Travelers have been flocking to the famous Flaming Mountains, a popular tourist destination in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, regarded as one of the "hottest" places to visit in the country, with many brave visitors keen to experience the scorching high temperatures in the area.

Each summer, curious tourists love to visit the spectacular Flaming Mountains which lie on the northern rim of the Turpan Depression, to enjoy the corrugated slopes of stunning red sandstone and experience the burning heat, with the mountain range truly living up to its name during the sizzling summer months.

Temperatures in Turpan have hit the 50 degrees Celsius mark for more than three consecutive days as an intense heatwave continues to grip much of China.

On Sunday, 31 meteorological stations in Turpan recorded temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius, while five reported highs of 50 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, a 12-meter-tall thermometer at the Flaming Mountains scenic spot, the major attraction for visitors, recorded a barely believable ground surface temperature of 80 degrees Celsius.

"I came to the legendary Flaming Mountains today and have experienced the highest temperature of my life. The thermometer shows a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius, extremely high," said a tourist named Luo Xia.

In spite of the almost unbearable heat, the scenic spot is consistently busy and embraces about 6,000 tourists daily, though many are seen using umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun.

To help visitors cope with the intense heat, the scenic spot's tourist reception center has set up air-conditioned rest areas and stocked up on heatstroke prevention drugs, while also offering tourists some much-needed ice cream for free.

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