I had the fortune to witness nine suns | Bayanbulak

Nine meandering sunsets are the unique romance bestowed upon Xinjiang's Bayanbulak by the sky Bayanbulak is a transliteration from Mongolian, meaning 'abundant springs' Expansive grasslands, the winding Kaidu River, soaring eagles, and the languid animals of the grassland 📍Detailed address: Located opposite the Tu'erhute Ethnic Folk Culture Village on National Highway 217 in Hejing County, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region One, Bayanbulak round-trip information Ticket sales location: Bayanbulak Swan Lake Scenic Area Visitor Center Ticket sales stop time: Sometimes it's 19:00, sometimes 19:30, it varies with the season, if you want to catch the sunset, you need to enter before this Ticket price plus shuttle bus is 140, private cars are not allowed, the shuttle bus stops at three spots (Swan Home - Barun Temple - Nine Curves Eighteen Bends Viewing Platform), after reaching the last stop, there's still a 3 km journey to reach the Eighteen Bends Viewing Platform, you can choose one of the following methods to get there 1. Sightseeing bus: round-trip 20 2. Horse riding: round-trip 80 3. Walking ❤Recommended spots: 1 Swan Home Asia's largest and our country's only swan nature reserve Across the lake is the Tianshan mountain range, where swans play in the lake under the snowy mountains, a sight as beautiful as it gets 2 Barun Temple A Tibetan Buddhism Gelug monastery, a pilgrimage site deep in the grasslands 3 Nine Curves Eighteen Bends This description is no exaggeration, the Kaidu River meanders across the grassland, the water is clear and bright, and if lucky, you can witness the spectacle of nine suns at sunset, a filming location for the movie 'Pegasus' 4 Nadam Fair Every year from the fourth to the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, you can attend the annual grassland festival 'Nadam Fair' in Bayanbulak, where you can watch traditional performances such as horse racing, wrestling, sheep racing, yak racing, ethnic costumes, and ethnic songs and dances 📝Note tips: 1. May to September is the best time to visit, other times can be quite cold 2. To protect the birds, flying drones is prohibited in the scenic area 3. There is a large temperature difference between day and night and strong ultraviolet rays, remember to bring warm and sun protection 4. If you want to see the sunset, you can enter the scenic area after 5 pm 5. Due to the high altitude and large temperature changes in the Bayanbulak area, remember to bring enough warm clothing no matter the season 6. The sun is strong on the grassland, so sun protection is essential. 7. Remember not to damage the environment at will, and maintain the cleanliness and beauty of the scenic area. Dining recommendations: You can find a variety of delicacies in the restaurants of the scenic area, such as roasted lamb, hand-grabbed lamb, lamb hot pot, buttered tea, big plate chicken, roasted buns, raw roasted meat, lamb belly roast, potstickers, sand baked cake, slate baked cake--Kumaiqi, Qiemo thin naan, whole sheep feast, dried meat, stomach-wrapped meat, meat under the crust, etc., all are worth a try Accommodation recommendations: Bayanbulak Boyali Hotel, ranging from economy to comfort. Book your accommodation in advance.