喀納斯湖，又稱哈納斯湖，中國新疆阿勒泰地區布爾津縣北部一著名淡水湖，位於阿爾泰山脈中，面積45.73平方公里，平均水深120米，最深處達到188.5米，蓄水量達53.8億立方米。外形呈月牙狀，被推測為古冰川強烈運動阻塞山谷積水而成。喀納斯湖湖中傳說有湖怪「大紅魚」出沒，據稱身長可達到10米，有科學家推測為大型淡水食肉魚類哲羅鮭，但未得到實際觀測支持。該湖風景優美，四周林木茂盛，主要居民為圖瓦人，為中國國家5A級旅遊景區.

Kanas Lake (Chinese: 喀纳斯湖; pinyin: Kānàsī Hú) is a lake in Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang, China. The lake is located in a valley in the Altai Mountains, near the very northern tip of Xinjiang, and the province's borders with Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia. The lake was formed around 200,000 years ago during the Quaternary period as a result of glacier movement. The crescent moon shaped lake has an estimated water storage capacity of 53.8 billion cubic meters, coupled with an average depth of around 120 meters.

The Kanas River, flowing out of the lake, later merges with the Hemu River to form the Burqin River, which itself discharges into the Irtysh River at Burqin Town, the county seat of Burqin County.

There is a large population of ethnic Tuvans and Kazakhs in the Kanas valley. While most of these people have maintained their traditional agricultural and nomadic life styles, many work in the developing tourism industry, and have established facilities for orienteering, hiking, rafting, rock climbing, paragliding and camping.

Located in Bu’erjin County of Altai Prefecture in northern Xinjiang, the Kanas Lake is one of top five most beautiful lakes in China, and is called the “Switzerland of the Orient” and the “heaven for photographers”. In the Mongolian language, “Kanas” means beautiful, rich and mysterious, which perfectly capture the essence of the place.

Situated at an altitude of over 1,374 meters above the sea level, the picturesque Kanas Lake is surrounded by virgin forests and pristine grasslands. The 44.78-square-kilometer lake is shaped like a bean pod, with its deepest point measuring 196 meters. Known as “Color-changing Lake”, the Kanas Lake is famous for its changing colors. The color of the water changes several times in a day, from dark green to sky blue, then to gray and white. The reason of the lake color change is that the seasonal variation causes the mineral composition change of lake water; and different color of the plant around is reflected in the lake.

Kanas Lake is famous for its natural beauty and discreet charm. But it is also known for the mysterious water monster, which, many believe, has killed horses drinking water from the lake or resting near its banks. There are several versions of what the monster looks like. Some say it is the last of the dinosaurs, while a few claim its head resembles that of a giant dog. Others ascribe the water monster to huge red fish called hucho taimen, which have big sharp teeth. Many people said they have captured the water monster on their still and video cameras, albeit just part of it. But none of the images is clear and convincing enough to prove the existence of the monster. Myth or reality, the creature does not stop people from enjoying the heavenly beauty of the lake. In fact, the opposite is true – people in droves visit the lake, with more brave hearts seeking to unravel the truth.

Besides the famous legends about “Kanas Monster”, the spectacle of “Buddha Halo Shining over Sea of Clouds” adds another air of mystery to the lake. After heavy rains in the early morning, you can appreciate the sunrise while standing in the Fish-viewing Pavilion on the top of a peak. During sunrises, clouds and mist curl high up over the Kanas Lake. Sometimes, you can encounter the great spectacle of Buddha Halo, like that of Emei Mountain, with reflections of the pavilion and human figures in the halo.