Western Jilin

Western Jilin, made up of Songyuan and Baicheng, a lake-and-wetland region featuring the winter fishing on Chagan Lake, crane wetland reserves and Horqin grassland scenery.

Western Jilin, according to the province's official three-region division, includes Songyuan City and Baicheng City. It lies in the west of the Songnen Plain, bordering the Horqin Grassland of Inner Mongolia, with lakes, wetlands and grasslands interspersed. The core highlight is Songyuan's Chagan Lake, where the winter fishing held in cold season continues a traditional fishing-and-hunting custom: people chisel through the ice, cast nets, and haul them in with horse-drawn winches in a spectacular scene, drawing large numbers of visitors during the Ice and Snow Fishing and Hunting Culture Tourism Festival. Xianghai and Momoge in Baicheng are national nature reserves, known for rare birds such as red-crowned cranes and white cranes and for vast reed wetlands, with spring and autumn migration seasons the best time for birdwatching; the Nen River Bend in Songyuan and the Mongolian culture around Chagan Lake are also worth a look. A classic plan is to travel from Changchun to Chagan Lake in winter to see the winter fishing and eat a whole-fish feast, allowing one to two days; birdwatching enthusiasts can head to Xianghai and Momoge in spring or autumn, for two to three days. For transport, Songyuan Chagan Lake Airport and Baicheng Chang'an Airport have a few flights, and most visitors take a bullet train or drive from Changchun to Songyuan and Baicheng; Chagan Lake is still some drive from downtown Songyuan, and a self-drive or chartered car is recommended between sights. Temperatures are very low during the winter fishing, so wear warm winter clothing and non-slip shoes; for activities on the ice, follow the scenic area's arrangements and do not enter ice that is not open; when birdwatching, keep your distance and do not disturb the flocks.

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