# Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake) (千岛湖)

Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province · East China, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qiandao-lake-thousand-island-lake
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** Peak season ¥130, off-season ¥110, boat fare ¥65; ¥85; included in the combined ticket; cable car up and down Huangshanjian (Huangshan Peak), round trip ¥50/person, one way ¥30/person; ¥40; forest toboggan ¥30/person; Rainbow Passage ¥50
- **Opening hours:** Island boat tours depart daily at 9:15 and 10:45; yacht ticket sales: 8:00–15:00 (return before dark; exact times depend on the boat schedule); 8:00–17:00; 8:00–18:00; 8:00–17:00 (March 1–October 14), 8:30–16:30 (October 15–February 28)
- **Time needed:** 2 days
- **Address:** Wangzishan, Danzhu, Qiandao Lake Town
- **Getting there:** Long-distance coaches are the most convenient way to reach Qiandao Lake from other cities, with direct buses from Hangzhou, Shanghai and Jinhua. Take the morning central-lake route from the Qiandao Lake Cruise Centre to visit Meifeng Island, Yule Island and Longshan Island, ¥65/person; luxury yacht ¥150/person. The Jiupaojie scenic area has a visitor reception centre in Qiandao Lake Town. Groups of two or more can hire a car; combined cost (admission plus round-trip transport) ¥178/person. Board Cruise Line C at the southeast lake pier to reach the attraction, or take the sightseeing cableway.
- **Good for:** Photography, Nature

## About Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake)

In 1959, the construction of the Xin'anjiang Hydropower Station submerged two thousand-year-old cities dating back to the Han and Tang dynasties, Shicheng (the former county seat of Suian) and Hecheng (the former county seat of Chun'an), overnight beneath the emerald waters. Over 3,000 villages and 300,000 mu of farmland have since lain dozens of metres underwater, and more than 1,000 former hilltops have become islands in the lake. This is the origin of Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake).
The lake has 1,078 islands, each with its own charm. In spring, islands blanketed in wildflowers look like carefree village girls; in summer, you'll long to swim and surf in the blue waters; in autumn, the red leaves call to mind the line “frost-touched leaves redder than the flowers of the second month”; in winter, snow covers the lake and hills and pines stand firm on the cliffs, a scene worthy of a Wang Wei painting.

## Tips from the guidebook

- Cable car and toboggan: on Meifeng Island you can take the cable car, ¥60/person round trip.
- Jiupaojie Scenic Area: a beauty long hidden in the inner chambers, unknown to the world. Since its development in 2006, it has become the next must-visit destination after Qiandao Lake itself. Jiupaojie is known for its grand canyon, waterfall cluster and village folk culture. Its scenery may not outshine similar sites, but visitors who come to experience village life will not be disappointed.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 1153. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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