Luoma Lake

Luoma Lake lies in Suyu District, north-east of central Suqian in Jiangsu, China, and covers about 375 square kilometres, making it one of the four largest freshwater lakes in Jiangsu. It is an open, shallow lake with reed margins, fishing communities and several developed shoreline points, including Zaohe Town on the south bank and Luoma Lake Beach Park on the eastern shore. Because the shoreline is open, the lake can be seen from public access points free of charge, while parks, piers and boat rides set their own fees and hours. Visitors typically walk lakeside promenades, watch fishing boats, take boat trips where available and eat freshwater fish at shoreline restaurants. The scale of the lake gives wide, uninterrupted horizons, and sunsets are the signature sight. A visit of two to four hours allows time to move between access points, for example combining a morning at Zaohe's Longwang Temple Palace with an afternoon on the beach. Photo vantage points include the beach at the eastern shore, piers and the waterfront at Zaohe. Weekday visits in spring and autumn are calm, whereas summer evenings and holidays are busy. The lake is about 31 km from Suqian Station, and visitors usually take a taxi or Didi, using Amap or Baidu Maps with the Chinese name. Because the lake is large, travellers should choose a specific access point before leaving and confirm transport for the return trip. Wind off the lake can make winter days cold, and summer sun is strong on open shoreline. Swimming outside designated areas is not advisable.