Wuhai: Desert, Water and Culture

Wuhai brings together desert and water, along with cultural heritage, calligraphy and the history of coal mining. Wuhai Lake and Jinshawan National Desert Park are in the wider regional area; Longyouwan National Wetland Park is part of the broader travel region. These different highlights give you more than one way to plan your trip: first decide whether nature watching, landscapes or culture should take center stage.

Water, Wetlands and Desert

Wuhai Lake is a desert and lake area with a holiday resort near the urban area. The Wuhai Lake Leisure and Resort Area has been designated both a regional-level leisure and resort area and a national AAAA-rated scenic area. The lake and its shores are a distinct highlight alongside the region’s cultural attractions.

Jinshawan National Desert Park is located in Haibowan District, Wuhai. Together with Wuhai Lake, it offers two different landscape experiences in the wider travel area: a desert and lake area on the one hand, and a desert park on the other. When planning nature outings, you can prioritize these highlights according to which landscape appeals to you most.

Longyouwan National Wetland Park is in the broader travel region. Water ripples among reed beds and groups of waterbirds. The area includes 890 hectares of saline wetland, restored over the years through a continuous water supply and revegetation. The national park passed its acceptance inspection in December 2018; after that, wetland restoration and protection were further strengthened. Reeds, waterbirds and ecological restoration make this natural area a distinct counterpoint to the desert landscape.

A particularly clear seasonal highlight is the red-billed gulls: groups can be seen on the water each year from late March to early April at Pier 1 in the Wuhai Lake Leisure and Resort Area. If you want to plan your trip around this sighting, this time frame is an important planning reference. It describes a recurring seasonal pattern, not a forecast for specific days.

Calligraphy, Cultural Heritage and the History of Coal Mining

Yueyu Book Bar is located in Calligraphy Square at the Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy Art Museum in Haibowan District. On the shore of Wuhai Lake, it is a place to read, socialize, enjoy the view and relax. The museum regularly displays works by prominent Chinese calligraphers; individual exhibitions may change. Calligraphy and reading offer a different focus from the region’s landscape and nature attractions.

At the Wuhai Coal Museum, a guide tells the story of Wuhai and its connection to coal mining, beginning with the campaign “万人上山夺煤大会战”. This story adds the history of coal mining to the experience of the landscape. Cultural offerings in Wuhai’s ecological and cultural tourism areas also include traditional theatrical forms such as Wuhai Errentai, along with other intangible cultural heritage performances.

A cultural heritage tour listed for Wuhai includes four stops: Longyouwan National Wetland Park, Xinhe, a site associated with intangible cultural heritage, Hansen Winery and Jinshawan. These stops cover a broad range of themes, from wetlands and cultural heritage to wineries and desert landscapes. A municipal implementation plan from 2024 proposed wine tastings and grape-picking activities at Sunlight Tianyu Winery. It also provided for hands-on activities for primary and secondary school students.

Choose a Suitable Base for Your Trip

If you’re traveling with children or with people who have different interests, it helps to decide on your preferred focus first: do you want to include a seasonal nature sighting, experience the landscape or explore the culture? The gulls at Pier 1 are tied to a specific time frame; calligraphy, theater and the history of coal mining offer other themes to consider when planning your trip. This comparison shows how nature and cultural interests can lead to different priorities.

When looking for a holiday rental in Wuhai, first consider which of these experiences you want to shape your trip. That way, you can choose a base that suits your plans and whether you want to focus on the lake, desert landscape, wetlands or culture.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Hulun Buir, Xilin Gol, Tongliao, Ordos, Ulanqab, Hinggan, Hohhot, Alxa.

For the broader travel overview: Inner Mongolia.