Things to do in Luntai

The Tarim Poplar Forest Park is a must-visit, especially if you drive there – it's so enjoyable! You can park your car on the side of the road whenever you see a beautiful view, provided it's safe to do so. The poplars are interspersed with patches of yellow, which fulfills our longing for a poplar forest.

Narat Grassland is quite beautiful, especially the aerial grassland, which is stunning. You can drive there; just buy a self-driving ticket. There are also shuttle buses. The area is quite large. Panlong Valley Road, however, was just average, not as beautiful as I expected. The river valley grassland was teeming with cattle and sheep, but since it was nearing autumn, the grass wasn't as green anymore. I happened to be there during a grassland music festival. There were no celebrities, and the audience wasn't large, but the park was very well organized. There were large, clean temporary restrooms, and plenty of police, so everything was orderly. The only downside was that the parking lot was a bit far from the concert venue, as the venue was quite large. Because it's relatively remote, there weren't that many tourists there.

It was definitely the right choice to come! The scenic area is better than I expected. There are plenty of shuttle buses, and the area is so pristine – the air is fresh, there's lots of green grass, cattle and sheep graze freely, and the views are expansive. I didn't get enough of it!

Tickets are cheap, the attraction is located on the Duku Highway, and the scenery is decent. The sightseeing bus within the scenic area costs 35 yuan per person round trip, and camel riding costs 145 yuan one way. If you've seen Danxia landforms before, you might skip this one, but if you haven't, it's worth a look.

Kuldning Scenic Area, located in Gongliu County, Ili Prefecture, Xinjiang, is known as the "Oriental Switzerland," where snow-capped mountains, spruce forests, and grasslands intertwine to create a picturesque landscape. Recommended attractions include the Qimengde Viewpoint, where a wooden boardwalk offers panoramic views of the snow-capped mountains and spruce forests; the Ayousai Viewpoint provides views of the snow-capped peak of Kabanbay Peak; and the Ten-Mile Gallery features winding streams with dappled sunlight, creating a natural gallery effect. Summers are cool and pleasant, ideal for self-driving or camping. Tent campsites and wooden cabins are readily available within the scenic area, while wild fruit forests and ancient spruce trees add to the rustic charm, making it a secluded and less-traveled gem on the Ili route.

It's not far from the Duku Highway Museum. The ticket price is reasonable, and you can go in to see the unique landforms. The cliffs are like huge steps, covered with wrinkles that look like they were carved by a knife and axe, giving it a very cold and desolate visual appearance.

Bayinbuluke is definitely worth a visit. Besides swans, we also saw Siberian red-billed gulls at the Swan Sanctuary, and the interaction between the lambs and swans was particularly interesting. It's really cold up there, so be sure to dress warmly! The scenic area is much larger than I expected. From the entrance to the main attractions, even with no stops and a speed limit of 60 km/h, it takes about an hour, so be sure to allow plenty of time. The weather was exceptionally good the second time, and I wanted to go back in to watch the sunset. However, when I arrived at the scenic area at 6:30 PM, the staff said the sightseeing bus had already stopped running, so I unfortunately missed it. 🥲 If you want to see the sunset, be sure to check the last sightseeing bus time in advance. Also, if you're driving, after watching the sunset, drive slowly and carefully as it gets dark.

Wensu Grand Canyon, also known as Tianshan Tomur Grand Canyon In the afternoon, while we were at the scenic area, thunder started and heavy rain began in the distance. Fearing flash floods, the scenic area staff asked us to leave. We could only hurriedly fly a couple of planes. Comparing several canyons in the Tianshan Mountains (Dushanzi, Kuqa, etc.), this canyon is the most beautiful and highly recommended.

This modern-day princely mansion, built in the last century based on the oral recollections of the last prince, is a somewhat lackluster attraction—you can't really skip it since you're already there. However, it's still quite pleasant to stroll around when connected to the old alleyways outside. The basic infrastructure of the scenic area is quite good; the restrooms are very clean, and the cleaning staff are always on hand. The staff are also very friendly.

We came to Zhaosu Wetland specifically to see the "Heavenly Horses Bathing in the River" performance. It was a cloudy day when we arrived, so we hadn't had high expectations. After driving in, we headed to the viewing platform, found a good spot, and waited for over 20 minutes before finally witnessing the spectacular sight of the Heavenly Horses Bathing in the River. Although the performance was short, seeing it in person was still quite breathtaking and very impressive. Afterwards, we drove around the Rainbow Bridge for a long loop. The roads were nearly empty, the scenery was beautiful, and it was a very pleasant drive.