[2025 Gonghe Attraction] Travel Guide for Qinghai Lake Dong Ge Er Observation Deck (Updated Apr)

**Qinghai Lake Travel Guide** I. Trip Overview Known as the "Pearl of the West," Qinghai Lake attracts countless tourists with its magnificent natural scenery and abundant tourism resources. This guide provides a detailed travel strategy for Qinghai Lake, including the best times and locations for photography, food recommendations, travel tips, and an introduction to scenic spots around the lake. II. Photography Times and Locations **Time:** Morning or midday is recommended for photography, as the soft lighting best showcases Qinghai Lake's beauty. **Location:** Every corner of Qinghai Lake has its unique charm, but the blue ice areas along the lakeshore are particularly recommended. Wearing light or bright-colored clothing will create a striking contrast against the blue water, making for stunning photos. Aerial views captured by drones offer a breathtaking perspective of the lake's vastness. III. Food Recommendations Around Qinghai Lake, you can not only admire the scenery but also savor authentic Qinghai cuisine. Tibetan dishes and local specialties like *tsampa*, butter tea, and hand-pulled mutton are must-tries. These delicacies offer unique flavors and local characteristics, allowing you to experience Qinghai's cultural charm while indulging in delicious food. IV. Travel Tips 1. **Clothing:** The weather around Qinghai Lake is changeable. Dress in light, comfortable clothing and bring sun protection and warm layers. For better photos, choose brightly colored clothing to stand out against the backdrop. 2. **Transportation:** You can drive or take public transportation to Qinghai Lake. Driving allows you to enjoy the scenery along the way, while public transportation requires checking schedules and fares in advance. 3. **Respect the Environment:** While enjoying the scenery, respect the local environment and customs. Do not litter and help protect the ecosystem. 4. **Altitude Sickness:** Qinghai Lake sits at a high altitude, so you may experience mild altitude sickness, such as dizziness and fatigue. Prepare in advance by bringing altitude sickness medication and getting plenty of rest. V. Scenic Spots Around the Lake 1. **Erlangjian Scenic Area:** Here, you can admire the beautiful lake and take a cruise to the peninsula for water activities. The water's color is particularly stunning, rivaling that of Bali, Qingdao, and Yantai. 2. **Heimahe:** This less-crowded spot offers beautiful scenery and is an excellent location for watching the sunrise over Qinghai Lake. You can also choose to stay and dine here to experience local folk customs. 3. **Dongge'er Observation Deck:** This section of the road hugs the lakeshore, providing excellent photo opportunities. 4. **Western Ring Road:** This road offers lakeside views, where you can see people cycling around the lake. 5. **Cliff Section:** While online reviews of this cliff section vary, you can try taking the shuttle bus and using a drone to capture the scenery of the cliffs and the lake. VI. Conclusion Qinghai Lake is a place full of natural beauty and cultural charm. Whether you're admiring the scenery, savoring the cuisine, or experiencing the culture, you're sure to have an unforgettable travel experience. During your trip, prioritize safety, respect the environment and local customs, and make your journey more enjoyable and meaningful. Have a wonderful vacation at Qinghai Lake!

🔶If you are traveling along the Northwest Loop, don't miss the Qinghai Lake Cliff!❗️ 🔶You can directly navigate to the Qinghai Lake Cliff Scenic Area, which has a parking lot, so you don't need to park outside. 🔶Fairy Bay: This is a wetland, and it's unknown if fairies live here. The lake water here is yellowish, but it still looks beautiful from the bridge. 🔶Shengquan Bay: This is a favorite spot for children. After taking the ferry to the lakeside, you can feed the seagulls. We didn't see any Huang fish when we visited, but you can ride a yak for photos, walk with lambs, and take photos with deer. Children had so much fun playing by the lake that they didn't want to leave. The view from the cliff is indeed beautiful. You can see the turquoise lake, where the water meets the sky, with rippling waves. 🔶Donggeer: This is an observation deck where we saw many seagulls and Huang fish swimming together. The scenery is also stunning. The lake water is bright blue and clear, and it looks beautiful in the sunset glow. We took our favorite photos of the trip here. 🔶If you want to take photos on the cliff, keep walking to the right, go up the boardwalk, and at the highest point, you'll see a small section of railing that is empty, allowing only one person to pass through. It seems to be intentionally left by the scenic area. After going down, walk a bit further, and you'll find the classic photo spot. 🔶Qinghai Lake Cliff Scenic Area: Tickets are CNY 20. It is one of the newly opened and still under construction scenic areas in 2024, and also one of the popular spots. The cliff is perfect for 📸 photos. The shuttle bus and the road to the scenic area are average, and the facilities need improvement. 🔶Activities: 🔺After getting off the sightseeing bus, there are activities like horseback riding, yak riding, and holding a baby yak. We tried yak riding, and photos cost CNY 20 per person, while a simple walk costs CNY 30 per person. If there are many people, you can negotiate a group price. 🔺Feeding seagulls: A favorite activity for children, it's free. Please bring bread in advance. Flocks of seagulls fly back and forth, and feeding them by the shore is simple and fun. 🔺Hiking: There is a boardwalk with good quality wood, and it's not high, so it's not tiring to climb. It is built along the cliff by the coastline, allowing you to take photos and enjoy the scenery while climbing. 🔺There are prayer flags, rest stops, and photo spots halfway up the mountain. 🔺Near the top of the mountain, you may encounter free-range yaks, which you can observe up close.

Qinghai Lake, known as the 'Blue Gem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,' is the largest inland saltwater lake in China. Its Tibetan name is 'Tso Ngonpo' (meaning 'Blue Sea'). The lake covers an area of 4,625.6 square kilometers and has a water volume of 74.3 billion cubic meters. It is also one of the highest lakes in the world, with a surface elevation of 3,196 meters. The lake water is clear and blue, with high transparency. Due to its high salt content, the lake exhibits a unique blue color. The color of the lake water changes with different weather and lighting conditions, sometimes appearing as deep as a gemstone, and other times as bright as the sky. There are several viewing platforms around Qinghai Lake, and the Dongger Viewing Platform is one of them. It is located on the eastern shore of Qinghai Lake and offers a panoramic view of the lake. 🌈 Highlights: ✅ There are multiple boardwalks for visitors to stroll along, making each step feel like walking on a painting. You can closely observe the beauty of Qinghai Lake, watch fish, view the lake, and enjoy the sunrise. The shimmering lake surface is magnificent, and it is also a great place to feed the fish and interact with them, adding a unique touch of fun. ✅ This is the closest spot to Qinghai Lake, with many props on the viewing platform, making it an excellent choice for taking photos and checking in‼️ ✅ This is a paradise for photography enthusiasts. Whether shooting landscapes or portraits, you can easily capture stunning photos! 🎫 Ticket: Free 🚗 Transportation: Navigate 🧭 and drive yourself. The viewing platform offers free parking, but there are limited parking spaces.