High Plateau Pearl: A Breathtaking Hidden Paradise

🌊【Complete Guide to Qinghai Lake】 📍Detailed Address: Located along the Jingla Line (north side of National Highway 109) in Gonghe County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. It is China's largest inland lake. 🚗Transportation Guide: 1️⃣By Air: 👉 Fly to Xining Caojiabu Airport → Airport shuttle/taxi → Xining Bus Station → Direct bus to Qinghai Lake. 2️⃣By Train: 👉 Xining Station/Haibei Prefecture Menyuan Station → Tourist shuttle bus directly to Qinghai Lake. 3️⃣Self-driving: 👉 Xining to Qinghai Lake is about 80km (1.5 hours), circumnavigating the lake is 400km. Recommended route: Daotang River → Sun and Moon Mountain → Erlang Sword → Jiangxi Gully → Heima River → Chaka Salt Lake → Bird Island → Sand Island. 4️⃣Cycling: 👉 Rent a bike in Xining and cycle around the lake (360km in 4 days), challenging "China's most beautiful cycling route." 🌟Must-do Activities: 1. Erlang Sword Scenic Area🏞️ 👉 Iconic spot of Qinghai Lake, featuring bird-watching platform + deer garden + sea-viewing bridge, entrance fee: 100 yuan. 2. Heima River Sunrise🌅 👉 Get up early to secure a spot, watch golden sunlight spread across the lake surface, a must for photography enthusiasts. 3. Cliff Secret Spot📸 👉 Navigate to "Qinghai Lake Cliff," sightseeing car costs 40 yuan/person, photos with lambs 10 yuan, yak riding 20 yuan. 4. Chaka Salt Lake🪞 👉 Take photos at the "Mirror of the Sky," recommended to wear red dresses, entrance fee: 60 yuan, mini train: 50 yuan. 5. Gariza Monastery🏯 👉 Tibetan-style temple, entrance fee: 10 yuan, more spectacular than the cliff, ideal for cultural exploration. 🍜Food Recommendations: 1. Hand-pulled Lamb🍖 👉 Free-range lamb from Qinghai Lake area, rich but not greasy, served with garlic and vinegar sauce. 2. Kang Pot Lamb🥘 👉 Crispy lamb + potatoes + vermicelli, about 80 yuan per person. 3. Sweet Fermei🍯 👉 Highland barley fermented dessert, 5 yuan/bowl, perfect for cutting through greasiness. 4. "Dog Pee" Flatbread🌯 👉 Oddly named but delicious, 10 yuan/serving, excellent with vegetables. 5. Traditional Yogurt🥛 👉 Made from yak milk, 8 yuan/bowl, even more delicious with white sugar. 🏠Accommodation Options: 1. Qinghai Lake Qiyue Hotel🏨 👉 Near Erlang Sword Scenic Area, mountain view rooms + buffet breakfast, about 200 yuan per person. 2. Heima River Xiaori Hotel🌄 👉 Tent restaurant + Tibetan costume experience, convenient for watching sunrise, about 150 yuan per person. 3. Qinghai Lake Muge Scenic View Hotel🏡 👉 Rooftop sunrise viewing, lakeside accommodation, about 180 yuan per person. 4. Zhaxi Holiday Tibetan e-Home🛖 👉 Tibetan-style homestay, family rooms + oxygen facilities, about 100 yuan per person. 📌Practical Tips: 1. Clothing: 👉 Large temperature difference between day and night, short sleeves during the day in July-August, thin down jacket at night. 2. Sun Protection: 👉 Strong UV radiation, SPF50+ sunscreen + sunglasses + hat for full protection. 3. Altitude Sickness: 👉 Avoid strenuous exercise, take rhodiola in advance, avoid visiting if you have a cold. 4. Photography: 👉 Wear bright-colored clothes, shawls + ethnic-style earrings make great photos. 5. Environmental Protection: 👉 Take garbage to villages for disposal, no fires in the wild. 6. Tickets: 👉 Erlang Sword entrance fee: 100 yuan, price negotiable if guided by local Tibetans.