Hailuo Valley
Best time to visit: February, especially for hot spring tours
The Hailuo Valley lies at the foot of the Gongga snow-topped peak, situated on the eastern hillside of Gongga Mountain at the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It is well-known for its low-elevation glacier.The crystal glacier comes down along the steep hillside and decorates the whole valley with a pure icy white coating. Its huge ice cave and bridge make the scenery resemble a crystal palace straight out of an ancient myth. More particularly, the magnificent grand ice waterfall, over 1,000 meters high and 1,100 meters wide, is 10 times larger than the famous Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou Province. In this world of ice and snow, there are dozens of hot, warm and cold springs, exuding from underground. The highest temperature of the spring mouth can be up to 90℃. The ancient forest is also an important feature of the valley. [Photo/China.org.cn]