Located in Hangzhou City, Qiandao Lake, also known as Thousand Island Lake, is a large man-made lake. There are 1,078 islands of different sizes and shapes. Qiandao Lake in Hangzhou is a fun tourist destination that combines natural scenery and leisure activities. There are six scenic spots with distinctive landscapes and tourist activities.
The environment of Qiandao Lake is wonderful, where the water is clear and the plants of the islands are abundant. Thousand Island Lake offers exciting water recreations and leisure activities like lakeside cycling. There are also many ancient buildings that show the long history of the area. The charming Qiandao Lake becomes a popular attraction on tours to Hangzhou.
Quick Facts of Qiandao Lake in China
- Location: Menggu Road, Qiandaohu Town, Chun’an County, HangzhouCity, Zhejiang Province, China
- Opening Time: 08:00-17:00
- TicketPrice: 195 yuan (cruise included) (free for children under 1.2 meters)
- Time Needed: 1-3 days
- Best Time to Visit: All year round
- Suited to: Nature lovers, families, photographers
What to See and Do in Qiandao Lake
Admire the Stunning Scenery of Thousand Island Lake
Meifeng Island is the best place to climb up and admire lake views in the Qiandao Lake. Standing on the viewing platform, you can overlook the picturesque scenery formed by the beautiful islands and the crystal lakes. Or enjoy colorful osmanthus flowers in autumn at the Guihua Island.
Qiandao Lake is rich in landform, including peaks, cliffs, rocks and canyons. The forest landscape of Qiandao Lake is also distinctive, with lush trees and clear springs. Walk among the forests on the islands and immerse in the serene nature with fresh air.
Experience the Qiandao Lake Diving
Hangzhou Thousand Island Lake diving is an attractive underwater adventure for divers of all levels. You can explore the rich underwater landscape, including the Qiandao Lake underwater city, ancient villages, and airplane wrecks. There are boat dive and shore dive. Boat dive allows you to reach deeper water areas and shore dive is more suitable for beginners.
Dive to about 25 meters underwater to see the airplane wrecks; dive to about 32 meters underwater to see the ancient academy building. Lion City of Qiandao Lake is the most famous underwater ancient city in the site. However, the ancient city is protected by relevant departments and cannot be visited at will.
Explore Qiandao Lake Time Tunnel
Thousand Island Lake Time Tunnel is famous for its fantastic light effect. The screen inside the tunnel has a wide field of vision, allowing you to experience the changes of time and space in all directions. The Time Tunnel shows the natural views of Hangzhou Qiandao Lake and recreates the ancient underwater city. Here witness the shocking scene of the ancient city while enjoying the beautiful scenery of Qiandao Lake in all seasons.
Take the Qiandao Lake Boat Trip
Qiandao Lake cruises are mainly divided into two types: luxury cruises and ordinary cruises, with different prices. Along the way, you can enjoy the magnificent scenery of Qiandao Lake to feel the charm of the lake and mountains.
Qiandao Lake cruise lines are diverse and cover the main attractions of Qiandao Lake. The center lake area line is rich in attractions and beautiful landscapes, including Meifeng Island, Yule Island and Longshan Island. Southeast lake area line can explore many human landscapes of Qiandao Lake and experience the local culture. Choose the cruise line according to your time and interest.
Qiandao Lake Cycling
Qiandao Lake cycling is a popular leisure activity in the site. There are three main cycling routes in Qiandao Lake. Cycling Greenway is 140 kilometers long with flat roads. Qianfen Route is about 70 kilometers long, strating from Jiangjia Town. Chunyang Route connects the Qiandao Lake Town and Jiangjia Town, with a total length of about 64 kilometers.
Along the way, you can enjoy beautiful scenery, including lake views, forests and bridges. There are also diverse attractions to explore, including ancient dwellings and historical sites. Choose a route according to your physical condition and interest.
Learn about Local History and Culture
Hangzhou Qiandao Lake has a large number of cultural sites and ancient architecture. At Wulong Island, you can explore Neolithic cultural sites that demonstrate the social activities and cultural features of the period. Visit the Western Zhou cultural site at Xiaotangwu to learn about the cultural development of the Western Zhou.
Also admire the ancient buildings such as Hairui Clan Hall, Longmen Pagoda and Langguan Pagoda. Witness the exquisite architecture while learning about the local history.
Best Time to Visit Hangzhou Qiandao Lake
The weather of Qiandao Lake in China is distinct in all seasons. The best time to visit Qiandao Lake is spring (March to May) and fall (September to November).
In spring, the weather in Qiandao Lake is warm and pleasant. At this time, the dense trees and blooming flowers will form a picturesque scenery with the lake. It is a good choice to visit Qiandao Lake by boat.
The weather of Qiandao Lake is cool in autumn. You can climb up to the viewing platform to overlook the clear lake and colorful forests. Also taste various local cuisines, such as fish soup.
How to Get to Qiandao Lake in Hangzhou
By High-speed Train
If you are traveling from Hangzhou to Qiandao Lake, you can take a high-speed train from Hangzhoudong Railway Station to Qiandaohu Railway station, which takes 50 minutes. After that, you can take the shuttle bus No.1 for about 1 hour and 15 min to reach Qiandao Lake.
If you start from Shanghai to Qiandao Lake, you can take a high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Qiandaohu Railway station, which takes 2 hours. Then take the shuttle bus No.1 to Qiandao Lake.
And at present, there is no direct high-speed train from Ningbo to Qiandao Lake, and you need to transfer from Hangzhoudong Railway Station.
By Bus
From Hangzhou to Qiandao Lake, you can also choose to take a bus. From Hangzhou West Coach Center, there are several buses to Qiandao Lake Bus Station, which cost about 60 RMB and take about 2.5 hours. It will take about 2.5 hours and cost about 65 RMB to reach Qiandao Lake Bus Station from Hangzhou Coach center. After that, take bus No.K015 to reach Qiandao Lake for about 55 min.
By Taxi
You can also choose to stay at hotels near Qiandao Lake to save time. These hotels offer great facilities and excellent service. From the hotels near Qiandao Lake, it takes about 10-20 minutes by taxi to reach Qiandao Lake.
There are also hotels inside Qiandao Lake Scenic Area with higher prices. Choose the hotel according to your needs.
Attractions nearby Qiandao Lake
Qiandaohu Jiupaojie Scenic Resort: Qiandaohu Jiupaojie Scenic Resort is about 70 kilometers away from Qiandao Lake town. The site is famous for the nine waterfalls with different forms. Also enjoy the strange geological landscape and profound traditional culture.
Tianji Hot Air Balloons: It is a hot air balloon club with professional facilities and top technologies in China. Overlook the gentle and romantic Qiandao Lake with the blue sky and white clouds by a hot air balloon.
Hangzhou Bird Island: Hangzhou Bird Island is home to over 6,000 birds from all over the world. Explore the site to observe different kinds of birds and immerse yourself in the vivid nature.
Recommended China Hangzhou Tours:
- Hangzhou Cultural Day Tour
- 3 Days Hangzhou City Tour to Wuzhen Water Town
- 8 Days East China Tour: Cultural and Scenic Journey
- 10 Days Beijing Xian Hangzhou Suzhou Shanghai Tour
If you are interested in the wonderful Qiandao Lake, you can customize your Qiandao Lake tours in Hangzhou with China Xian Tour.
