Kanas Lake, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Kanas Lake is located in the Altai Valley in Burqin County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Its name comes from Mongolian and means “lake in the valley.” The lake is 1,374 meters above sea level and covers 46 square kilometersKanas Lake is the main source of water in the Kanas Natural Reserve. It is shaped like a crescent, and its color varies by season.

The lake is in the high-frigid temperature zone. Its average temperature in July is 16 ? There are many cold weather plants in this area, 39 kinds of animals and 224 kinds of insects.

There are a few Tuvas living in the Kanas area, most of whom live in Mongolia and Russia. Tuvas seldom contact the outside world, and have preserved their traditional lifestyle and religion. Most of their homes are built of wood and are near water. The Tuvas are nomadic hunters.

The story about a Kanas monster first appeared in 1985. Witnesses were teachers and students from the biology department of Xinjiang University. The monsters were said to be huge red fish, measuring 10 to 15 meters in length.

In 1987, a group of scientists went to the lake to determine the authenticity of the monsters. After two years of research, the team concluded the monsters were hucho taimens. No one knows how many huge hucho taimens are living in the lake, the accurate size of the fish, how many years they have lived there or what they eat to survive.

Although more and more people claim to have seen monsters in Kanas Lake, no one has presented any reasonable explanation.

Getting there: Trains and buses are the main ways to reach Kanas. There are direct trains and buses from Urumchi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to Burqin County.

Cost: 100 yuan

(bjtoday.ynet.com March 10, 2008)