Cina, negara yang sangat luas daerahnya karena mempunyai banyak jajahan (seperti tibet dan mongol), kaya akan danau danau yang indah. Di postingan ini akan dihadirkan beberapa diantaranya.
Kanas Lake
Terletak di daerah Buerjin Altay (Aletai) prefektur di utara Xinjiang, danau Kanas (
Kanasi Hu) yang berbentuk bulan sabit ini adalah danau alpine air tawar china terdalam, dengan kedalaman maksimum 188,5 meter.
Cagar Alam Kanas, adalah rahasia China yang tersimpan dengan baik - hingga 2005, ketika Nasional Geografi Cina memperkenalkan Danau Kanas sebagai pilihan dalam jajak pendapat untuk "Danau terindah di Cina". Itu adalah pertama kalinya Danau Kanas (kadang-kadang salah eja sebagai Kansas) diketahui dunia, yang akhirnya terpilih menjadi danau China kedua yang paling indah (empat lainnya adalah Danau Qinghai, Namtso, Tianchi dan West Lake). Hutan yang masih primitif dan puncak gunung yang tertutup salju dari Cagar Alam Kanas, adalah jawaban China kepada Pegunungan Alpen Swiss. Anda akan benar-benar takjub oleh pohon larch yang mempesona, pohon cemara, birch dan pohon Siberian larch di musim gugur.
Kanas, yang berarti indah, misterius di Mongolia, sempurna menangkap esensi dari tempat itu. Ikan merah besar, Nessie nya China dan salah satu monster danau paling terkenal di China, dipercaya berada di bawah permukaan danau yang tenang. Menurut cerita penduduk setempat, binatang mitos besar yang hidup di Danau Kanas bisa menelan sapi, domba dan kuda yang berada di tepi danau. Beberapa akademisi percaya bahwa "monster" ini sebenarnya adalah
Taimen Hucho (juga dikenal sebagai salmon Zheluo), yang dapat tumbuh besar hingga 3,7 meter.
Wilayah Kanas merupakan satu-satunya tempat di Cina yang merupakan rumah bagi Tuvans (keturunan Mongolia), yang populasinya 2.000 orang dan terutama tinggal di tiga desa Tuva -
Kanas,
Horm (Hemu),
Bai Haba (Haba Putih) - disekitar Danau Kanas. Waktu terbaik untuk mengunjungi Danau Kanas adalah pada bulan Juni ketika bunga-bunga berwarna cerah bermekaran dan pada bulan September ketika dedaunan pohon terlihat berwarna emas, coklat, dan kuning.
Draksum Tso
The stunning alphine lake Draksum Tso (Basum, Basong, Bagsum, Pasum), located in the eastern Tibet’s Nyingchi Prefecture at 3,700 meters over sea level, is the largest fresh water barrier lake in Eastern Tibet (Kham) and one of the most popular natural sights in Tibet. Surrounded by green forests and snow-capped mountain peaks, the scenery resembles to that of Swiss Alps rather than the Tibetan plateau. The highlight of the Basum lake is the
Tsozong (also spelled Tsodzong)
Gongba Monastery, a small sacred chapel of the Nyingma (Red) tradition of Tibetan Buddhism (monks wear red hats) situated on the photogenic Tashi island in the middle of the lake.
Manasarovar Lake
Lake Manasarovar (also spelled Mansarovar,
Mapham Yutso in Tibetan), located at the foot of
Mount Kailash in western Tibet's Ngari Prefecture, is the highest freshwater lake in the world (4,560m/14,957 ft). It is the holiest lake in Asia and an important pilgrimage destination for Hindus and Buddhists alike. Gandhi requested that his ashes be scattered beside this sacred lake, and Nehru’s one last regret was not having seen its turquoise waters. According to Buddhist mythology, the Buddha’s mother bathed in the lake before giving birth to him. Here you can enjoy unparalleled views of the Himalayas across sapphire blue waters which freeze over in winter, visit monasteries carved from the naked rock of the lakeshore, and even attempt the 90km (56-mile)
Kora (pilgrim circuit) of the lake.
Hor Qu (Huo’er Qu), 39km (24 miles) southeast of Darchen, is the most common jumping-off point for Lake Manasarovar.
Manasarovar is linked to the smaller Rakshastal (known to Tibetans as Lhanagtso) by the channel called Gang-chu. The two bodies of water are associated with the conjoined sun and moon, a powerful symbol of Tantric Buddhism. The best time to make a tour to Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasarovar region is between mid-May and mid-October. During this time the weather in Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar is generally stable and clear, with warm temperatures during the days and cool nights. July and August are usually warmer, but this is when the monsoon pushes beyond the Himalaya. Swelling the creeks and coating the valleys with greenery and wildflowers.
Mount Kailas and Mansarovar Lake can now be accessed by air as China inaugurated a high-altitude Ngari Gunsa Airport (Ali Kunsha Airport) in western Tibet's Ngari Prefecture near the two holy places on July 1st, 2010. As Shiquanhe (Ali) is only a one-day bus drive (about 330 km) from the settlement of Darchen situated just north of Lake Mansarovar, facing Mount Kailash. It is expected to benefit pilgrims to these two sites.
Namtso - Heavenly Lake
About 240km northwest of Lhasa, Nam-tso (Heavenly Lake in Tibetan) is the highest saltwater lake in the world at 4,720m (over 14,000 feet) and one of the most beautiful natural sights in Tibet. It is over 70km long, reaches a width of 30km and is 35m at its deepest point. When the ice melts in late April, the lake is a miraculous shade of turquoise and there are magnificent views of the nearby snowcapped mountains. The wide open spaces, dotted with the tents of local drokpas (nomads), are intoxicating.
Namtso (Namco) Lake is one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet (the other two are Lake Manasarovar and Yamdrok Tso) and an important centre for pilgrimage. The lake plays sanctuary to many species of migrating birds and other local birds. One attraction of a trip to Nam-tso is the opportunity to get a peek at the otherwise inaccessible life of Tibet’s drokpas (nomads), seminomadic herders who make their home in the Changtang, Tibet’s vast and remote northern plateau. Most travelers head for Tashi Dor Monastery (elevation 4718m) in the southeastern corner of the lake. There are some fine walks in the area, as well as a short but pilgrim-packed Kora. The best season for trekking in Nam Tso Lake is late May to October, however you must be prepared at all times for wet weather, snow and cold winds.
Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake, often known by its Mongol name, Koko Nor, or Tibetan, mTsho sngon po, meaning “the blue lake”, is located in Qaidam Basin northeast of Qinghai Province. Shaped like a pear, Qinhai Lake stretches about 105 kilometres in length and 63 kilometres in width, with a surface area of over 30,000 square kilometres. It is the largest inland salt water lake in China, and also the highest one, with an altitude of 3, 196 metres. Qinghai Lake, as a National Nature Reserve and a National Park, is rich in rare species of birds and fishes. It has been added by the United Nations to The Ramsar Convention Manual and to The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat.
Yamdrok Lake
Situated 100 km southwest of
Lhasa with an elevation of 4441 m (14570 ft), Yamdrok Tso (Yamdrok Lake, Tibetan:
Yamdrok Yumtso) is one of the three most sacred lakes in Tibet (the other two are Namtso and Manasarovar). On the old road between Gyantse and Lhasa, coiling Yamdrok-tso Lake can be seen from the summit of the Kamba-la pass (4700m). The lake lies several hundred meters below the road, and in clear weather is a fabulous shade of deep turquoise-blue. Far in the northwest distance is the huge massif of
Mt. Nojin Kangtsang (7191m). Nangartse is a small town along the way that has some basic accommodation and a couple of restaurants. A 20-minute drive or a two-hour walk from Nangartse brings you to Samding Monastery, a charming place with scenic views of the surrounding area and the lake. Yamdrok-tso Lake is also the site of Tibet’s largest hydroelectric Power Station.
Tianchi Lake
Tianchi (Chinese:
天池; pinyin: tiānchí) is an alpine lake in Xinjiang, Northwest China, situated at
43°53′9.7″N 88°7′56.6″E. The name (
天池) literally means "Heaven Lake" or "Heavenly Lake" and can refer to several lakes in mainland China and Taiwan. This Tianchi lies on the north side of the Bogda Shan range of the Tianshan Mountains, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Fukang City and 45 kilometres (28 mi) east (straight-line distance) of Ürümqi. (Bogda is a Mongolian word, meaning "God".) It is an alpine drift lake shaped in the Quaternary Glacier period. Formerly known as Yaochi (Jade Lake), it was named Tianchi in 1783 by Mingliang, the Qing Commander of Urumqi Command. The lake is 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above sea level, covering 4.9 square kilometres (1.9 sq mi), 105 metres (344 ft) deep at the deepest point. In 2006, it was designated for four years of restoration work at a cost of 800 million yuan (US$100 million). The plan calls for the tourism area around the lake to be increased from the present 158 km² to 548 km². The lake is accessible by Provincial Highway 111 from Fukang City.
Pangong Lake
Situated at a height of 4,350 m (13,900 ft) in the Himalayas and spanning like a finger from India into China with two-third of its length in Tibet, Pangong Tso (Pangong Lake, Tso means lake in Ladakhi) is noted for its crystal clear blue-brackish water which keeps playing tricks on your eyes changing colors in seven distinct shades of blue, green, purple, truquoise and violet depending on the angle of your view. Pangong (Palgon )Lake is home to a variety of migratory birds including brown-headed gulls, cygnets, yellow ducks, bar-headed geese and black-necked siberian cranes. The pangong lake can be reached from Leh, the capital city of Ladakh in India or from Shiquanhe (Ali), the capital of Ngari prefecture in western Tibet. The trip from Lhasa to Shiquanhe has been much easier with the opening of Ngari Gunsa Airport on July 1, 2010, the journey has been shortened from three or four days by car to only 100 minutes by air.
Jiuzhaigou
The Jiuzhaigou Valley of China is home to dozens of blue, green and turquoise-colored lakes. The local people call these bodies of water “Haizi,” which in Chinese means “son of the sea.” The numerous colorful lakes were created by glacier activity, and today, many waterfalls empty into these pristine waters. The beautifully colored water is also known to be extremely clear, in many cases visitors are able to see to the bottom of the lakes.
Subhanallah
