Comfortable stay

Various scenic spots and campgrounds in Alshaa have expanded their scale, upgraded their facilities and improved their services to meet the demands of the rising number of tourists. For example, the self-driving campground of Ejine Banner located in the desert poplar woods has recently refurbished its reception center and other facilities.

The Dingyuan ancient city tourism area and the Luanjingtan campground of Alshaa Left Banner recently opened a new camping site where tourists can watch the night sky. The site is popular among travelers and photographers, not least because local herdsmen offer homestay facilities, which incidentally has increased the herdsmen's incomes.

The Alshaa League local government pays special attention to exploring local ethnic cultures and nature, and improving infrastructure in order to provide better, modern services for tourists. In the process, it has also been promoting the non-tangible cultural heritages and other local specialties, as well as the "night economy" of Alshaa.

The Alshaa local government is implementing the "tourism + healthcare" project, and fostering the commercialization of the Helan Mountain forest resources, including projects related to sand therapy, camel milk production, and traditional Mongolian medicine.

Yan Guangchao, 45, a tourist from Yinchuan, capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, said he often drives to Alshaa for sightseeing, adding that the route is extremely popular among his friends from South China. The trip from Yan's home to the Tonghu grassland of Alshaa takes about two and a half hours. "We can ride camels or horses, and surf on the sand there. By camping on the grassland, we can enjoy the dazzling, clear night sky and see with our naked eyes innumerable stars and many of the planets," Yan said.

On gastronomy and leisure, Yan said, "The food, particularly the roasted lamb, and the bonfire party featuring folk music and dance are of special interest to non-local tourists," he said.