Iconic salt lake to offer free admission

An iconic salt lake in northwest China will open to the public free of charge, authorities said.

Chaka Salt Lake will offer free admission to the country's tourists from April 26 to June 30. One-year free admission will be provided to Chinese medical staff and tourists from the provinces of Hubei and Qinghai.

The natural saline lake is located in Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Qinghai province. With its snow-white lake bed and crystal blue water, the lake has earned the moniker "the Mirror of the Sky." It attracted an average daily of over 40,000 tourists during last year's peak tourist season.

Located at 3,100 meters above sea level in Ulan County, the oval-shaped lake is 15.8 km long and 9.2 km wide, covering a total area of 105 square km. It is about four hours' drive from Xining, capital of Qinghai Province.

Chaka Salt Lake, along with Taer (Gumbum) Monastery, Qinghai Lake and Mengda Lake, represent the best-known tourist destinations in Qinghai.

The scenic area will open to the public on April 26 after an upgrade is complete.