Honghe National Nature Reserve

The Honghe National Nature Reserve, about 80 kilometres northeast of Jiamusi, protects over 16,000 hectares of marshy floodplain in the heart of the Sanjiang wetlands. It is one of the most important breeding sites in China for red-crowned cranes and Oriental white storks, and a major staging post on the East Asian Flyway for migrating waterbirds. The reserve was established in 1980, extended and upgraded to national status over subsequent decades, and is now a Ramsar-listed wetland of international importance.

The best time to visit is spring migration (April–May) and early summer when the cranes are breeding, or autumn (September–October) when migrating species pass through in large numbers. Access requires planning: public transport is limited and the reserve is large. The most practical approach is to arrange transport from Jiamusi — the local tourist office can assist — and to hire a local guide who knows the trails and the crane observation points. Entry fees are modest; allow a full day.

things to do sight
A story
The red-crowned crane is the rarest crane species in the world, with a global wild population of around 3,000 individuals. Honghe supports one of the largest breeding concentrations in China — the marshes and reed beds that the cranes require for nesting are largely intact here, protected since 1980. Standing in silence at the edge of the reserve in early summer, watching a bird that appears in 2,000 years of Chinese art, is an experience that resists easy description.