Located in southern east of Baotou, Nanhai Wetlands is a national 4A-level scenic area. It covers 1,664 hectares, with a huge wetlands area of about 5.8 square kilometers. Over 200 kinds of wild animals and plants living here are drawn by this wonderful environment, and so are tourists.
It was an official waterway in ancient China, where Wang Zhaojun, a famous beauty, went through Nanhai when she volunteered to marry a ruler of a Hun tribe in exchange for friendly relations with the Han Dynasty.
Nanhai Wetlands was established to protect the eco-system of wetlands as well as the rare birds living here. About 137 kinds of wild plants and 201 kinds of birds rest in the wetlands, including 13 kinds of protected species like Larus relictus，Ciconia nigra, and Cygnus cygnus.
There are many thrilling activities, including parasailing, surfing, and diving. Tourists may spend their leisure time in picnics, swimming, fishing and taking photos. They can also visit the Bibo pavilion or Nanhai fishing village, and feast on the fish banquet there. The picturesque scenery is attractive in every season, and nicknamed “the West Lake beyond the Great Wall”.
There are three annual events in the Nanhai Wetlands: the Yellow River carp festival, starting from March to June and holding activities like water wedding and beach volleyball, the Yellow River wetland festival, starting from July to October and holding dragon boat racing or flying festival lanterns, and the ice and snow festival, which lasts from November to next year’s February and people can skate or take photos.