At the Edge of the World, Staring into the Eye of Heaven
High on the border between China and North Korea lies a vast, sapphire-blue lake, cradled silently in the crater of a dormant supervolcano. They call it Tianchi, or Heaven Lake, and its beauty is so pure, so profound, and so often hidden by clouds, that seeing it feels like being let in on a secret the world was never meant to know.
The journey to the top is an adventure in itself. You’ll board a 4x4 vehicle that expertly navigates the winding mountain road, climbing higher and higher above the tree line. After a final, brisk walk to the crater rim, you are met with the view. On a clear day, the sight will steal your breath away: a pool of impossibly deep blue water, perfectly still and surrounded by the jagged peaks of the caldera. The air is thin and cold, and a profound silence hangs over everything, adding to the mystique of the legendary "Lake Tianchi Monster" said to inhabit its depths.
Insider Tip:
The weather on Changbai Mountain is notoriously fickle, and the lake is completely hidden by clouds more often than not. The local saying is that seeing the lake depends 100% on your luck. To save yourself a potentially disappointing trip up, check the live webcam feed at the ticket office at the base of the mountain before you buy your ticket.
