Erdao Sea

Erdao Sea

Erdao Sea is located at the center of Mounigou and is the largest lake in the scenic area.

The scenic area is a long, quiet valley, stretching 5 kilometers, connected by wooden boardwalks. The valley is densely forested with ancient trees, rarely visited by humans, covered with thick moss, and home to dozens of species of wild animals.

Wuzu Hai

Wuzu Hai is located directly north of Lianghekou and gets its name from the five closely interconnected lakes. They are all glacial lakes, with rugged shores and submerged tree roots and trunks whose calcium formations, refracted by sunlight, create a variety of surreal sights, showcasing a unique karst landform.

Kuashiyan

Kuashiyan is adjacent to Wuzu Hai, spanning dozens of square kilometers, and features uniquely shaped rocks. The fossilized plants and animals here are distributed in an orderly fashion according to changes in altitude, making it a natural museum of wildlife and plant fossils.

Toutao Sea

Toutao Sea is the first large lake upon entering the valley, surrounded by fir and juniper trees. The remains of ancient trees in the water, over years of calcification, form countless unusual sights.

Swan Lake

Swan Lake gets its name from the frequent presence of wild ducks and swans. The lakeshore is also often visited by wildlife such as takins, elk, and blue sheep to drink water. The lake water is gem-blue, like a piece of transparent crystal, extremely beautiful.

Erdao Sea

Erdao Sea is a typical subsidence lake. Due to the many underground caves around the lake, the water connects with other lakes through these caves. Though the surface appears calm as a mirror, there are mysterious undercurrents beneath. In summer, sometimes the lake roars, forming large whirlpools—if a long log is placed on the surface, it can be sucked in and vanish without a trace.

The upper part of Erdao Sea has shallow, clear waters where fish can be easily seen; the lower part is a deep pool with dark blue, unfathomable water. The lake water changes colors with the seasons, complementing the colorful calcium layers along the shore.

Ginseng Lake

A piece of ancient wood, fallen into the lake who-knows-when, has over the years become calciumized into the shape of a giant ginseng plant, with branches transformed into root-like tendrils—strikingly lifelike.

Baihua Lake

The lake water is transparent, remaining clear even dozens of meters deep. It nurtures a rich variety of unusual aquatic plants, with floral colors changing with the climate and seasons.

Every May, blue flowers begin blooming on the lake’s surface; in June, the blue fades and is replaced by elegant white blooms covering the lake again; in autumn, thousands of pale yellow flowers spread across Baihua Lake; even when winter snow arrives, these flowers remain in bloom, creating a picturesque scene with the surrounding frost-laced trees.

Suhuahai

The Suhuahai landscape is quite unique: aquatic plants growing from the lakebed emerge above the water and burst into countless delicate white, golden, and indigo flowers that sway with the ripples. These rare blossoms bloom over a long season, lasting into the following spring. Even when a thin layer of ice forms on the lake’s surface in winter, the flowers continue to bloom beneath the ice—a truly remarkable sight.

Frog Kingdom

In the wetlands of the grassland near Baihua Lake lives a diverse range of wildlife including many birds, frogs, geckos, and toads. Day and night, they create a noisy symphony of sounds, with frog croaks echoing from afar—like stepping into a magical Frog Kingdom, hence the name.

Pearl Lake

Also known as “Boiling Pearl Sea,” Pearl Lake lies at the deepest part of the Erdao Sea scenic area. It earned its name from the springs at the lake bottom that gush water like strings of pearls, causing the surface to bubble and shimmer. The water of Pearl Lake is relatively warm—even in the harsh winter when covered with snow and ice, the temperature remains around 25°C, with a strong sulfur scent around the hot spring.

Legend says this was a healing bath prepared by the Yellow Dragon Immortal for the nine celestial maidens before he moved to Huanglong. Every summer, people from nearby areas gather here to bathe, hoping to cure ailments. When entering the lake, an inexplicable special fragrance emanates from around the body.

Rhinoceros Nose

On the calcified dam sits a pair of side-by-side round holes the size of bowls, resembling a rhinoceros’ nostrils. The two holes are just two fist-widths apart, with crystal-clear springs between them. Every few seconds, pearl-like droplets leap out, sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight.

Legend has it that if a couple each inserts an arm through the two holes and can clasp hands underwater, it proves they are destined for a happy marriage — a highly effective tradition. Young couples often come here to test their bond at the “ox nose.”

Ticket prices & opening hours: Peak season (April 1 – November 15): 70 RMB; off-season: 60 RMB; discounted price: 50 RMB (students, active-duty military, seniors, and people with disabilities with valid ID).

Additionally, if visiting the Zhaga Waterfall scenic area as well, you can purchase a combined ticket for both sites at 100 RMB (60 RMB in the off-season), with a discounted price of 70 RMB (same discount conditions apply).

Transportation

You can hire a car or ride a horse to get there.

When visiting the Erdaohai scenic area, follow the “left-hand rule”: after entering the main gate, take the left path uphill, and when descending from the highest point, also take the left path back down. This way, you avoid retracing your steps, and the return route is shorter than the ascent.