Burqin & Wucaitan
The small gateway town to Kanas: sunset at Wucaitan (Five Color Beach) on the Irtysh River, a riverside night market with grilled fish, and Haba River’s birch forest and White Sand Lake.
Burqin County lies in the west of Xinjiang’s Altay Prefecture, where the Irtysh and Burqin rivers meet, at an elevation of about 470 m in the county seat. Known as the “fairy-tale border town” for its colourful Russian-style buildings, it is the gateway to Kanas and Hemu and a place to stay en route. This destination is centred on the county town and covers Wucaitan to the northwest and Habahe County to the west: in town, browse the riverside night market, eat grilled cold-water fish and drink kvass; in the evening, go about 24 km northwest of town to Wucaitan to watch the sunset over yardang landforms; a full day can take you west to Habahe to visit the Birch Forest National Forest Park and White Sand Lake on the China–Kazakhstan border; and on the way north to Kanas you can stop at the Agongaiti grassland for views. The best season is June–September, when summers are cool and the sun sets after about 21:00 Beijing time; in late September to early October, the valley’s poplars and birches turn golden; winters are bitterly cold and most sights are quiet. Getting there: Burqin Kanas Airport has flights to Urumqi and other cities, there are daily coaches from Altay city and Beitun, and Kanas shuttle buses and chartered cars mostly depart from Burqin. Stay 1–2 days, and combine the Wucaitan sunset and the night market on the same evening. Notes: mosquitoes are numerous in summer, so bring repellent; White Sand Lake and the area around the 185th Regiment are border areas, so carry your ID card and complete the required pass procedures; if you want to visit the Jeminay grassland stone city and the Tongtian Cave site (about 80 km south of town), plan a separate day.
Top sights
- Rainbow Beach (Wucaitan) – Yardang landforms in colour on the north bank of the Irtysh River. At sunset the red, yellow and purple rock layers interweave, in sharp co…
- Burqin Riverside Night Market – An open-air night market along the Burqin River, famous for grilled cold-water fish, lamb skewers, and kvass, and a must-visit after watchi…
- Irtysh River Wetland (Burqin) – China's only river flowing into the Arctic Ocean, the Irtysh meets the Burqin River just southwest of town, creating open wetlands and will…
- Burqin Old Town – A small county town known as the Fairy-Tale Border Town, with Russian-style steeply pitched colorful buildings, wide streets, and a riversi…
- Baisha Lake (White Sand Lake) – A desert lake on the China-Kazakhstan border in Habahe County, surrounded by white sand dunes, with birch trees and reeds along its shores…
- Habahe Birch Forest – A natural birch forest along the Irtysh and Habahe rivers, said to be the largest wild birch forest in China and a national 4A-level scenic…
- Agonggaiti Grassland – A highland grassland viewpoint on the way from Burqin to Kanas, with views of rolling pastures, Kazakh yurts, and distant snowy peaks.
- Jeminay Grassland Stone City – Granite rock formations on the grasslands southeast of Jeminay County, carved by wind erosion into castle-like towers and animal-shaped bou…
Where to eat
- Yinfu Cold-Water Fish Restaurant (Burqin Main Branch) – Burqin's most-reviewed cold-water fish restaurant, cooking live fish to order; stir-fried pike fillets, pike soup and t…
Itineraries
- North Xinjiang Grand Loop: Kanas, Ili & Duku Highway – Depart from Urumqi to loop through Altay, Sayram Lake, and Ili, returning via the northern section of the Duku Highway
- Golden Autumn in Altay: Kanas & Hemu – A spectacular autumn journey through Koktokay, Ulungur Lake, Hemu, Kanas, and Baihaba, ending with the Ahe Highway
- Altay Winter Ski & Snow Village Loop – In and out of Altay, skiing at Jiangjun Mountain, Jikepulin, and Koktokay, while enjoying the snowscapes of Hemu and Ka…