A summer retreat to escape the heat, how can we miss Qinghai Lake, where it's so cool that you need to wear a windbreaker? Here comes the guide

In addition to Changbai Mountain, Qinghai Lake is an unmissable summer retreat in China. This June, I personally visited the Heima River scenic area by Qinghai Lake, where the temperature was so cold even with a windbreaker on, that I recommend it as a treasure spot for summer heat escape. Here is the guide About the scenic area As China's largest lake and a highland pearl, Heima River is a small town on the west coast of Qinghai Lake. The scenic area allows visitors to walk to the lakeside. It is the starting point of the Qinghai Lake loop road and also one of the best spots to watch the sunrise over Qinghai Lake. About transportation: Self-driving: Drive along National Highway 109 from Xining, 220KM away. Xining chartered carpooling two-day tours or big and small loop lines all pass through. Public transportation: Take the bus from Xining Bus Station to destinations like Wulan, Chaka, and Shinaigai, all of which pass through Heima River. About precautions for visiting Qinghai Lake to escape the heat: 1. The best season is July-August when the rapeseed flowers are blooming, and the grass by Qinghai Lake is lush. 2. There is a significant temperature difference between morning and evening at Qinghai Lake. It is recommended to prepare a windbreaker or down jacket for watching the sunrise, or you can borrow a military coat from someone. 3. The weather in the Qinghai Lake area is changeable, and it may rain from time to time, so seeing the sunrise is not guaranteed. 4. If you go to Chaka Salt Lake, you can carpool from Heima River, which many hotels offer, or you can find me. Similarly, after visiting Chaka Salt Lake, you can also charter a carpool to Heima River to watch the sunrise. About tickets There are several charging scenic spots around Qinghai Lake. The Heima River scenic area itself does not charge an entrance fee. A one-way 5-minute electric cart ride costs a total of 30 yuan, which I think is quite reasonable. About food and accommodation Food There are many Sichuan and Northwestern cuisine restaurants in Heima River town. We particularly enjoyed the stir-fried yak meat and onion stir-fried lamb, both of which tasted great. The cost was about 70 yuan per person for a group of 8, which is quite a deal in the scenic area. Accommodation As a sunrise viewing spot, the Heima River scenic area by Qinghai Lake has many homestays and guesthouses. We didn't stay because there was no sunrise due to cloudy weather the next day. Be sure to read the descriptions carefully when booking a homestay and check the distance from the scenic area entrance. Nearby attractions The nearby Banma Laze Sacred Lake, Erlang Sword scenic area by Qinghai Lake on the way from Xining Dang River scenic area (with a statue of Princess Wencheng in Dang River town) Self-driving along Qinghai Lake Bird Island The stretch from Heima River to Bird Island is known as the most beautiful section of Qinghai Lake. In August, tens of thousands of acres of rapeseed flowers bloom brilliantly by the lake.