Nestled in northern Alxa Right Banner, Alxa League, in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the Badain Jaran Desert is the world's fourth-largest desert and the third-largest in China. Known as China's most beautiful desert, "Badain Jaran Desert—Towers of Sand and Lakes" was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2024.

The Badain Jaran Desert is famed for its five wonders: "peculiar peaks, singing sand, oasis lakes, sacred springs, and ancient temples."

(Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Alxa Right Banner Committee)

Peculiar peaks — Bilutu Peak, at an altitude of 1,611.009 meters, is hailed as the "Mount Everest of deserts."

Singing sands — The sand dunes of Baoritaolegai produce thunderous sounds when the wind blows, earning them the title "Kingdom of Singing Sands."

Oasis lakes — Some 144 lakes nestle among the dunes, giving the area the nickname "Jiangnan in the desert."

Sacred springs — Yinderitu Lake is famed for its 108 springs, commonly called "sacred springs."

Ancient temples — The Badain Jaran Temple, built in 1755, is one of the desert's iconic landmarks and is dubbed the "Forbidden City of the Desert."

Sunrises and sunsets in the desert are famously romantic, transforming the sky into a canvas of molten gold and crimson. At night the star-studded sky is dazzling, as if the universe were within arm's reach.