Xinjiang: Sayram Lake, Jan 2026
This is my second time at Sayram Lake 賽里木湖, the first time was in the summer. Sayram Lake is a high-altitude, cold water lake, also known as “the last tear of the Atlantic Ocean” because the warm and humid air currents from the Atlantic are the last to reach this place. In the winter, Sayram […]
Xinjiang: Kalatohai & Qiongkushitai, Jan 2026
During the coldest days of winter, a spectacular ice bubble phenomenon appears at Kalatohai Lake 喀拉托海. Beneath the frozen lake surface are layers of ice bubbles of all shapes and sizes resembling lotus flowers or bunches of grapes. The methane gas released from plants and animals at the bottom of the lake normally rises to […]
Xinjiang: Zhaosu, Jan 2026
Zhaosu Wetland Park 昭蘇濕地公園 is a national 4A-level scenic area with the largest and highest-altitude wetland in Yili, Xinjiang. It is the “Hometown of the Heavenly Horse”. We came here to photograph the Yili horses with performances called “Tianma (Heavenly Horse) Galloping on the Snow” 天馬踏雪 where horses gallop across the snow-covered plains like a […]
Xinjiang: Swan Spring, Jan 2026
Xinjiang is a vast province of China that keeps drawing me back. This is my 4th trip to Xinjiang and the first time during the winter, braving -15C temperatures. The focus of this trip is the Yili 伊犁 region in north-western Xinjiang for its snowy icy scenery and the swans. Historically, Yili was an important […]
Autumn at Hangzhou West Lake, Nov 2025
I came to Hangzhou hoping to enjoy the beautiful autumn colors, but because of climate change and leap June where two June months are present in the lunar calendar of this year, most leaves have yet to turn golden. Yet I still managed to find some small areas of colorful autumn foliage. Described as “the […]
Guangwu Mountain: Shibayuetan, Oct 2025
From Guangwu Town we headed towards the last scenic area, Shibayuetan Scenic Area 十八月潭景区 about 2 hours away. The highlight of my Guangwu photo tour was the drive along Chenjia Mountain road 陳家山 from Micang Mountain to Shibayuetan. The weather was overcast and a bit rainy but the silver lining was that there was quite […]
Guangwu Mountain: Micang Part II, Oct 2025
Micang 米倉 Part I covered Xianglu Mountain 香爐山 and Heixiong Gully 黑熊沟, now Part II will cover Natural Gallery 天然画廊, Botanical Gardens 植物園, and Daxiaolangou 大小兰沟. We arrived the Micang Scenic Area 米倉 at opening and after the 40-minute shuttle bus ride, we arrived at the Natural Gallery 天然画廊, the first stop of the shuttle […]
Guangwu Mountain: Micang Part I, Oct 2025
Bright and early we drove about 15 mins from Guangwu Town to Micang 米倉, also known as Daba Scenic Area 大坝景区, which is the best place to enjoy the red leaves of Guangwu Mountain. The highlights here are the Natural Gallery 天然画廊, Xianglu Mountain 香炉山, Black Bear Valley 黑熊沟, and Daxiaolanggou 大小兰沟 which we will […]
Guangwu Mountain: Swallow Ridge, Oct 2025
Autumn is usually a busy time for nature photographers. Soon after returning from northern Xinjiang, I headed to Guangwu Mountain 光雾山, located in Bazhong City 巴中市 of Sichuan Province, China. Lauded as “China’s No. 1 Red Leaf Mountain”, Guangwu Mountain, is a national 5-A scenic area as well as UNESCO Global Geopark. Guangwu Mountain translates […]
Xinjiang: Scenery along the roads in the North, Sep 2025
This post will be a collection of captures taken along the roads in Northern Xinjiang. The sceneries along the roads are sometimes even more beautiful than the scenic areas themselves. Other than the main highways, fortunately, there are many county highways where you can briefly stop on the side for a few shots. The recently […]
Xinjiang: Ziniquan & Irtysh River, Sep 2025
It is a rather long drive (6-7 hours without stopping) from Urumqi to Altay region in Northern Xinjiang. There are several different routes and this time we chose to stop in Ziniquan and the Irtysh River near Beitun. Ziniquan 紫泥泉, located in the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, was an important trade […]
Xinjiang: Sarbulak, Sep 2025
From Hemu Village, we continued to Altay to revisit Sarbulak 沙尔布拉克 which is where the summer livestock pasture transfers take place. Since I am in the area, I returned hoping to catch the autumn pasture transfers. Unfortunately, I was told that all the herders and their livestock have already left. Nonetheless, the scenery along the […]
Xinjiang: Hemu Part II, Sep 2025
Hemu Village 禾木, awarded by China National Geographic as one of the six most beautiful towns and villages in China, is set on a plain ringed by mountains on all sides with the Hemu River passing through. It has been home to the Tuwa people for over a thousand years. The Tuwa people are officially […]
Xinjiang: Hemu Part I, Sep 2025
From Kanas Lake, we continued to Hemu Village 禾木, awarded by China National Geographic as one of the six most beautiful towns and villages in China. The windy mountain road from Kanas to Hemu is especially beautiful with many scenes that look like paintings. I feel the trees here resemble a flower bed, and as […]
Xinjiang: Kanas, Sep 2025
After a few transfers on different shuttle buses, we made our way from Baihaba Village to Kanas scenic area. Apparently it is much faster to cross within the scenic areas using the shuttle buses than making a big detour on the roads outside. Kanas 喀纳斯, with its golden birch forest and emerald green lake, was […]