Qiandao Lake (lit. Thousand Island Lake), a man-made lake located in Chun'an County, Zhejiang Province, formed after the completion of the Xin'an River hydroelectric station. It is about 129 km away from Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang. Well known for its pristine water and picturesque scenery, the lake, composed of 1,078 islands, has long been a popular tourist attraction. Forest covers nearly 93 per cent of the lake area, which is home to more than 1,800 varieties of plants and 2,100 wild animals. With an average depth of 34 meters, its water transparency reaches 7 to 12 meters. In the past years, the local government has spared no efforts in protecting Qiandao Lake and its surrounding area. More emphasis will be put on developing eco-agriculture and tourism in the coming years. 

In early 2002, two ancient towns, both more than 1,800 years old, were discovered under Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake). After a preliminary investigation, experts believed they might be the biggest ancient buildings ever found in perfect condition in China. Located near the Xin'an River, Chun'an and Sui'an started as counties in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). The two towns were inundated 50 of years ago to make way for a reservoir. Historical records show that the two towns adopted architectural styles using bricks, wood, stones and tiles. A dozen trial dives led to the discovery of the town of Sui'an. An underwater camera has recorded the whole process of finding the ancient complex. According to the tape, the 3-meter high ancient town wall is 30 meters under water. Nails and doorknockers are visible on the wall gate. A house stands perfectly though algae had covered its walls and wooden window frames. Inside, the wooden staircase and furniture is still present and the fine wood engraving indicate the former prosperity of the town.

Cruise Routes

Route A: Meifengguan Island, Ostrich Island, Holy Dragon Island, Monkey Island, Peacock Island. Aboard the ship at Tourism Dock

Route B: Five Dragon Scenic Area (Central Island, Bird Island, Lock Island, Wenxin Island, Dragon Hill Island), Aboard the ship at Tourism Dock

Route C: Mishan Island, Xianshan Island, Osmanthus Island. Aboard the ship at Xiyuan Dock

Travel Tips

Qiandao Lake is 129 km from Hangzhou, and 140 km from Huangshan. There are hourly buses that connect with Hangzhou, and only one bus to Huangshan in every afternoon.