Fun in the sun

In stark contrast to the grasslands north of Hohhot is the Gobi Desert's Singing Sand Ravine Tourist Scenic Spot, in Dalad banner.

An approximately two-hour drive west of the city, along the Jingzang Expressway toward Baotou, Singing Sands is an otherworldly experience - and a lot of fun.

It's a well-developed tourist destination that made it onto CCNGo.com's list of the top-40 most beautiful places to stay in China, and gets a quadruple A scenic beauty rating from the central government.