Thousand Islets Lake (Qiandaohu Lake) in Hangzhou

Why is Thousand Islets Lake So Special?

Thousand-islet (Qiandao) Lake is a huge reservoir covering an area of 580 square kilometers on the upper reaches of the Xin'an River, 160km from Hangzhou and Huangshan Mountain. It is an artificial lake formed as a result of being a reservoir for constructing Xin’an River Water Power Plant in 1959.  Qiandao Lake is noted for its verdurous mountains, crystal clear water, exotic caves and strange stones. Nongfu (farmer) Spring Water, a famous mineral water brand, takes water from this lake. 

Where is Thousand Islets Lake?

Thousand Islets Lake lies in Chun'an County, about 150 km (93 miles) west of Hangzhou City and is 140 km (87 miles) southeast of Mt. Huangshan. It is a resplendent pearl in the classical golden route of Hangzhou-Thousand Islets Lake-Mt. Huangshan and has become popular all over the world.

How to Get to Thousand Islets Lake

Travel with China Dragon Tours (top recommended)

If you want to get rid of hustle of transportation and troublesome navigation, you can book a private tour package which covers visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local tour guide and driver will escort you to Thousand Islets Lake with speed and convenience, and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on travel.

Independent Travel

For independent travelers you can 

Visitors can take direct buses run from Hangzhou West Bus Station to Thousand Island Lake Town. Buses depart every 30 minutes between 6 a.m.-6:50 p.m. Then take a taxi or bus to the scenic area.

Main Attractions in Thousand Islets Lake

Meifengguan Island

Meifengguan Island is the island here with the highest elevation. It is located on the western end of Thousand Island Lake, 12 kilometers away from Qiaodaohu Town. It is famous for surrounding nearby dotted islands, criss-crossing harbor, perfect and ecological environment.

Wulong Scenic Area

Wulong Scenic Area is made up of Lock Island, Bird Island, Zhenqu (true delight) Garden and Qishi (strange stone) Island, which is connected by several bridges. Lock Island is a world of locks, including happiness lock, wisdom lock, health lock and carp lock. The first Lock Museum in China was built here, housing Safety Lock, the biggest lock in Guinness World Records. In the Animal Interest Section, peacocks, snakes, monkeys and ostriches can be seen. 

Santan Island

Santan Island is located at the central area of Thousand Island Lake, 10 km from Qiandaohu Town. This island covers an area of 80 hectares. It mainly consists of cottage legacy, entertainment and specialty restaurants three major blocks. Cottage legacy includes civil supplies museum, Shanyue cultural center, restaurants and service centers. Here you can enjoy the folk dance and tea ceremony and other local folk customs.

Best Time to visit Thousand Islets Lake

Best tourist season in this area is from September to November. the average temperature at 12-18℃ with less rain. April and May is also good, but there is a little too much rain, remember to bring good rain gear. The annual average temperature of this place is 17℃. The rainy season in this area is from early June to early July. From mid-July to late August is late summer season, so the weather is quite hot. The maximum temperature rises to 36℃ in the afternoon.

Useful Travel Tips

Outdoors activities are the draw of this ginormous recreation and resort area - speedboating, water skiing, animal-themed island-hopping, mountain climbing and so on. In addition, visitors can find excellent seafood and everything from budget cabins to five-star hotels.

Nearby Attractions

• China National Tea Museum in Hangzhou
• China National Silk Museum in Hangzhou
• Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou
• Hefang Street in Hangzhou
• West Lake
• Longjing Tea Village in Hangzhou

Edited by Emily Wang/王海玲