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In recent days, northern China has been experiencing the most intense heatwave since the beginning of the year. Ground temperatures in the Flaming Mountains tourist area of Turpan, Xinjiang, have at times reached 75°C. Local authorities have taken advantage of this unusual weather pattern to develop sand therapy tourism.
The hot weather has marked the peak season for sand therapy here. According to Chinese media, in recent days, many tourists have flocked to the Turpan Sand Therapy Center, setting up tents on the sand dunes to receive treatments by sitting or burying their entire bodies in the hot sand.
Scorching heat in China.
Sand therapy is a unique treatment method in Turpan, taking advantage of the local heat, light, and unique climatic and geographical conditions. Visitors bury painful body parts in the sand. Under the high temperatures and dry summer climate, along with the combined effects of sunlight, heat, pressure, and magnetism, conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cervical spondylosis are believed to improve.
A form of therapy in the scorching heat.
This helps relieve pain and soreness because the high temperature of the sand helps relax muscles, reducing pain and inflammation. Being buried in sand improves blood circulation, providing a feeling of relaxation and refreshment. Furthermore, hot sand is believed to stimulate the immune system, helping the body fight off disease. Sand also has beauty benefits for the skin, such as exfoliating dead skin cells, leaving skin smooth, radiant, and healthy.
Sand therapy is a unique form of tourism that attracts visitors from all over to experience it. As a result, the number of tourists visiting these areas has increased significantly, boosting the development of the local tourism industry.
Sand therapy tourism has opened up many new business opportunities for local people. Many have opened family-run hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops to serve tourists.
This form of tourism using sand also contributes to introducing local culture to tourists, helping to preserve and promote traditional cultural values.
In Turpan, Xinjiang, thanks to the development of sand therapy tourism, many locals have opened family-run hotels and restaurants to serve tourists. A signature dish that attracts visitors is eggs buried in the sand. The eggs are buried in hot sand for about 30 minutes, which helps preserve their delicious flavor and nutritional value.
Many guests are interested in outdoor water eggs.
However, travelers planning a trip to China this summer should be aware that experts are warning that China is facing an unusually hot summer, with the risk of extreme weather across the country. This will be the third consecutive summer China has experienced extreme heat, following two years of floods, droughts, and wildfires that claimed many lives and pushed the country's infrastructure to its limits.
China is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of global warming. According to a climate risk report by the World Bank Group and the Asian Development Bank, temperatures in the country are expected to rise higher than in most other countries, especially in northern and western China.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warns that 2024 is likely to be another record-breaking hot year, surpassing the heat record of 2023. Therefore, travelers need to protect themselves from the consequences of extreme weather when traveling.
