Enroute Dalinur Lake & Hot Spring Town (Inner Mongolia, Hexigten Banner 克什克腾旗)
Moving along the trails in Inner Mongolia, next stop is Dalinur Lake, one lakes of various birds’ species especially swans. The lake is actually very huge, and a little underwhelming. Most visitors are here with the binoculars to watch the birds. The surrounding is full of marsh & slightly dried shores.
Driving from one place to another within the vast Inner Mongolia takes hours. It is a pleasant drive, especially if you love the quiet drive. Roads usually look totally deserted & lonely.
Hot spring town in Inner Mongolia is usually popular with local tourists, who comes by for the weekend to enjoy the hot spring spa. The hot water (bright blue in colour) is pumped into most hotels in the town of Ri Shui Zhen. Grab a quick yogurt drinks and yogurt tofu from nearby local shops. Cheap and really nice, all freshly made from the kitchen.
When I was there, the town seems deserted with very little activities. It does seem to be slightly over-developed for tourism, with many vacant properties both residential & shop lots. Regardless, the old rail passes through town centre with heavy-duty freight rails chugging along the railways.
Panoramic Views of Huanggang Liang Pass (Inner Mongolia, Hexigten Banner 克什克腾旗)
Huang Gang Liang is a man-made route passing by uphill and downhill of beautiful views of Inner Mongolia. The drive is pleasant, not overly small or bumpy or difficult corners. Along the route, there are a few spots for scenic photo-taking. Even in the cold autumn days, men and women are stationed along the routes to remind all to take precaution for forest fire.
Short trails are also available for quick walks of 10 to 15 minutes away from road. Cars do stop by for a quick visit to find gems of photo-taking opportunities. The original views are stunning.
Wow Factor @ Asihatu Stone National Park (Inner Mongolia, Hexigten Banner 克什克腾旗)
Asihatu Stone National Park is a world-heritage geopark, formed hundred of years ago from natural erosion of glacier. During autumn, there is hardly any visitors to the park, which has two entrances. The park is huge, and there are 3 main scenic spots within the park. An electrical vehicle is used to transport visitors to these scenic spots. You can easily spend the whole day here. Each spot has short trails that you can take to have better views of the surrounding.
The erosion resulted in stones sculpted in natural form, looking magnificent in the natural surrounding. Mankind has such great imagination that each stone is re-imagined and given names. Names include the seven fairies,
Inner Mongolia is an enigma on its own – easily captivating heart of travelers. Cool breezy autumn wind bringing a vast difference in temperature day and night. Vast land with animals grazing along, with reflections of the blue sky & cotton cloud on the lake. Roads built to connect with pleasant easy drive along attractions.
Cheng's Musings 