[2025 Yuncheng ] Travel Guide for Yuncheng Salt Lake (Updated Apr)

1. First Impression: Entering the Magical World of the "China Dead Sea" As you step into the scenic area, you're greeted by an open salt beach. The lake water glistens in the sunlight, and the distant lake surface is like an overturned palette, with magenta, indigo, and lake blue interwoven. No wonder it's called the "Colorful Salt Lake." The strangely shaped salt crystals on the shore are scattered like broken diamonds. Stepping on them makes a "creaking" sound, like stepping on snow in winter. I dipped a bit of the lake water and tasted it. It was so salty and astringent that my tongue went numb. Only then did I believe its reputation as the "China Dead Sea" - the salt concentration is as high as 32%, which is no exaggeration. What I was most looking forward to was the floating experience! As soon as I put on a lifebuoy and went into the water, my body felt like it was being lifted by an invisible hand. I lay flat on the lake surface, closed my eyes, and felt the sun shining on my face. All I could hear was the sound of the breeze and the water lapping gently. When I opened my eyes, the distant salt beach looked like a white ribbon, setting off the lake water even more colorfully. I was in a daze, thinking I was floating in a lake on an alien planet. 2. Exploring the Salt Lake: The Legend and Rebirth of the Ancient Salt Pond The history of the Salt Lake is much richer than I imagined. The tour guide said that salt mining here began more than 4,000 years ago. The legend of the Yellow Emperor's battle with Chiyou and Emperor Shun's "Nanfeng Song" are all related to this salt pond. Standing on the city wall of the Pond God Temple and looking into the distance, the Zhongtiao Mountains are shrouded in clouds and mist after the rain, and the Salt Lake is like a huge emerald inlaid on the Loess Plateau. Suddenly, I understood the shock of Liu Zongyuan's words, "Looking back for a moment, hundreds of miles of snow" - in the eyes of the ancients, the salt pond was probably a "snowfield" that would never melt. Today's Salt Lake is no longer just a salt production area. The scenic area has built a bird-watching corridor. In winter, you can see flamingos walking gracefully, and red-bellied golden pheasants flying in surprise from the reeds. In summer, there are artificially planted salt-tolerant plants, which are stubbornly green and full of vitality. What moved me the most was the details of the ecological restoration: the once-smelly saline-alkali pools have become wetlands, and the mosquito-infested beaches have become migratory bird stations. Even the elder brother who herds sheep by the lake said: "Now the Salt Lake not only raises salt, but also raises birds and people!" 3. Salt Lake Fun: A One-Stop Experience from Healing to Culture Floating therapy: In addition to regular floating, the scenic area also has black mud baths and salt water SPA. When applying the black mud, the staff joked: "This is the same beauty secret recipe as Concubine Yang!" After washing it off, the skin is as smooth as a peeled egg, which is effective after personal testing! Bird watching and photography: It is recommended to go to the bird watching base in the early morning or evening. The pink feathers of the flamingos are like burning sunset clouds in the morning light, and the shutter can't stop at all. Salt culture experience: The Salt Museum displays ancient salt-making tools for "reclaiming fields and watering and drying", and you can also use a wooden shovel to simulate salt drying, as if you have traveled back to the Tang Dynasty and became a salt worker. 4. Practical Tips: Avoiding Pitfalls and Surprises Ticket discounts: Free tickets for those over 60 years old, and there are also benefits for medical staff, teachers, and other groups. Remember to bring your ID. Clothing suggestions: Don't wear light-colored shoes! The salt beach is easy to dye, and my little white shoes have been "killed." Hidden Easter egg: Go to Salt Lake Square in the evening, and the lights of the Pond God Temple are reflected on the lake, like a light and shadow magic show. You can take a blockbuster photo with your mobile phone. Postscript: The Gift of the Salt Lake On the way back, the driver hummed a Shanxi opera. I touched a small piece of salt crystal I picked up in my pocket and thought: This lake is really magical - the bitter brine can cure diseases, the barren salt beach can become a scenic spot, and even the dry legend can be "revived" in the new era. No wonder the locals say: "Yuncheng people live by the Salt Lake, and the Salt Lake also lives by Yuncheng people." Route reference: Take bus No. 21 from Yuncheng city to the Salt Lake scenic area, or take a taxi for about CNY 15. Recommended season: Summer and autumn to see the colorful lake water, winter and spring to watch migratory birds (flamingos are best from December to February).

Yuncheng is a hidden gem of a tourist city located in southern Shanxi. Not only is it affordable, but it also has many attractions. Check out this one-day tour guide for Yuncheng. First stop Salt Lake is the most stunning natural landscape in Yuncheng. If Dali has Erhai Lake, Yuncheng has Salt Lake. The blue lake water gives this inland city the illusion of being by the sea. Ride along Salt Lake, stroll along the salt flats, and admire the colorful Salt Lake. Free Second stop Visit the old street of the South City Wall by the Salt Lake River and the Salt Lake Museum to learn about the history of salt culture in Yuncheng. Third stop The Pool God Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty. It is a symbol of the ancient people's worship of natural gods and the inheritance of salt culture. The Pool God Temple is a well-preserved ancient temple site. The layout of the three courtyards and the style of the three main halls arranged side by side are also a major feature of the Pool God Temple. Fourth stop Visit Gu Street, themed around salt culture and Guan Gong culture, and visit the Yuan Dynasty Guan Wang Temple and the Qing Dynasty Bell and Drum Tower. At night, there is a food night market street where you can taste authentic Yuncheng flavors. Food recommendations: Roujiamo, Yangrou Paomo, and Dapanji

Qicai Salt Lake generally refers to Yuncheng Salt Lake, the largest lake in Shanxi Province and the largest sodium sulfate salt lake in China. Here is a detailed introduction to the lake: - Basic Information - Location: No. 365, Jiefang South Road, Yanhu District, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province, located at the bottom of the Yuncheng Basin. - Area: About 132 square kilometers. - Formation: The movement of the earth's crust caused a large amount of salt minerals to gather, and after long-term precipitation and evaporation, a natural salt lake was formed. - History: Yuncheng has a 4,600-year history of salt mining and a 70-year history of inorganic salt development. The Hedong Salt Pool was an important salt supply base in northern ancient China. - Cause of Color Change - Microbial Action: Halophilic archaea in the salt lake can produce pigment proteins, which make the cells appear red. In addition, there are algae of various colors such as green, blue, and yellow, which contain chlorophyll, lutein, etc., and will appear in different colors depending on the concentration. - Mineral Concentration Differences: The small salt pools formed by artificial mining have different concentrations of chemical components such as potassium and sodium in each pool, and show different colors under the action of high temperature and strong light. - Featured Landscapes and Projects - Qicai Salt Pool: From a high altitude, the salt pools crisscross, and under the sunlight, they are colorful, like a natural palette.  - Salt Sculpture Art: There are unique salt sculpture artworks in the scenic area, with realistic shapes and as white as jade. - Salt Lake "Five Wonders": Indoor health experience projects developed based on salt lake resources, including medical hot springs, saltwater floating, salt mist lung cleansing, mineral salt physiotherapy, and black mud health. - Protection and Development - Protection Measures: Carry out the "Clean Lake Action", carry out river dredging, embankment restoration, lake greening, water system management, and other projects; establish the Yuncheng Salt Lake Protection and Utilization Research Institute, and establish the Yuncheng Salt Lake Ecological Protection and Resource Utilization Hall and City Co-construction Shanxi Province Key Laboratory Cultivation Base. - Development Direction: Promote the integrated development of "culture + ecology + tourism", hold activities such as the Salt Culture Tourism Week and the Lake Cycling Race, promote the transformation and upgrading of the salt lake, and build it into a health and wellness resort suitable for tourism, health, and therapy.

Yuncheng • Salt Pond • Colorful Salt Lake Although it is one of the three largest sodium sulfate inland salt lakes in the world But it’s not as stunning as the Chaka Salt Lake in Haixi, Qinghai Province. The color of the colorful salt lake is said to change with the temperature But with the naked eye, you can hardly see anything except red. I feel like the palette-like aerial photos online look better. There are many special health experience projects in the Salt Lake Scenic Area Black mud mineral salt hot spring spa, salt spray, lung clearing, salt water floating, etc. It’s a pity that Shanxi trip lasted two and a half days and I didn’t have time to experience it fully. Then make a wish for a drone and a beautiful health regimen! - Location: No. 365 Jiefang South Road, Yanhu District, Yuncheng City Transportation: There are direct buses to the city, No. 21/66/88, it is more convenient to take a taxi and drive yourself. Tickets: Free for Salt Pond, 218 yuan/person for Salt Lake Scenic Area Pass TIPS: The scenic spot is divided into two parts with a very large area and a length of 20+KM. I only walked a very, very small part of it this time On one side is the salt pond. To navigate the duck pond, just park on the roadside and walk over. On the other side is the Salt Lake Scenic Area, an area where you can experience various health care projects. The sun is still very bright in October. There is no cover at all, so be sure to pay attention to sun protection. If you have a drone, be sure to bring it with you. Otherwise, like me, you won’t be able to take pictures of the colorful beauty.

🌸Colorful Salt Lake You can experience bamboo rafts drifting slowly on the thousand-year-old salt lake and DIY salt carving and shrimp harvesting 🌸Jiezhou Guandi Temple It is the earliest, largest, highest-grade and best-preserved Guandi Temple in my country. You can experience the ancient Guan Gong culture 🌸Phoenix Valley Climb up the stone steps of the stone trail to see the quaint pavilions and towers dotted between the mountains and rivers. You can also take a cable car to overlook the Taihang Mountain Canyon 🌸Yellow River Night Market is crowded and lively when we go to eat barbecue at night. The Lao Wang barbecue we went to is a must-try! 🌸Wa Dan Hot Pot This was recommended by the driver on the way to eat fish and noodles. The real degree of heat depends on yourself 🌸Go to feel the strong fireworks. I didn’t expect that simple tofu vermicelli and cabbage can be so delicious

👉The salt lake in Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province presents a colorful picture Looking down from the air, the salt lake is like a giant palette🎨 The high saturation of its colors is as beautiful as a fairy tale🧚‍♀️ 👉Winter produces salt, summer produces nitrate. At that time, the salt pool in winter was like a piece of snow, and you could see the crystalline salt particles. Now, the salt pool has been divided into small fields, and the mineral aggregation speed in each field is different, which has produced the effect of "God's palette". ⚠️Precautions: 🎈The better the weather, the brighter the color. Remember to bring a sun umbrella, sunscreen, and drinking water 🎈The best time to see the salt lake (with color) is from August to early October 🎈If you want to see such a scene★ One: High temperature is required, so it's better to go in summer! Two: It is recommended that everyone bring aerial photography equipment✈️ 📍National AAA Tourist Scenic Area📍 💡Location: Salt Lake District, Yuncheng City 🔍Navigation: Directly search for 【Colorful Salt Lake】 💰Ticket: None