Thousand Island Lake（千島湖）

Thousand Island Lake [nbddgl.com]

Thousand Island Lake, or Qiandao Lake, is a man-made lake located in western Chun'an County, Zhejiang Province. It was created after the completion of the Xin'anjiang hydroelectric station in 1959.

A total of 1,078 large islands dot the water and a couple of thousand smaller ones are sprinkled across it. This is how it the lake got its name. It covers an area of 573 square kilometers (57,300 hectares), with an average depth of 34 meters. The visibility in the water can be up to 12 meters. The water in the lake is cristal clear and even drinkable, which attracts many well-known bottled water brands, including that of Nongfu Spring.

The lake's scenery goes on to feature blossoming forests and exotic islands, both of which provide habitat to many native wildlife. Additionally, the lake features two ancient underwater towns: Hecheng Town and Shicheng Town, which were once upon a time flooded by the hydroelectric station. They have been well-preserved, but are not yet open to the public.

Admission: 150 yuan (US$23.55)/person (summer);

                      120 yuan (US$18.84)/person (winter)