Chilege Grassland Cultural Tourism Area (Hasuhai)

Chilege Grassland Cultural Tourism Area (Hasuhai)

Chilege Grassland Cultural Tourism Area (Hasuhai) is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a national water conservancy scenic area, and a national wetland park.

Hasuhai is an oxbow lake formed by the shifting course of the Yellow River and is an outflow freshwater lake within the Dahei River system. It was formerly known as Taosihao Xihazi and commonly called Houbor. A natural lake, Hasuhai is known as the "West Lake beyond the Great Wall." It is located in Tumote Zuoqi, 70 kilometers west of Hohhot, covering a water surface area of 32 square kilometers with a depth of about 2 meters. The lakebed is overgrown with weeds, resulting in nutrient-rich waters that produce abundant fish such as grass carp, silver carp, common carp, crucian carp, blunt-snout bream, and Wuchang bream, as well as river shrimp and crabs. Various bird species thrive among the reeds on the lake, soaring above the vast misty waters when taking flight. The lakeside pavilions and waterside structures are shaded by lush willows, complementing the clear waters and green mountains to form a spectacular scene.

Chilege Grassland Cultural Tourism Area (Hasuhai) is located in the western part of Tuzuoqi, Hohhot, situated in the heart of the Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos "Golden Triangle." It is 60 kilometers east of downtown Hohhot and 80 kilometers west of Baotou. The Hohhot-Baotou Expressway, National Highway 110, and Beijing-Baotou Railway run east-west through the area. The vast grasslands between Chilege and the Daqing Mountains were historically known as Chilege Grassland, the setting depicted in the Northern Wei folk song "Chilege Song." The scenic area boasts a variety of resource advantages including the "Yin Mountains, grasslands, wetlands, lakes, hot springs, and climate." Developed to national 5A-level tourist attraction standards, it focuses on a diversified blend of northern nomadic grassland culture as its main theme and constructs a tourism product system oriented toward "grassland culture leisure and vacation." The Chilege Grassland Cultural Industry Park is gradually being developed into a tourist resort destination characterized by "grassland, culture, and ecological wetlands." The tourism area is planned to include "three parks and three zones." The three parks are the Grassland Culture Industrial Park, Grassland Leisure Expo Park, and Grassland Wetland Park; the three zones are the Leisure Agriculture Industry Demonstration Zone, Leisure Animal Husbandry Industry Demonstration Zone, and Leisure Fisheries Industry Demonstration Zone.

The Grassland Culture Industrial Park is themed around Mongol-Yuan culture, with major projects including the Mongol-Yuan Culture Themed Gate Service Area, Mongolia Digital Museum, Genghis Khan Grand Theater, Grassland Tribes, Sacred Ruler Altar Square, and Grassland Self-Drive Camp.

The main attraction of the Grassland Wetland Park is Hasuhai. Originally part of the old course of the Yellow River, the lake covers an area of 30 square kilometers with an average depth of 1.5 meters. It enjoys good ecological preservation, hosting a wide variety of bird and fish species. The reeds grow in expansive patches on the lake surface, creating beautiful scenery. The Grassland Wetland Park features five main sightseeing areas: Misty Fishing Songs, Waterfowl Conservation Area, Wetland Reed Conservation Area, Island Ecological Sightseeing Area, and Hasuhai Water Resources Conservation Area. Visitors can choose from two routes—on the water or around the lake—for touring, as well as a variety of rich leisure and recreational activities both on and around the lake.

The Grassland Leisure Expo Park focuses mainly on hot spring wellness and leisure vacation. Opened projects include the European-style gate of the Hasuhai International Style Water City, the Hasuhai Dock, and the Hasuhai Style Water Street. Upcoming projects include the Swan Castle Hot Spring Wellness Center, Swan Castle Hot Spring Resort Hotel, Water Play Park, and Sea Farming Resort Center.

Source: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Tourism Administration