Thousand Islands Lake(1000 islands lake)

Overview
Do you weary of the urban life and dream of an escape from the bustling metropolis? The Thousand Island Lake (Qiandaohu Lake, Lake of Thousand Islands) offers a respite with its verdant mountains, crystal-clear waters and variety of islands.

The Thousand Island Lake is a man-made lake located in western Chun'an county of Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang province, China. The lake covers 573 sq km and has more than 1,000 small islands - hence its name. It`s formed since the completion of the Xinanjiang hydroelectric station and has a storage capacity of. The total area of the islands in the lake is about 86 km2. Averaging 34 m deep, the lake is clear, with visibility in the water around 10 m.

Qiandaohu Lake is known for its clear, and sometimes drinkable water: with 17.8 km3 of drinking-quality water, the Thousand Island Lake has attracted many well-known bottled water brands, including Nongfu Spring brand of mineral water. The water company's state-of-the-art production facilities near the lake have become a State-level model spot for industrial tourism.

An island by its nature can bring a sense of escape, a place where one can leave behind the cares of routine life and start a new adventure. The Thousand Island Lake attracts huge numbers of tourists each year. The charm of the lake is more enhanced by the roaming animals like deer, monkeys and peacocks. It is also home to lush forestation (over 90%), and exotic islands, its more popular attractions include the Bird Island, the Snake Island, the Lock Island (featuring supposedly the world's biggest lock), the Island to Remind You of Your Childhood. The area includes distinctive scenic spots with names like Plat Blossom Mountain, Stone Forest, Dragon Hill, Xian Hill, Animal-Series and Folding Screen Section. Other tourist attractions not surprisingly feature island tours and water sports. Some are designed for newlyweds to provide a romantic honeymoon.

As a water-sports training site, the Qiandaohu Lake provides an ideal environment for recreational activities. Meng Guanliang and Yang Weijun, champions in the scull double at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, trained namely there. Many vacationers also enjoy water sports, including swimming, fishing, sailing, windsurfing and motor boats. Four yachting clubs with more than 30 luxury yachts are operational at the Thousand Island Lake. The lake also boasts the first fully submerged sightseeing submarine in the country, the Tianqing.

Home to 87 freshwater fish species, the lake is a popular destination for fishing aficionados. Fish banquets are another appeal of the lake.

Top Attractions :

Plat Blossom Mountain

Set in the middle of the lake; this is the best part of Qiandao Hu, named after five conjoined mountains. It resembles a plat blossom and has gained fame for its beautiful natural scenery and perfect environment. The sight-seeing platform in this section is by far the best place to view the surrounding area. The other one is Ostrich Island. On this island visitors can feed ostrich, take photos with them or even ride on their backs.

Stone Forest

This section is located forty kilometers from the town centre of Qiandao Hu and is made up of three parts: Xishan part, Turquoise part and Hawksbill part, covering ten square kilometers. It is called "the first stone-forest in Huadong Area". With strange stones, cliffs, elf caves and an ancient path, it is characterized by an otherworldliness that is hard to find anywhere else.

Dragon Hill (Long Shan)

It consists of Dragon Hill and Five-Dragon Island. The Hairui Temple was built here by the Chun'an people to commemorate Hairui, a famous official of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), who once served as head of this county. Hairui Ci is the essential structural work piece, including carving of wood, stone and brick. There also are over twenty pieces of poem steles in Hairui Ci. On the top of the Dragon Hill stands a bell tower.

Xian Hill (Xian Shan)

Xian Hill lies in the southeast area of the lake, including Xian Shan, Tian Chi (a pond), Guihua Island (Guihua Dao) and Mi Hill (Mi Shan). Xian Hill has trees which bear fruit all year round. Scenery on other parts of the hill is also charming and beautiful.

Note:
Qiandao Hu is located in the center of tourist line of "Hangzhou--Qiandaohu--Huangshan" so it is very convenient to get there. Now there are more than thirty hotels providing over seventy-five hundred beds. What some people are most interested in is food - the forest here produces large amounts of edible plants and people can get fresh-water fish too.

Qiandao Hu is also a place of historic interest. This is the hometown of the first Empress Chen Shuozhen who revolted in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Another famous peasant revolutionary is Fang La, who revolted in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). This is the hometown of Sun Quan, the King of Wu, during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-265 BC). Another town here, Fuyang Longmen ancient town is the place where Sun Quan's descendants have continually gathered until the present day. It is reported recently that the descendants of Liubei, the king of Shu during Three Kingdoms Period are also found in Fuyang. Now the descendants of Sunquan, Liubei, and Zhugeliang are all residing in Fuyang.


Admission: Pass for all 12 scenic areas CNY 120 (Mar 1 to Nov 30), RMB 100 (Dec 1 to Feb 29)
Hours: 24 hours (scenic areas vary)
How to get there: Buses run every 20 minutes (6am-6:50pm) from Hangzhou West Long Distance Bus Station to Qiandaohu Township. From there you can organize tours and activities around the lake. Three direct buses per day run from Shanghai South Long Distance Bus Station at 8:14am (AF2009), 09:17 (AK2238) and 14:25 (AF1194). Find directions by car and by boat at the website listed below.

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1, Hangzhou to Thousand Islands Lake Day Tour