海北藏族自治州

Why this place

Haibei is the Tibetan prefecture north of Qinghai Lake, and it is high grassland country where yaks and sheep graze. It also holds the Jinyintan grassland where China's first nuclear test facility was built in the 1950s — a site of real historical weight.

What to see

• The Jinyintan grassland and the atomic-city heritage site at Xihai
• Qilian Mountain and the grasslands along the Qinghai–Gansu border
• The Tibetan villages and the nomad camps of the high country

What to eat

• Yak meat, butter tea and tsampa — the plateau staples
• Haibei is known for its 'huangyu' (naked carp) from Qinghai Lake, though fishing is restricted

Best time

June–September