A journey along the Chinese border

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China has the longest land border in the world totaling more than 22,000 kilometers. Many of the border towns are diverse and share both Chinese and foreign characteristics.

CGTN has collected China's top 10 most beautiful border cities and towns for tourists. Our fifth stop is Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It borders with three countries – Russia and Mongolia on the northeast and Kazakhstan on its northwest.

As local people say, one wouldn't see the true beauty of Xinjiang if she or he hasn't been to Ili, hence Ili is also called the “Little Switzerland of the East.”

Grasslands in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

Xinghuagou (apricot valley)

The Tuergen Xinghuagou scenic spot is located in Tuergen Town, Xinyuan County in Ili. The Apricot Valley is the largest wild apricot forest left from the middle ages. Every spring, the seas of apricot blossoms there attract lots of tourists.

The apricot blooms around April 20 when there is frequent rain in Tuergen, so please pay close attention to the weather forecast and plan your trip. In June, the apricots will be ripe, making it a good time to taste the delicious fruits.

Apricot blossoms at Xinghuagou in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

Tips:

Best visiting time: Mid-April to early May

Best shooting time: One to two hours after the sun rises.

Good timing: The apricot blossoms only take about seven days from bloom to fade, so do keep up with local travel news and try your luck.

Nalati Grassland

Located at the foot of Tianshan Mountains and the east section of Ili River Valley, Nalati scenic spot, at an elevation of 1800 meters, is one of the highest grasslands in the world nicknamed the "Sky Grassland.”

Nalati Grassland has a history of over 3,000 years and is home to the Kazakh minority, who are known for their hospitality and folkloric singing and dancing.

The best time to visit Nalati Grassland is between June and September when the grassland is carpeted with colorful wildflowers and wandering herds of goats, sheep, and cows.

Nalati Grassland in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

Sunrise at Nalati Grassland in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

Horses at Nalati Grassland in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

Tips:

Entrance fee: 95 yuan (14 U.S. dollars) Jun. - Sept.; 75 yuan (11 U.S. dollars) Apr. - May., Oct. - Nov.; 47 yuan (7 U.S. dollars) Dec. - Mar.

Best visiting time: June - September

Opening time: 8:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Transportation: The Nalati National Forest Park can be reached via airplane or shuttle bus. Tourists can also depart from Yining City and drive 340 kilometers to the park.

Accommodation: Hotels and homestays in Nalati Town are all good choices for they are reasonably priced.

Dushanzi-Kuche Highway

Dushanzi-Kuche Highway, 561 kilometers in length, is a highway connecting Xinjiang's southern and northern areas. It stretches across steep mountains and passes through deep mountains and valleys, connecting numerous ethnic communities.

The highway has greatly shortened the transport distance between southern and northern Xinjiang and is regarded as a monument in the history of highway construction in China. The construction took tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers and 10 years' time. Local people built a monument by the highway to commemorate the 168 soldiers who died during the construction.

Duku Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

An aerial view of Duku Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

Beautiful scenery along the Duku Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

Duku Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

The "road of heroes" has become an important tourism road. Stretching through Tianshan Mountain and connecting natural scenic spots such as the Bayanbulak Grassland and Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon, the highway attracts more and more tourists.

Tips:

Opening time: June to October

Accommodation: Tourists find accommodation in Bayanbulak Town of Hejing County and Nalati Town of Xinyuan County

Tekesi Bagua Town

Tekesi Bagua Town is one of the world's largest and best-preserved towns built according to the "bagua" design, meaning "eight trigrams" in Chinese. There is a "bagua" cultural square in the town center, representing the tai chi “yin and yang.” Eight streets are stretched out according to the "bagua" architectural style. Each street is about 1,200 meters long and there is a ring road connecting the eight streets every 360 meters. If you get a chance to fly over the city, you can enjoy the bird view of the unique city layout.

An aerial view of Tekesi Bagua Town in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

An aerial view of the "bagua" cultural square of Tekesi Bagua Town in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

An aerial view of Tekesi Bagua Town in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

The "bagua" cultural square of Tekesi Bagua Town in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

Tip:

Transportation: The town has no traffic lights after the local government decided to abolish them in 1996.

Bayanbulak, a paradise hidden in the mountains of NW China

VR China: World of Wonders – Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon