[Photo from lyj.alt.gov.cn]

Situated in a basin surrounded by hills around the middle reaches of the Kelan River, Tangba Lake is located 20 kilometers southwest of Hongdun town of Altay city. Originally a water-collecting depression, it was made into an artificial reservoir in the 1970s. Now it is a lake with a depth of 11 meters and a water area of 15 square kilometers.

For hundreds of years, herdsmen passing here marked the stones in various manners as a record to their herding life. Years of such a practice have led to words being carved upon words, making stones looking like a large seal and hence the name of the lake, Tangba, which means ‘seal’ in Kazakh .

On the way to Tangba Lake is an immense vale of the Kelan River, on whose wide stretch of farmland crops grow vigorously, with lush birches and poplars standing on both sides of the street. The lake water, which comes from snow water and rain water in mountainous areas, boasts rich elements and a proper acidity that combines to create a perfect fish-breeding area. Besides such species as carps, crucian carps, roaches and pikes, fish in the adjacent waters of the Yangtze River and Huai Sea are also introduced into the lake, including bigheads, silver carps, black carps and common carps. In a quite healthy and natural way, Tangba Lake produces hundreds of tons of fresh fish annually, which are well received throughout and beyond the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Within a short distance from Altay city proper, Tangba Lake enjoys convenient transportation. Wide lake water; mild water temperature; and facilities such as amusement parks, Sun Island and a fishing pavilion also make the lake a good place for swimming, boating and relaxing. The newly-established fish-breeding-supported electricity-producing system also adds great novelty to tourism here. As the reform and opening-up goes further, tourism is developing steadily in Altay. Naturally enough, Tangba Lake attracts many out-of-town tourists who hope to beat the summer heat.

Tangba Lake will make your trip as rewarding as it can be. Here, you can enjoy a delicious fish banquet, swim in the lake or just sit silently fishing at the fishing pavilion. Either way, you get an unforgettable experience. The fish banquet mixes roughly 10 tastes, including fish dumplings, fish soup simmered in fresh water and grilled fish. Everything about the lake reminds you of the tenderness of those small towns on the south side of the Yangtze River.