Matou Bay Tourist Area

Matou Bay Tourist Area

Matou Bay Tourist Area

Friends, have you ever been to Matou Bay Sea on the northern edge of the Kubuqi Desert? Now let’s get to know it together. Matou Bay Sea is located within the territory of Hemumudu Town, Hangjin Banner, 3.5 kilometers north of the Yellow River pontoon bridge, facing Bayannur City across the river, and about 30 kilometers from the Beijing (Beijing)–Lanzhou (Lanzhou) Railway. With convenient transportation, the area currently has a lake covering 2,400 mu. Over the years, the water level has remained stable, and the water quality is excellent and unpolluted. The entire lake surface is vast and open, with shimmering blue waves, ducks and gulls soaring above, and colorful fish leaping in the water. The natural reeds are lush green in spring and summer, and their blossoms dance in the late autumn breeze. A tributary of the Yellow River runs through the center of the tourist development zone and connects with the Kubuqi Desert, forming a comprehensive tourist scenic area that integrates desert, Yellow River, and lake — all waiting to be developed.

As the saying goes, the Yellow River has ninety-nine bends, and Matou Bay Sea is a microcosm of them. A folk song goes: “Matou Bay is a winnowing-basket bay — easy to come, hard to leave.” This shows how attractive the scenery of Matou Bay Sea is to visitors. And the legend behind its name is also full of magic.

Legend has it that during the Han Dynasty, there was a frugal, hardworking, and kind-hearted man named Li Wan who lived here. He had no sons or daughters,

and made a living by selling tofu. Through years of hard work, he saved up 20,000 taels of silver and was always ready to help those in need. In an era when temples were being widely built, he once contributed a large sum to renovate temples. One year, he saw a blind man using a shabby erhu, so he spent a fortune to buy the best horsehead fiddle and gave it to him. From then on, he would steal time between chores to learn the horsehead fiddle from the blind man. The long, drawn-out tones of the horsehead fiddle conveyed sorrow, desolation, joy — a blend of emotions that moved everyone within ten miles. After Li Wan passed away at the age of 88, people named the sea “Matou Bay Sea” in memory of his noble virtue of helping others and the moving melodies of his horsehead fiddle. Young couples in love can stand by the shore, where the “bird of foresight,” the mandarin duck, will test the loyalty of their love. If the couple is destined to be together, a pair of mandarin ducks will joyfully swim toward them. Also, if visitors go swimming or diving here, don’t forget there’s a big underwater cave that leads straight to the Yellow River. If you’re a strong swimmer, why not dive in here and swim out through the Yellow River for an unforgettable thrill?

Dear friends, visiting Matou Bay Sea allows you to experience the eventful history of the Yellow River through lake cruising and sightseeing, as well as appreciate its unique combination of water, trees, sand, grass, birds, and beaches. The crystal-clear lake water, the poetic reed islands… Take a small boat to freely glide across the lake, listen to the songs of various water birds, weave through the lush reeds, watch fish leap and birds dart amid the splashing waves. Step off the boat onto the sandy beach, and finding a few colorful pebbles or uniquely shaped seashells could be your lucky reward. Here, you can also ride a camel into the desert to enjoy the thrill of sailing across the vast sands, or pitch your own tent to camp,

enjoy a self-prepared picnic, and experience pure bliss.