The Red Beach Scenic Area is one of the genuinely singular landscapes in northeast China. Every autumn, from late September through October, the vast reed marshes at the Liaohe River delta turn a saturated crimson — the colour coming from Suaeda salsa seaweed that colours the mudflats as the season changes. The effect covers twenty square kilometres of wetland and is unlike any other landscape in the country.
The timing is critical. Visit in summer and you find green reeds; visit in early September and the colour is only beginning. Peak crimson runs from approximately late September to mid-October, depending on the year. A boardwalk system threads through the reserve, keeping visitors off the delicate mudflats, and boat trips are available on the interior waterways. The best light is early morning — before the tour groups arrive and while the low sun hits the colour obliquely. The reserve is about forty kilometres south of Panjin city by road.