Ili River Bridge · Swan Spring
The mother river of the Ili Valley: the Ili River Bridge south of Yining is the No.1 sunset photo spot of this "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall" — at dusk the bridge's silhouette and golden ripples on the river share one frame
Visitor info
- Opening hours
- Open all day (swan viewing: Oct–Mar mornings)
- Ticket
- Free
Price is indicative — final quote on inquiry.
The mother river of the Ili Valley: the Ili River Bridge south of Yining is the No.1 sunset photo spot of this "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall" — at dusk the bridge's silhouette and golden ripples on the river share one frame; swans overwinter in the riverside wetlands (Yingtamu Swan Spring, Yining County), and rime beside the spring with swans in morning light make the viral shots of December–February; in spring the apple orchards along the banks blossom, forming a double scene of valley ecology and local life.
Getting there: 2km south of downtown
Photos
More in Yining & Khorgas
- Kazanqi Folk Custom Tourism Area
A Uyghur and Uzbek quarter of Yining's old town, named after its blacksmith workshops ("Kazanqi" means pot casters), with stretches of blue walls, wooden doors and colorful courtyards; visitors call it "the Morocco of China"
- Liuxing Street (Six-Star Street)
A hexagonal, radial street district laid out to a German designer's plan in the 1930s, with six streets radiating from the central square in six directions; multiple ethnic groups have lived side by side here for nearly a century
- Lin Zexu Memorial Hall
An exhibition hall commemorating Lin Zexu's historical legacy during his exile in Ili, showcasing his contributions to water conservancy (the Aqiwusu Canal), reclaiming wasteland for garrison farming, and surveying the frontier
- Han Princesses Memorial Hall
Commemorates the marriage-alliance history of Western Han princesses Xijun and Jieyou, who married the Kunmo (king) of the Wusun far away: the two Han princesses lived in the Ili River valley for decades, helping forge a Han–Wusun alliance to fight the Xiongnu together
- Huiyuan Ancient City
Military and political center of Xinjiang under the Qing dynasty: in 1762 the Qing government appointed the Ili General as Xinjiang's highest military and civil authority, who was stationed here and built the city — known in history as the 'First Prefecture of the Western Regions'
- Lavender Garden (Princess Jieyou Manor / Regiment 65)
Huocheng County lies at around 44 degrees north latitude, on the world's golden band for lavender growing alongside Provence in France and Hokkaido in Japan, making it China's home of lavender