Here, you’ll find the most beautiful highway in Zhejiang. Chasing the wind while cycling during sunset, you’ll be greeted by a cruise ship, lighthouse, ancient town, and grand bridge, all along the picturesque lake scenery.
The lake water is clear and green, with islands scattered like stars. The mountains are lush, and the villages are tranquil, making you feel as if you’ve stumbled upon a hidden paradise.
Whether it’s the wonders of the lake or the cultural heritage, it’s impossible to resist.
This place is Thousand Island Lake in Zhejiang, home to 1,078 islands. It’s a national AAAAA scenic spot and one of the “world’s three largest thousand island lakes”.
It’s said that many people come to Thousand Island Lake without a plan, wandering aimlessly. Not only might they miss out on the beautiful scenery, but they may also accidentally stumble into pitfalls.
Today, the editor has carefully summarized a 【2-day, 1-night Thousand Island Lake travel guide】, including attractions, cycling routes, food, and more. Just keep reading!
Thousand Island Lake
Thousand Island Lake is located in Chun’an County, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, with a small part connecting to the northwest of Jiande City, Hangzhou. It’s an artificial lake formed by damming the upstream of the Xin’an River to build the Xin’an River Hydropower Station. The lofty mountains submerged in the lake become islands of various sizes, totaling 1,078, hence the name “Thousand Island Lake”. It’s one of the “world’s three largest thousand island lakes”.
The water quality here is exceptional, meeting drinking standards without any treatment, and has even been hailed as “the most beautiful water in the world”!
When visiting, the editor recommends several must-do activities: staying overnight on an island, eating fish head, driving/cycling around the lake, and taking a boat to enjoy the water.
Classic Attractions
Thousand Island Lake is divided into six main tourist areas: Southeast Lake District, Central Lake District, Northwest Lake District, Southwest Lake District, Northeast Lake District, and Stone Forest Scenic Area, making it an ideal place for leisure and vacation.
📌Beer Town
Beer Town is a small town on Thousand Island Lake with an exotic flair, encompassing food, beer, art, racing, and more. It’s known as the “sleepless city of tens of thousands of people” and has free admission.
Here, you’ll find fairy-tale castle buildings, European-style fountains, retro buses, Instagram-worthy lighthouses, dreamy deer carriages, winding glass walkways, and a lighthouse leading to the lake.
If you’re interested in beer culture, you can visit the Thousand Island Lake Beer Museum (admission 80 yuan/person). Here, you can learn how each bottle of beer is brewed. Although the museum is not large, it’s highly interactive, with various interactive activities: movies, VR, wine tasting, and more.
📌Tianyu Mountain Observation Deck
Tianyu Observation Deck is located on the east side of Thousand Island Lake and is known as the “eagle’s nest” on the mountain. It’s one of the must-visit spots in Thousand Island Lake and the best place to overlook the Thousand Island Lake Bridge. Islands, mountains, and the sunset are all within sight, making it a breathtaking view!
For those who want to watch the sunset, it’s recommended to go up the mountain around 4 pm. There are a total of 3 observation decks on the mountain. It’s suggested to take the scenic escalator to avoid the effort of climbing.
Those who enjoy amusement rides can try the Tianyu Mountain Forest Water Slide. The entire slide is 3,000 meters long and takes about 5 minutes. The slope is not too steep, with a slight impact but no weightlessness, making it not too scary and very fun!
💰Price Reference
Ticket: 50 yuan/person
Ticket + Uphill Escalator: 80 yuan/person
Ticket + Uphill Escalator + Water Slide: 170 yuan/person
📌Wenyuan Lion City
Beneath the waters of Thousand Island Lake lies a sleeping ancient city with a history of more than 1,400 years. It was known as the “Little Tianfu of Western Zhejiang” during the Tang Dynasty and was the central city where Sui’an civilization originated. In 1959, to build the largest water conservancy project at that time, the Xin’an River Hydropower Station, this ancient city was submerged overnight under the vast green waves, creating the beautiful Thousand Island Lake.
Now, based on the underwater archaeological findings, the essence of this thousand-year-old ancient city has been replicated on the surface, forming the present Wenyuan Lion City. It once again presents the style of the ancient city sleeping at the bottom of the lake to the world, providing people with an experience base to touch intangible cultural heritage life across time and space.
Walking among the Hui-style black tile and white-walled ancient buildings, you can experience a 360-degree panoramic view of the underwater ancient city in VR, watch martial arts, shadow puppetry, and other performing arts activities, and experience traditional handicrafts and folk culture activities such as weaving, tie-dyeing, movable-type printing, handmade lanterns, flower arrangement, and tea ceremony.
📌Thousand Island Lake Botanical Garden
Thousand Island Lake Botanical Garden is located on Deer Island in the central lake district of Thousand Island Lake. Surrounded by water on all sides, the island is connected to the outside world by a bridge. The island environment is elegant, and its shape resembles a running fawn. Every exploration of plants here feels like being “guided” by the little deer.
The scenery is beautiful, and there are few people. Different seasons offer different views. Recently, you can even see the sight of blooming hydrangeas in clusters, which is very beautiful.
💰Ticket: 30 yuan/person (Shuttle bus costs an additional 10 yuan)
Transportation
As a tourist destination, Thousand Island Lake is relatively well-developed, with many services specially prepared for tourists. Whether you drive or not, it’s very convenient.
For friends from surrounding provinces and cities, if conditions permit, self-driving is recommended. It will be more convenient and provide a better experience. The self-driving environment in Thousand Island Lake is really excellent! Roll down the car windows, and you can enjoy the romantic sunset along the way and feel the evening breeze! (Reference: Driving from Hangzhou, the round-trip highway fee is 114 yuan, and the journey takes about 2 hours)
If you don’t drive or the distance is far, you can choose to (1) take a plane to Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport and then transfer to a high-speed train to reach Thousand Island Lake; (2) take a high-speed train directly from your departure place to Thousand Island Lake Station.
After arriving at Thousand Island Lake High-speed Railway Station, you can choose to take a bus or taxi:
- Thousand Island Lake Station has opened 【Hotel Buses】, with two routes: Line 1 and Line 2, which basically pass by most hotels.
- Each bus route costs 15 yuan/person, a fixed price.
- Reference off-season weekend departure time: every hour on the hour.
✈️Airplane: Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport
🚄Bullet Train/High-speed Train: Thousand Island Lake Station
🚗Self-driving: Thousand Island Lake Scenic Area
Cycling Routes
🚴🏻♀Qianfen Line Route:
Thousand Island Lake Square → Thousand Island Lake Bridge → Jieshou Township → Jiangjiazhen → Langchuan Township → Fenkou Town
🚴🏻♀Langhuang Line Route:
Thousand Island Lake Square → North Lake Road → Pingshan → 06 Provincial Road → Huangzhishan Bridge → Jinfu Line Forest Oxygen Bar → Fuwen Qingtian
🚴🏻♀Chunyang Line Route:
Thousand Island Lake Square → Shangjiangbu Bridge → Anyang Township → Dashu Town → Xiajiang Village → Fenkou Town
⚠️Precautions:
- It is recommended to set off early and finish cycling before 4 pm. Cycling in autumn and winter with the sun will be warmer. It will be colder if it’s too late without the sun.
- Cycling is a sport that tests endurance. It is recommended to bring energy-boosting foods/drinks that are easy to consume, such as bananas, sports drinks, and chocolate, to replenish energy at any time.
Must-eat Food
When you come to Thousand Island Lake, you must eat fish. Thousand Island Lake fish head is very famous, and there are various fish head restaurants everywhere on the streets. The fish are slaughtered on the spot and are very fresh and delicious. Any restaurant will not disappoint!
Thousand Island Lake is really beautiful! Friends from the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai areas must not miss it. Bring the travel guide compiled by the editor and set off on a weekend!
