Rote-See Landschaftsgebiet

The Red Sea Scenic Area (Hong Hai) is a natural and cultural scenic precinct in Bachu County, east of Kashgar, developed around a wetland landscape on the Kashgar River. Set in a region where desert dominates the surrounding landscape, the park combines riverine wetland, mature desert poplar forest, and water-based leisure facilities in a single destination, and it has become one of the most rewarding nature-based attractions in the broader Kashgar region. For international travellers, it offers one of the clearest contrasts to the region's desert character.

The natural setting is the main draw. The wetlands, fed by the Kashgar River, support dense reed beds, open water, and fringing meadows, along with stands of desert poplar that turn deep gold in autumn. The presence of so much water and green vegetation in a region otherwise dominated by stone and sand is visually striking, and the area supports a range of bird life that takes advantage of the wetland habitat. The combination of the river, the reeds, and the poplar forest creates a landscape that photographs particularly well in the softer light of early morning and late afternoon.

The scenic area has been developed with structured visitor activities in mind. Walks and boardwalks through the wetland margins allow close-up views of the reed beds and the bird life, while a water-based leisure area offers the opportunity to get out onto the river. The juxtaposition of these facilities with the surrounding desert gives the park its distinctive character: it is a place where the oasis environment of the Tarim Basin is presented in concentrated, accessible form, rather than scattered across the wider landscape.

For international visitors, the Red Sea Scenic Area is best treated as a day trip from Kashgar or as a stop on a longer regional itinerary. The site is accessible by road, and the surrounding area includes other elements of interest, including local villages and stretches of desert landscape that contextualise the wetland. Allow a half-day to a full day on site, longer in autumn when the poplar colour is at its peak. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable times to visit; summer is hot, and winter can be cold.