Lashihai Wetland Park (拉市海湿地公园) is the largest plateau lake within the territory of Lijiang, with an elevation of 2437 meters above sea level. It is also the first nature reserve in Yunnan Province to be named after “wetland.” “Lashihai” is a transliteration from the ancient Naxi language, where “la” means barren and “shi” means new. Together, they indicate a new barren plateau. In Yunnan, being an inland province, lakes with vast surfaces are referred to as “hai” or sea, hence the name Lashihai.
The wetland park boasts a rich biodiversity, including 566 plant species, among which 150 are wetland plants and 416 are terrestrial plants. Moreover, it serves as a habitat for numerous migratory birds. Every winter, migratory birds from Siberia, Mongolia, Qinghai, and other regions fly to Lashihai for wintering, creating a spectacular scene. Within the wetland park, visitors can enjoy various colors and shapes of migratory birds such as cranes, black-necked cranes, egrets, and gulls from the bird-watching corridor.
Furthermore, the wetland park features a variety of landscapes and facilities, including the Wetland Museum, Naxi Dongba Sacrificial Museum, Chinese Ethnic Villages Memorial Hall, National Expo Redwood Home Art Museum, Zodiac Avenue, Lakeside Boardwalks, Glass Walkway, Wild Duck Lake, Swan Lake, West Lake, Old Wharf, and Children’s Playground. Surrounding the lake are Naxi villages, each with a horse ranch, making it an excellent destination for horse riding, boating, and bird watching in Lijiang.
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 2 hours |
| Ticket Price | 30 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 8.00 – 19.30 |
Location and Transportation
Lashihai is located in the central part of Lashiba, Haidong Town, Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province. From Lijiang Old Town to Lashihai Wetland Park is approximately 12 kilometers. You can take bus route Yulong 36 to Anzhong Village (Wetland Park) bus stop and walk about 839 meters to reach the park.
Map of Lashihai Wetland Park
Taking a taxi from Lijiang Ancient Town costs about 30-40 yuan, and it’s also easy to get a taxi back to Lijiang. If you want to feed the seagulls, it’s a good idea to bring some bread slices in advance.
January at Lashihai. There were strong winds and many migratory birds.
The Lashi Lake has such a blue sky, crystal-clear water, and makes for a truly beautiful mood.
The sunny Lashi Lake is breathtaking. The sky is blue, the clouds are soft, and the interplay of light and shadow is stunningly beautiful.
The scenery at Lashi Lake Wetland Park is quite average. Although you can enter through the East Gate and exit through the West Gate without retracing your steps, it’s not possible to get a ride from the West Gate during the low season, so you’ll have to return to the East Gate anyway.
If you have enough time, the entire Lashi Lake Scenic Area is definitely worth a visit. You can experience the feeling of riding horses along the ancient Tea Horse Road.
1. The plank road round trip takes about 2km and is an easy walk. 2. After walking forward on the plank road for about 800m, you can see stairs leading down to the wetlands. After descending the stairs and crossing the plank road at the bottom, you can see the Lonely Tree. 3. The Lonely Tree looks picturesque from afar and up close. 4. After passing the Lonely Tree, you will see a herd of cattle. (The calves are friendly,… Read more »
Although the scenery is beautiful, the path from the grassland to the water is full of bugs! Ahhh, bugs everywhere! Even on the wooden walkway, there are bugs, but not as many.
Navigation location: Lucky Leisure Fish Restaurant (吉祥休闲鱼庄)
You can visit Lashi Lake for free.
We drove from Lijiang Old Town at 5 pm in the afternoon, and it took us half an hour to get there. It was sunny, and the grass was green and fresh.
1. When visiting Lashi Lake (拉市海), it is not far from the city area, a taxi ride costs around 30RMB. However, some unscrupulous drivers may try to take you to the Tea Horse Ancient Road (茶马古道) just to make you ride horses and earn extra money. Therefore, you must not be swayed by the drivers’ persuasion. 2. Before horseback riding, there will usually be someone trying to sell you gloves. It’s advisable to prepare in advance if needed. 3. There… Read more »