) every day starting from 8AM. 🚌The drop off location is called 青海湖国家重点风景名胜区. That's the closest scenic area to the Xining city. One way ticket costs 60RMB. 💸The bus will wait for the passengers at the scenic area's parking lot for around 3 hours before heading back to the Xining bus station. To make sure you have a seat you can buy round way tickets at the Xining bus station. Total cost will be 120RMB per person. 🙃 #summerbreak #SpinTheWorld #qinghailake #xining #summervacation

Qinghai lake - the biggest in China

Only taking into consideration that it's the biggest, it's worth visiting. Yet I think Scenic area tickets are overpriced. There's not much to do in the area apart from taking pictures, riding a boat (3 types, start from 100yuan) and feeding seagulls. Still it's worth visiting, though it feels much much better if you drive a car in Qinghai (we took a shared taxi from Xining to Qinghai lake) and overall had pretty much headache with transportation in this province. Almost all the wild areas around are privately owned and you need to pay to enter (or, say, ride a horse, 200yuan per 3km round-trip to the lake🙄). This numerous fences and herds of tourists made it difficult for me to fully enjoy the beauty of the lake and surrounding landscapes (I just ran into the mountains 😂) . Also it was pretty hard to find a hotel accommodating foreigners (beginning of August). Only Chinese food (quite pricey) Still it was a great trip, I'd like to come back driving a car😁 #qinghai #qinghailake

The Beautiful Qinghai Lake

We couldn’t believe our eyes when we first saw Qinghai Lake. We were cycling down from the main road, through fields of grass and bright yellow rapeseed flowers when we first caught a glimpse of the blue water. For a split second, we forgot where we were and thought we had somehow made it to the sea! #mytripvlog