Wudalianchi — the Five Linked Lakes — is one of the strangest landscapes in China. In 1719–1720, two volcanoes erupted and their lava flows dammed the Bai River, creating a chain of five interconnected lakes in a sea of black basalt. UNESCO designated the area a World Geopark in 2004, and it is easy to see why: the combination of volcanic geology, mineral springs, and the eerie black lava fields is unlike anything else in the northeast.
The lava fields are the first thing that strikes you. Hectares of black volcanic rock, fractured and tumbled, spread across the landscape in a way that still looks freshly erupted three centuries later. The two main volcanic cones — Laohei Shan (Old Black Mountain) and Huoshao Shan (Burnt Mountain) — are easy climbs. From the rim of Laohei Shan you look down into a perfect bowl crater and across the frozen lava to the lake chain below. The hike takes about an hour and is the highlight of any visit.
The mineral springs that bubble up throughout the area are the other major draw. The water, rich in carbon dioxide, iron, and other minerals, has been considered medicinal for centuries. The locals drink the intensely fizzy, slightly metallic water from specific spring sources. There is a whole health spa industry built around bathing in it. Whether or not you believe in the curative properties, the springs are visually remarkable — rust-coloured deposits stain the rocks for metres around each source.
The five lakes themselves are clean and surprisingly blue, and the forest around them has good hiking trails. In winter the frozen lakes and black lava fields under snow create a landscape of stark monochrome beauty.
Wudalianchi town has basic accommodation and a busy domestic tourism infrastructure aimed primarily at Chinese health tourists. The easiest access is from Harbin, about 370 kilometres south — roughly four hours by bus or car. There are also direct buses from Qiqihar.