Located in northeastern Qinghai Province, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture borders Xining and Haidong Prefecture in the southeast, Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the west and is separated by the Qinghai Lake from Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the south. It also shares a boundary with Gansu Province in the northeast.

Facts of Haibei
Full Name: Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Chinese Name: 海北藏族自治州 (haǐ běi zàng zú zì zhì zhōu)
Location: in northeastern Qinghai Province
Area: 34,700 square kilometers (13,398 square miles) 
Population: 300,000  
Nationalities: Han, Hui, Tibetan
Administrative Division: 3 counties (Haiyan, Qilian, Gangcha); 1 autonomous County (Menyuan Hui Autonomous County)
Seat of the Prefecture Government: Xihai Town, Haiyan County

History of Haibei
Haibei was the home area of the Qiang, an ancient group who were the forebears of the later Tibetans. In 120BC, the Han (206BC-220AD Troop entered this area and the Qiang people moved to the foot of Qilian Mountains. Administrative bodies began to be established here in the year 4AD. The Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Region was founded in 1953 and renamed as the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in 1995.  

What to see in Haibei?
Haibei in northeastern Qinghai treats visitors with the golden rapeseed flowers in Menyuan County, Xianmi National Forest Park, Jinyintan Prairie and Heihe Canyon.There are mountain ranges crisscrossing all over the Prefecture. The Qilian Mountains and its erratic turnings stretch through the prefecture from the northwest to the east, and the terrain declines basically from the northwest to the southeast. Here lists top attractions in Haibei.

Menyuan Rapeseed Flower Field	Qilian Mountain	Bird Island in Qinghai Lake

When to visit Haibei?
The prefecture enjoys a continental plateau climate with the annual average temperature of -0.3ºC to 0.7ºC, and most of the region has its annual average temperature below 0℃ (32℉). Haibei weather has rich sunshine, but rainfall only drops densely in July and August. Summer is the best season to visit this Prefecture.

How to reach Haibei?
Qinghai-Tibet Railway runs through the lake shore area of Haiyan and Gangcha counties of southern Haibei. Qinghai-Xinjiang Expressway and National Highway No.315 pass across the south region of this Prefecture. There are also National Highway No.227 and two provincial highways in northern Haibei, but the road conditions are not so good. In addition, the road around Qinghai Lake is also open.  Xihai Town is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Xining, the capital city of Qinghai. Visitors can first get to Xining by air and head for Haibei by train or bus. Taxi and motorbike are the main means of transportation inside the town. 

Haibei Travel Tips
Special Local Products: Tibetan knives and silver wares, musk, snow lotus, deer antler
Useful Telephone Numbers:
Tourist Complaints: 0970-8644379
Weather Forecast: 121
Zip Code Inquiry: 184
China Post: Xihai Jie, Xihai Town, Haiyan County     

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