Chaka Salt Lake (茶卡盐湖), about 300 kilometres west of Xining, is one of China's most photographed natural spectacles: a vast flat salt pan whose thin layer of brine reflects the sky and clouds with mirror-like precision. The reflection effect is most dramatic in summer when weather permits still conditions; it is particularly striking at dawn and dusk. The lake has become enormously popular on Chinese social media and draws large crowds in summer.
Getting there independently from Xining requires hiring a car (around 600 yuan for a return trip) or taking a bus to Chaka town and then a short taxi. Many tours from Xining combine Chaka with a circuit of Qinghai Lake in a single long day or overnight. A miniature railway runs partway across the salt pan (about 25 yuan); walking out on the crust in rubber boots, with the sky reflected underfoot, is the main attraction. Admission is around 60 yuan.