Thousand Island Lake: My First (and Very Likely Last) Visit.

[Kay Oberbrunner]

Hello, dear travel enthusiasts!

During the latter half of National Day holiday (which is an important long vacation in China, usually starting in early October), I spent two days exploring Qiandao Lake with a leisurely and relaxed "lying flat" mindset. To be honest, the overall experience was just so-so, and I'm unlikely to return there specifically for another visit. Nevertheless, I still want to share both the positive and negative aspects of this journey with you all as a point of reference and to avoid any pitfalls.

• Accommodation:

  • We stayed at the "Peninsula Times Hotel", located in Building 6 of Red Town Resort Apartment, enjoying views of the lake from our room.
    • The environment was decent and comfortable.
    • Caution: Make sure to close the windows tightly before bedtime! Otherwise, the moisture from the lakeside may lead to uncomfortable feelings upon waking up.
    • Breakfast was a buffet with plenty of food options. If booking through the same hotel, I recommend choosing a view-on-the-18th-floor or above, as such rooms provide better vistas.

• Scenic Spot Exploration:

  • As part of a low-maintenance trip, we did not go on small islands around Qiandao Lake（literally translated as "a lake with numerous islands", the classic method of exploration is by boat but we were too lazy to venture there).
  • Our itinerary mainly comprised: Tianyu Mountain Scenic Platform – Around-the-lake biking – Beer Town & Qiandao Lake lighthouse – Dragon Alley.
• 1. Tianyu Mountain Scenic Platform
     • This place is worth visiting.
     • The entrance fee is 50 CNY; the price for a sightseeing escalator ride to the top is around 30 CNY. Preordering tickets can be done via travel booking platforms such as “Ctrip”.
     • That escalator is the savior for lazy souls like ourselves! It takes only about ten minutes to reach the summit. One should also note that the views vary due to different elevations.
     • Unfortunately, we went there on a cloudy day and missed the sunset, so I suppose it would’ve been better if we could view the scenery under clearer skies.
     • On the way down, you could choose the shuttle bus (10 CNY), or try out the forest water slide (150 CNY). Getting both the entrance ticket and the water slide pass together could potentially save you money.
     • Thrilling Experience Caution: According to my husband, who experienced it, the slide was quite fast with sharp turns, so make sure to hold onto the handle!
• 2. Around-the-lake biking:
  • Our route: Starting from the hotel, we biked southbound, towards the city center and the middle of Qiandao Lake.
  • Points of interest along the way include: Qiandao Lake Museum, Menggu Lake cultural park, docks of Central Lake, Xiujiang Theatre stage, Xiaoke Valley, Tianqing Station, a bike bridge, and a nearby spot with a promising sunset view, known as "Yun Du Coffee".
  • We stopped to take photos, and this trip took us around 1.5 hours each way.
  • Tip: Make sure to bring some dry food and water. Bikers, stay alert!
  • How to rent bikes: At most rental points, like outside Red Town Apartment, Central Lake docks, and adjacent to the bike bridge, there are various options available – family-sized, covered bikes, the electric version of "hellobike", and regular shared bikes.
  • Some hotels offer 1-hour free ride credits. We eventually chose "Ding Da" shared bikes by paying an initial deposit of 200 CNY via app download. After the first hour, each half-hour increment was charged as per the pricing policy; we paid a total of 14 CNY after riding for about 3.5 hours.
  • Minor inconvenience: Since “Ding Da” bikes can be rented/returned within the downtown area, it was necessary to ride back there after covering other spots.

• Beer Town & Qiandao Lake Lighthouse:

  • A decent photo-taking spot. However, the photos we took there were merely decent because of the cloudy weather.
  • Beer Town also features a small motorway car-racing area and a miniature amusement park, suitable for children's visits.

• Dragon Alley:

  • The alley can be fully toured within 10 minutes, despite it being said that one could spend 15 minutes!
  • The promotion called it “a small version of Chongqing in Qiandao Lake” (Chongqing is well-known for its mountainous city layout and stairs). But honestly speaking, there only seem to be a few narrow staircase streets resembling that description here.
  • “Second Sister’s Food”, a local eatery here, serves freshly-made tofu pancakes which taste nice. Otherwise, the other shops around don’t leave much impression.

• Food:

  • As locals, our dining options were limited to two restaurants - “Xiao Tuanyuan” and “Cuo Ditu”, both were nearby to the hotel.
  • Overall, food quality couldn’t match our expectations. I grew up near the sea, so lake fish did not appeal much to me. The flavor of the fish soup was fresh, but the taste of the fish meat seemed somewhat earthy. Other dishes prepared locally tend to have flavors that complement heavy food and are a little too salty.

• Transportations:

  • To reach the hotel from the station named "Qiandao Lake Station" (most probably the bullet train stop), we opted for the hotel-provided shuttle bus service, which can alternatively be requested through apps like "Didi" (China’s version of Uber).
  • For getting around various scenic areas at Qiandao Lake, we mostly hailed ride services, with fares generally not exceeding 30 CNY.

[Lewis Larkin]

Is it easy to get a taxi there?

[Lena Oberbrunner]

When I went, there weren't many tourists. It wasn't difficult to get a taxi; my ride request was accepted almost instantly.

[Mr. Nathan Waelchi]

That's quite a long trip for you from Fujian! I feel like this kind of attraction is more suited for a quick visit for people from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai area.

[Katrina Ziemann]

Yeah, exactly.

[Jermaine Satterfield]

Can I bring my own bike to ride?

[Lorraine Rau]

Absolutely, you can!

[Kendra Howe]

Great shot!

[Jose Beahan]

I just lounged on the balcony of my suite at the Greentown Deluxe Hotel and didn't go anywhere else.

[Terrence Beer]

At the lighthouse.