Heaven Lake Jilin

The jewel of the area, this heavenly blue lake seems impossibly elevated by a ring of 16 mountainous peaks. The dormant crater lake, 13km in circumference, was formed around AD 969. A fixed route takes you around part of the crater lip with panoramic views of its glorious mirrored surface, at such an altitude (2194m) that it feels other-worldly. Legend has it that the lake is home to a large, but shy, beastie with the magical power to blur any photo taken of him.