Honghai Scenic Area is located in Anakule Township, Bachu County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 12 kilometers away from Bachu County. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction. The total planned area of the scenic area is 148 square kilometers, with a core area of 80 square kilometers. It is an ecological landscape area integrating lakes, rivers, grasslands, wetlands, gobi, and populus euphratica forests. The scenic area loop is 38 kilometers long, composed of four core landscape areas: Kashgar River Silk Road Ancient Post Station, Golden Populus Euphratica Island, Red Bay Water Park, and Kashgar River Wetland. The entire scenic area takes the Silk Road ancient post as a clue, organically connecting oasis water system landscapes, gobi desert landscapes, and historical and cultural landscapes, showing unique charm.
History and Culture
Bachu County has a long history, with the southern Tianshan Mountains in the north, the Pamir Plateau in the west, the Karakoram Mountains in the south, and the Taklimakan Desert in the east. It is an important post on the ancient Silk Road, as well as a transportation hub in southern Xinjiang and the eastern gateway of Kashgar Prefecture. The area where Honghai Scenic Area is located, as an important carrier of Silk Road civilization, has been a gathering place for humanities and merchants since ancient times, serving as a key window and platform for the exchange and integration of Eastern and Western civilizations. Its special location connects Chang'an (now Xi'an) in the Central Plains to the eastern coast, Kashgar to ancient Rome in Western Europe, and Yutian to ancient India in South Asia. The camel caravans and horse gangs on the Populus Euphratica Ancient Road witnessed the vicissitudes of time; the beacon towers and pavilions deducted the legends of the Silk Road. The restoration and reconstruction of the Silk Road ancient post landscape in the scenic area are of great value for inheriting the historical context of Bachu, continuing cultural heritage, and displaying ethnic customs.
Main Attractions
Kashgar River Silk Road Ancient Post Station
It restores and reconstructs the landscape of the Silk Road ancient post, allowing visitors to feel the prosperity of the Silk Road and witness the vicissitudes of history, which is of great significance for understanding the history and culture of Bachu.
Golden Populus Euphratica Island
It has 3.16 million mu of primitive populus euphratica forests, the largest contiguous natural populus euphratica forest in the world. The populus euphratica trees feature uncanny craftsmanship in shape, with majestic and upward momentum, showing indomitable will and unyielding spirit, and deducing the tenacity of natural life and the grandeur of desert scenery.
Red Bay Water Park
In the park, islands are adjacent, with a lush grove of reed marshes on the water, willows hanging low, wildflowers blooming on the shore, and plants growing naturally. Here, visitors can enjoy unique water culture and red culture, and experience the excitement and joy brought by yachts. In addition, there is Yunyang Pavilion, built in October 2013 to commemorate Comrade Li Yunyang, who once served as the county magistrate of Bachu County and made outstanding contributions to the local area; Tongxin Bridge is built with wooden boards and ropes, simple and elegant; and the sailboat-shaped "Yunyang Hao" sailboat restaurant provides Han cuisine and ethnic characteristic food.
Kashgar River Wetland
It is the largest desert wetland landscape area in Xinjiang and a habitat for birds, with national first-class protected animals such as white storks, black storks, and relic gulls, and national second-class protected animals such as Eurasian hobbies, black kites, and northern goshawks. In summer and autumn, more than 30 species of migratory birds such as wild ducks and seagulls gather, with ten thousand birds singing together. The wetland is rich in vegetation, with groups of cattle and sheep, winding boardwalks, and gurgling water, exuding a pastoral atmosphere.
Populus Euphratica Maze Garden
Entering the Populus Euphratica Maze Garden, visitors can feel the primitive atmosphere and seem to hear the integration of populus euphratica culture on the Silk Road. The populus euphratica trees here have gone through thousands of years of vicissitudes, with different shapes, and each tree has witnessed the changes of time.
Ancient Road · Bachu Fourth Beacon Tower
Located in Weitouzhou, facing the Populus Euphratica Expo Hall, it is 16 meters high. In ancient times, it was used for military warfare. Nowadays, visitors can climb to the top to have a bird's-eye view of the entire scenic area. It has witnessed the prosperity of the Silk Road, the interpretation of historical stories, and the changes of military battles.
Silk Road First Nang Pit
Built in the scenic area in 2014, the main body has a diameter of 9.2 meters, a height of 10.2 meters, a circumference of 28.88 meters, and an internal volume of 113 cubic meters. The interior uses P-type sintered perforated bricks with reinforced concrete belts, and the inside is made of clay with beef and sheep hair and straw, constructed according to the Uyghur folk nang pit architectural structure combined with modern construction technology. It can roast 2 camels, 2 cows, and 10 sheep at the same time.
Li Yunyang Memorial Hall
Built in October 2013, it has a construction area of about 544 square meters. The hall restores Li Yunyang's selfless and fearless heroic image through texts, pictures, videos, etc. The hall is divided into eight theme contents such as Devoting to the Revolution and Caring for Bachu, and also displays some relics and manuscripts. In September 2019, it was listed as the Bachu County National Unity and Patriotism Education Base.
Delicacies
Nang (Uyghur Bread)
As a popular food of the Uyghur nation, it is an indispensable staple food for local residents every day. There are various types, such as oil nang, wo wo nang, sesame nang, meat nang, and slice nang, with rich tastes to meet different people's taste needs.
Roasted Mutton Skewers
They can be seen everywhere in local urban and rural areas, streets, and bazaars. Fresh mutton is selected, marinated uniquely, and then roasted over charcoal fire. The finished product is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with fresh and delicious meat, sprinkled with special seasonings, having a unique flavor and being deeply loved by tourists.
Hand-Pulled Rice (Pilaf)
It uses rice, mutton, carrots, onions, etc., as main raw materials. First, fry the mutton until golden brown, then add side dishes such as carrots and onions to stir-fry, and finally braise with rice. The prepared hand-pulled rice is shiny and full of aroma, with the rice absorbing the flavor of mutton and side dishes, soft and waxy in taste, and rich in nutrition.
Roasted Buns
The outer skin is rolled thin with dead dough, wrapped with fillings made of mutton as the main ingredient with onions, seasonings, etc., and then baked in a nang pit. The baked buns have a yellow and bright skin, and when bitten, the meat is fresh and tender, crispy and delicious, being one of the most characteristic foods locally.
Thin-Skinned Buns
They are wrapped with thin and tough dough with fillings made of mutton, sheep oil, onions, etc., and steamed in a steamer. They are characterized by thin and oily skin, tender and oily meat, and fragrant and moist taste, usually eaten with nang or other staple foods.
Steamed Lung and Rice Sausage
Using sheep offal as raw materials, the lung and rice sausage are respectively filled with seasoned batter and rice and other ingredients, and then cooked for consumption. The steamed lung is soft and tender, and the steamed rice sausage is glutinous and fresh. The unique flavor makes tourists who have tasted it full of praise.
Tickets
The ticket price is 40 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "巴楚县红海景区" in WeChat to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are generally 10:00 - 20:00 in summer (approximately from May to October) and 10:30 - 19:00 in winter (approximately from November to April of the following year). However, the specific opening hours may vary.
Tour Route
Starting from the scenic area entrance, first go to the Kashgar River Silk Road Ancient Post Station to feel the Silk Road culture; then take the scenic area shuttle bus to the Golden Populus Euphratica Island to admire the spectacular populus euphratica forest; then go to the Red Bay Water Park to experience water entertainment projects and visit Yunyang Pavilion, Li Yunyang Memorial Hall, etc.; after that, go to the Kashgar River Wetland to enjoy the wetland scenery and migratory birds; finally, visit attractions such as the Populus Euphratica Maze Garden, Ancient Road · Bachu Fourth Beacon Tower, and Silk Road First Nang Pit to end the journey. The recommended playtime for the whole journey is 1 day.
Transportation
- Self-driving: You can go through the local road network, 12 kilometers away from Bachu County, with a short driving distance. Starting from Bachu County, drive along the signs to reach the scenic area, and the road condition is good.
- Public transportation: In Bachu County, you can take a bus to Anakule Township and get off at the bus stop near the scenic area. You can also choose to take a taxi from the county to the scenic area, and the fare is calculated according to the actual mileage. In addition, you can check the operation information of local tourist special lines, and some special lines will go directly to the scenic area.
Must-visit Attractions
- Golden Populus Euphratica Island: It has the largest contiguous natural populus euphratica forest in the world, with 3.16 million mu of primitive populus euphratica, majestic and in various shapes, being an excellent place to feel the desert scenery and populus euphratica spirit.
- Red Bay Water Park: It allows visitors to experience unique water culture and red culture. While enjoying the beautiful natural scenery, they can also participate in exciting water entertainment projects and enjoy a pleasant time.
- Kashgar River Wetland: As the largest desert wetland landscape area in Xinjiang, with rich bird resources and beautiful wetland scenery, it has become an ideal attraction for getting close to nature and watching migratory birds.
Tour Tips
- The recommended playtime is 1 day. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit with pleasant climates. Everything recovers in spring, and populus euphratica turns golden in autumn, with very charming scenery.
- You can understand the performance and activity times in the scenic area in advance. For example, during major festivals, the scenic area will display folk sports activities such as sheep grabbing and horse racing. Arrange the itinerary reasonably to participate in the experience.
- When playing in the Red Bay Water Park, pay attention to sun protection and mosquito prevention measures. At the same time, you can carry some light change clothes to facilitate changing after participating in water entertainment projects.
- Taste the local characteristic food and buy local characteristic handicrafts such as handmade carpets and wicker weavings as souvenirs. These handicrafts have rich ethnic customs and exquisite craftsmanship.
Notes
- Respect local religious beliefs and customs. When visiting religious places or participating in local folk activities, follow relevant regulations and etiquette.
- When going to the scenic area in summer, pay attention to sun protection and heatstroke prevention measures, and carry sun protection clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hats, etc. The sunlight in the scenic area is strong, and the temperature is high.
- When going in winter, pay attention to keeping warm and carry enough thick clothes. The temperature difference between day and night in the scenic area is large, and the temperature at night is low.
- When playing in the scenic area, take care of the environment and do not litter. Keep the scenic area clean and jointly maintain the beautiful natural landscape.
- When participating in water entertainment projects, follow the instructions of the staff to ensure your own safety. Wear safety equipment such as life jackets.