A mountain pasture in Altay. [Photo by Ardak Bayskhan]

The 8-episode mini-series To the Wonder, adapted from Li Juan's prose collection My Altay, recently became a hit, garnering over 8.6 billion views. The show turned the spotlight on Altay in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Shortly after airing, online searches for Altay surged more than fivefold, and flight reservations from Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, to Altay increased over 50% month on month. With its rustic beauty and untainted tranquility, this place has captured the imagination of many.

Wild landscape

Altay is located by the rushing Irtysh River and at the foot of the Altay Mountains, which spans over 2,000 kilometers in the north of China's northwestern region, bordering Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia.