Things to do in Manas County

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Manas County

Kenswart Blue Lake Scenic Area

Kenswat Scenic Area is located at the 0 km mark of the S101 Hundred-Mile Danxia Tourist Scenic Route, earning its reputation as the "First Scenic Spot of S101 Tourism." Since its trial operation began on August 13, 2023, the attraction has welcomed over 100,000 visitors from within and outside Xinjiang. This tourism project has significantly enhanced the supporting facilities along the S101 Hundred-Mile Danxia Tourist Scenic Route, diversified tourism offerings, optimized the industrial structure, expanded consumption and employment opportunities, and fostered a new economic growth point for Manas County.

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Shihezi

Barov Balboa Chateau

Chateau Changyu Baron Balboa is a modern winery invested and built by China's renowned wine brand Changyu in Shihezi, Xinjiang. Named after "Baron Balboa" to honor the company's founder Zhang Bishi (courtesy name Zhenxun, alias Bapao), the winery combines the chateau culture of Bordeaux, France, creating a comprehensive estate integrating grape cultivation, winemaking, cultural exhibitions, and tourism. Winery features: Prime locationThe winery is located in the Manas River Basin at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, where abundant sunshine, significant day-night temperature variations, and fertile soil create an ideal region for cultivating high-quality wine grapes. French architectural styleThe winery's main building features a French classical chateau style with grand and elegant exteriors. Inside, you'll find a wine culture museum, tasting room, cellar, and other facilities, all immersed in a rich wine culture atmosphere. Grape cultivation and winemakingThe winery boasts extensive vineyards primarily cultivating internationally renowned grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. Equipped with advanced winemaking technology while preserving traditional techniques, it produces premium quality wines. Travel and experiencesThe winery is open to visitors, who can explore the vineyards, winemaking workshops, and cellars to learn about the wine production process. They can also participate in interactive activities like wine tasting and DIY cocktail mixing. Main functional areas: VineyardThe winery boasts thousands of acres of vineyards, cultivating various high-quality wine grapes. Brewery WorkshopUsing modern winemaking equipment for fermentation, aging, and bottling of wine. Underground Wine CellarThe wine cellar stores a large quantity of oak barrels and bottled wines, providing a constant temperature and humidity storage environment. Cultural exhibition areaIt features a wine culture museum showcasing the history of Changyu Company, winemaking techniques, and global wine culture. Wine tasting and dining areaVisitors can taste the wines produced at the winery and enjoy delicious food here. Travel experience: Winery SightseeingVisitors can tour the vineyards, winery workshops, and cellars to learn about the winemaking process. Wine tasting experienceOffering professional wine tasting services where visitors can sample various wines from the winery. Cultural learningDiscover the history and culture of wine at the Wine Culture Museum. RecreationThe winery features a restaurant and leisure area, making it ideal for family outings and gatherings with friends.

Kenswat Reservoir

The azure Kenswat Reservoir, the majestic canyon, the farmhouse next to it, and the yurts where you can eat, drink and have fun, it is really a great place to travel and vacation.

Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Reclamation Museum

The Corps Military Reclamation Museum is located in Shihezi City. It is a special museum reflecting the history and development of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Military Reclamation. The museum is located in the "Military Reclamation First Floor", a cultural relic building in Xinjiang. Through numerous cultural relics and pictures, it shows the ancient history of Shihezi, the history of military reclamation and subsequent development. It is a good place to learn about the history of the Production and Construction Corps.The museum now has three main exhibition halls. One is "Ancient Shihezi", which displays stone tools, pottery, bronze wares, etc. unearthed from Shihezi, and shows the remains of human activities in Shihezi in ancient times. The second exhibition hall is "Glorious History", which shows people the story of the Production and Construction Corps' settlement and development in the Gobi Desert when it first arrived in Xinjiang. There are many farm tools and clothes used by the soldiers of the army reclamation, reflecting the difficult process at that time. The third exhibition hall is "Extending Footprints", which reflects the current appearance and development of Shihezi.

Manas National Wetland Park

Manas National Wetland Park is the second largest wetland park in the area. The entire wetland park surroundsThe reservoir was built from small reservoirs like Dahai Reservoir and Dawanzi Reservoir. It's a great place to get close to nature and learn more about the ecological environment.

Xingfu Road

Xingfu Road Pedestrian Street is located in Shihezi. The street is divided into the East Street Specialty Business Area and the West Street Urban Memory Area. The West Street Urban Memory Area recreates the life scenes of the80s and incorporates military reclamation elements into the commercial street. The street features old-fashioned photo studios, old stations, and green-skinned train locomotives, among others.

Dafo Temple

Dafo Temple is located in Manas County, Changji Prefecture, Xinjiang. It was officially completed in the 1990s, covers an area of over 10,000 m², and is one of the larger Buddhist temples in Northwest China. The temple complex consists of the Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Hall, Ksitigarbha Hall, and the Mountain Gate. The halls are magnificent, and the temple is bustling with worshippers.

Jiangjun Mountain Liaojiang Ecological Park

Jiangjun Mountain Liaojiang Ecological Park is located in Shihezi. The hills are covered with flower fields, the air is fresh, and people can hike here, making it a great place to relax.

No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Xinjiang

Tianshan Tianchi

Tianshan Tianchi, also known as Tianchi National Geological Park and called "Yaochi" in ancient times, is located in Fukang, Changji Prefecture, on the northern side of Bogda Peak. It is approx. 110 km from Ürümqi and is a famous tourist destination in Xinjiang. In ancient Chinese mythology, Tianchi was also the bathing place of the Queen Mother of the West. Tianchi Lake sits at an altitude of 1910 m, with a maximum depth of 105 m. The lake reflects the Bogda Peak, surrounded by spruce trees, creating a fairy-tale-like scenery. The attraction encompasses natural views such as alpine lakes, wetland meadows, and forested canyons. In 2013, it was designated as a national geological park. When visiting Tianchi, don't just explore the lakeshore—you'll miss many surprising sub-attractions. Recommended hiking routes, lakeside pier - Haixi beach, lakeside pier - East small heavenly pool (Flying dragon pool) The Tianchi attraction features three water bodies: the main lake plus two others on its eastern and western sides. The eastern one is "East Xiaotianchi," also called Heilong Pool, located 500 m east of Tianchi. Below the pool lies a sheer cliff where a waterfall plunges down like a rainbow, giving the site its name "Hanging spring and jade rainbow." On the west side lies "West Xiaotianchi," also known as Jade Maiden Pool, located approx. 2 km northwest of Tianchi Lake. The pool, shaped like a full moon and encircled by towering pines, earned its poetic name "Dragon Pool under the jade moon" from the serene moonlit reflections on its surface. A waterfall cascades beside the pool, plunging dozens of meters like a silver river descending from heaven, dubbed the "Jade belt with silver curtain." Above the pool stands the Sound of Waves Pavilion, offering a unique vantage point to admire the waterfall. All attractions within the scenic area are connected by boardwalks, accessible on foot. On the eastern shore of Tianchi Lake stands the Temple of the Queen Mother of the West, originally built during the Yuan Dynasty. The current structure was reconstructed in 1999 on the original temple site, dedicated to the worship of the Queen Mother of the West, hence also known as the "Queen Mother Temple". It can be reached by hiking along the lakeside boardwalk (approx. 2 hrs) or by taking a cruise. The temple offers excellent views of Tianchi Lake. Maya Mountain requires taking a shuttle bus + cable car. The towering cliffs and numerous stone peaks present a breathtaking sight; from afar, they resemble a row of horse teeth, while looking up, they appear as if jagged rocks are competing in grandeur and stacked cliffs are vying in beauty, creating a mesmerizing view. This view of Maya Mountain is formed by rock weathering.The summit of Maya Mountain is relatively flat, featuring lush grasslands covered with butter grass in summer and dotted with colorful flowers. Standing here, you can take in the panoramic view of Heaven Lake to the north, while the Bogda Peak to the east and the snow-capped mountains to the south seem within reach. To the west, the farmlands on the outskirts of Urumqi are also clearly visible.

Gobi Impression Cultural Tourism Park