Caohai Lake is the most beautiful lake in Guizhou Province. It is located near the town of Weining in western Guizhou and is a magnet for migratory birds. You can get to Caohai Lake on foot from Weining, which is accessed by bus from Guiyang.
The lake is situated in an autonomous region of western Guizhou and is one of China’s largest freshwater lakes. It covers its largest area during the wet season when it occupies 30 square kilometers at an altitude of 2,200m. Despite the altitude, the surrounding green hills keep the lake surprisingly warm in the winter.
Most visitors come to Caohai Lake mainly to see the migratory birds set up nest here in the fall and late winter. There are all sorts of cranes, such as the black-necked crane, along with storks and eagles. There’s also plenty of fish here, as well as beautiful flowers in March and April, and azalea in the surrounding fields in the fall.
Getting There & Away
You can walk to Caohai Lake in 15 minutes from Weining, which itself is accessed by bus from Guiyang, or via Liupanshui. It is 5 hours by bus from Guiyang going via Bijie. Trains also run from Guiyang to Liupanshui, from where buses continue on to Weining. Guiyang Longdongbao Airport is the closest air facility at 300kms to the east and has links with Beijing (2 hours, 40 minutes), Hong Kong and Macau.