Juyan Lake

东居延海

A desert lake that dried up and then returned as blue water. At dawn, watch the sun rise over the water beside the reeds, with flocks of gulls flying overhead.

Juyan Lake lies in the desert about 50 km northeast of Dalaihubu Town. It is the terminal lake of the Ejina River, the lower reaches of the Heihe River. Historically, it consisted of two lakes, East and West. During the Han dynasty, the Juyan Commandery was established here, with garrison troops farming to defend the frontier, and the famous Juyan Han bamboo slips were unearthed. In the 20th century, water use upstream increased sharply. West Juyan Lake dried up in 1961 and East Juyan Lake in 1992, and they became sources of dust storms. After 2000, the state implemented water allocation on the Heihe River, and East Juyan Lake was refilled. Today its surface has recovered to over 40 square kilometers, becoming a wetland with dense reeds and large flocks of waterbirds. What visitors can see is East Juyan Lake. Wooden boardwalks and observation platforms line the shore. Reeds grow taller than a person, and flocks of black-headed gulls and wild ducks circle over the water. Visitors can buy feed to throw to the birds. The most classic experience is watching the sunrise. In October, the sun rises over the lake at about 7:30, and the morning glow turns the reeds and water golden red. Visitors usually set out from town at 6:00. Admission is about CNY 60. The scenic area has sightseeing buses and boats (about CNY 80–100). A visit takes 1.5 to 2 hours. After the sunrise, you can return to town for breakfast before heading to the poplar forest, or drive north to Ceke Port (about 40 km, on the Sino-Mongolian border, with a national gate and a border trade market). Notes: Before sunrise, the lakeside is often below 0°C and windy, so wear a down jacket, hat and gloves. The boardwalks get crowded, so keep tripods out of the way. Feed birds only with food provided by the scenic area. In winter, the lake freezes over and sunrise times are later.

Juyan Lake

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