Songhua Lake and Fengman Dam, Jilin City (松花湖)

Songhua Lake (松花湖) is a large reservoir created by the Fengman dam on the Songhua River in Fengman District, Jilin City, Jilin Province, China. The lake is about 120 km south-east of Changchun, and the scenic area sits 10 to 24 km from Jilin City centre depending on which part is visited. The usual route is an intercity or high-speed train from Changchun to Jilin Station, taking roughly 30 to 60 minutes from about ¥24, followed by city bus 33 or 333 or a Didi ride of 30 to 60 minutes to the scenic area near the Fengman dam. A chartered car from Changchun takes about two hours each way. Entry to the scenic area is listed at ¥10, with a sightseeing vehicle at a further ¥10, and boat cruises are charged separately. In summer, from June to September, the main activities are lake cruises past forested islands and hills, lakeside walks and views of the dam, the first large hydropower station built in northeast China. In winter the lake freezes and the area hosts ice and snow events, and the nearby trees can carry rime. A sensible one-day arc is to catch a morning train to Jilin, reach the scenic area by late morning, take a cruise or sightseeing vehicle loop around midday, eat lunch at a lakeside restaurant serving fresh-water fish, a local speciality, and use the afternoon for the dam viewpoints and shoreline before returning to Jilin Station in time for an evening train. Listings give hours of about 08:00 to 17:00, so the return journey should begin by late afternoon. Spring and autumn are quieter, though cooler, and the lake is less clear in the rainy part of summer. Visitors should carry cash or mobile payment, since small vendors and ferry counters may not take foreign cards. Light layers help year-round because wind over the water is cooler than in the city.