Nam Co Lake, a blue pearl in Tibet

Nam Co Lake [Photo: baidu.com]

The Namtso or Nam Co Lake is located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. With an elevation of 4,718 m and a surface area of approximately 1,920 sqkm, Nam Co is the biggest lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region and also the second largest salt lake in China. As was written in some historical documents, the lake is as blue as the sky, thus the lake is also called Tian Lake (literally, Sky Lake).

Nam Co is a world of blue. Those who live in Nam Co have the largest vocabulary of blue, just like the Inuit people have hundreds of words for different snows. Navy blue, midnight blue, powder blue, pearl blue, tile blue, gray blue …the blues one can see in Nam Co will definitely go beyond a normal vocabulary. There will always be a new kind of blue that one has never seen or even imagined.

There are many tourist attractions in Nam Co, among which the most popular three are: Ying Bin Stone, He Zhang Stone or Fu Mu Stone (literally Parents Stone) and Shan E Cave. Ying Bin Stone is the place where businessmen pray for good fortune; He Zhang Stone is where great love can be remembered and Shan E Cave (literally the Good and the Evil Cave) was where good once fought evil. An ancient tale says about the Shan E Cave that only good doers can pass through the cave.

Nam Co Lake [Photo: baidu.com]

Tips:

When to go: The rainy season of Nam Co from June to September is the best and almost the only time to visit Nam Co, since in October and November, the roads there will be blocked by heavy snow.

How to go: The Lhasa-Nam Co road was completed in the year 2006, so the buses offered by local travel agencies are now the most convenient choice.