'Journey in Beautiful China' arrives in Arxan

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2015-06-23

Media attending the activity "2015 Journey in Beautiful China-Inner Mongolia" started the journey in Arxan, a small city on the Sino-Mongolian border, at the southwest part of the Greater Hinggan Mountain Range, in the far northeastern corner of Inner Mongolia autonomous region, from June 14-16.

Arxan National Forest Park [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Arxan, "hot holy water" in the Mongolian language, has 76 mineral springs.

Nestled at a high latitude, the city has very long winters with hardly any summer at all. It begins snowing in October, and the snow doesn't begin to melt until May the following year.

However, when the outside temperature has dropped to 40-50C below zero, the 20-kilometer-long river still flows with rich green grass. This river conditions are the result of its geothermal underground, which helps the area's animals to survive the harsh winters.

It's always common for cattle to be either in or close to the river. What a pleasure it must be to eat and bathe simultaneously in a hot spring. The livestock in Arxan are all free-range, according to locals. "Organized as they are, the livestock in one family are always led a head, and come out for food in a queue."

The mist, snow and peaceful animals, all help to create a fairytale environment.

Arxan National Forest Park [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Thanks to nature, Arxan has rich natural resources, such as wetlands, virgin forest, and canyons, in addition to beautiful snow, hot springs, rivers and lakes.

Arxan is widely known as having some of the purest land on earth due to the area's clean air and unspoiled environment. There are over 160 kinds of edible potherbs, featuring unique local delicacies.

The Arxan National Forest Park, a national 4 A-level scenic spot, covers 103,149 hectares, with forest coverage of 80 percent. There are 522 species of plants and more than 90 species of animals.

Arxan is also called "China's Alps", and attracts ski lovers from around the world. Except for being the ideal ski resort, there are also many other winter sports, like playing football on a snowfield or riding a motorcycle on the snow.

Arxan National Forest Park [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Now, it has flights to Hailar, Manzhouli, Beijing, Hohhot, Shenyang, Hangzhou and Chongqing in peak tourist season. The flights to Shanghai and Guangzhou will be opened soon. Through trains travel to Arxan from Baicheng, Ulanhot, Shenyang, Beijing, Tianjin and Hohhot.