Aydingkol Lake (Aiding Hu in Chinese) gets its name from the Uigur word for the moon. The name is inspired by the glitter that this evaporating, muddy lake's salt deposit gives off under the Turpan sun. This lake is the lowest lake in China and the second lowest lake in the world (second only to the Dead Sea) at 154m below sea level.

Located 50km south of Turpan, the total area of the lake is around 22 square km. The water is not very deep at an average of 0.8m, and sometimes large parts of the lake dry up. Literally nothing lives here as the salt makes for a harsh environment.

How to get Aydingkol Lake :If you would like to see this seldom visited site, then be prepared to pay a little extra to your minibus driver for added distance to your trip. Also, as the road is bumpy and uneven, some drivers may not be willing to take you there.If you are interested in the landscape and geology of Xinjiang, then it may be worth making the effort to get to the lake.