Located within an hour's drive north of Yinchuan City, the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Sand Lake covers a total of 80.10 square kilometers, comprising of 45 square kilometers of lake and wetland and 20 square kilometers of desert. It offers various distinctive tourism resources with a crescent-shaped lake resting among broad sand dunes. The golden sand, green lake teeming with fish, emerald reeds, a sky filled with flocks of birds, magnificent mountains and colorful lotuses form breathtaking scenery. A boat trip is a good way to get close to the flocks of cranes and the fish in the water. And it is much appreciated by tourists. [China.org.cn]