Heavenly pursuits
By Li Jing ( Beijing Weekend)
Updated: 2004-01-16 15:11

Harbin in particular and Heilongjiang in general seem to have cornered the winter tourism market in China.

A dramatic alternative is provided by Northwest China's Xinjiang which offers almost the same breathtaking winter scenery and many of the attractions that has winter sports fans flying north to Harbin.

Since 2000, the local government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has started to promote winter tourism with an annually snow and ice festival held every year in Urumqi, the area's provincial capital.

The festival aims to attract more visitors to make the long trip to Xinjiang and to try and promote Xinjiang's tourism worldwide.

In fact travel destinations across Xinjiang are more diversified than those in Northeast China, thanks to its snow-clad mountains, natural wonders and the special culture of dozens of different ethnic groups.

One of the major differences here is that as the largest provincial region in China, Xinjiang is home to much fewer people than elsewhere, helping keep natural attractions pristine.

Here we offer a brief introduction to Urumqi and nearby sites suitable for winter exploration.

Situated on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains, Urumqi is most famous for being the furthest city in the world from the sea.

A relatively new city (founded in 1763), the most landlocked area in the world is essentially a modern, drab place, in many ways resembling a Russian industrial town, with few sights of interest but a lively resident population who sustain enough intrigue to hold you there for a day or two.

This is also a compulsory stop in terms of transportation (and has been since the Silk Road opened) throughout Xinjiang, and the spectacular Heaven's Lake (Tianchi), a day trip from the city, justifies a visit to this area in itself. An exploration of the older streets and the Uygur area known as Erdaoqioa provides a more interesting look at the different nationalities living in the city.

For snow scenery, check out Tianshan (Heavenly Mountain) and Heaven's Lake in Tianshan.

Situated in the Heavenly Mountain range (Tianshan), 115 km northeast of Urumqi, Heaven's Lake (Tianchi) is arguably one of the nicest spots in all of China. The huge clear lake, the pine trees covering the hillsides and the snow-capped mountains in the background make this a spectacular sight, reminiscent of Switzerland or the Rockies but somehow with more vibrancy and colour.

Buddhists visit this spot to praise the God of Mercy. Kazakh families set up camp here. And tourists visit the area in their thousands. All this, surprisingly enough, does not spoil the area. One of the most pleasant aspects about exploring here is just being able to wander the lake and mountains at your own pace. This is a vast area and, despite the crowds, it is easy to lose yourself. There are no restrictions about where you can go.

It's worth spending at least a day here. Staying the night in a yurt or at the more upmarket Shuixin Hotel is good fun. The evening and early morning here are comparatively peaceful. There are numerous small restaurants along the western shore serving good simple dishes for about 20 yuan (US$2.4) to 30 yuan (US$3.6).

A gargantuan glacier, 100 metres thick and 500 metres wide lies at the peak of the Tianshan mountain range, surrounded by ice caves and valleys. This is the source of the Urumqi River, and although it is too cold up here for many travellers, this area is one of the most important in the world in terms of research and development.

One thing to bear in mind here is the time! Although officially run according to Beijing time, residents actually live life two hours behind Beijing. This does not however, affect train, plane and bus times, so make sure you are absolutely sure when you are supposed to leave and which time zone is being used!

It can get very cold up there, so make sure you take enough warm clothing, especially if you plan to stay the night.

How to get there: flights between Beijing and Urumqi are available every day.

Buses leave from the north end of Renmin Park in Urumqi between 9 am and 9.30 am every day and return from the Heaven Lake between 4 pm and 4.30 pm. The trip takes between 90 minutes and 4 hours, depending on the type of transport you take. Minibuses are the most efficient. There are also private buses running from the Hongshan Hotel. The trip costs 25 yuan (US$3) for a same-day return on the cheapest bus. The views along the route are spectacular.