Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake)

Qiandao Lake, or Thousand Island Lake, is a vast reservoir in Chun'an County formed in 1959 when the Xin'an River was dammed for hydroelectric power, submerging two ancient towns and leaving more than a thousand forested hilltops as islands across its 573-square-kilometer surface. Visitors reach the lake by tour boat from one of several piers near Qiandao Lake town, with routes covering different island clusters: the Central Lake route passes Monkey Island, a wildlife park with free-ranging macaques, and Bird Island, home to peacocks and other captive birds, while other routes visit forested, largely undeveloped islands better suited to hiking. Because the lake was formed by flooding rather than natural geology, its water is unusually clear, and the drowned towns beneath the surface have made it a niche site for recreational scuba diving to see submerged walls and archways. A full-day visit is typical, combining a morning boat route to two or three islands with lunch at a lakeside restaurant serving the region's fish specialties. The lake is calmest and clearest in spring and autumn, when temperatures are mild and algae growth is lower than in summer; boat schedules can be disrupted by fog in winter mornings. Photographers favor the elevated viewpoints on Central Lake's larger islands, which look out over dozens of smaller humps of land breaking the water's surface. Because most of the lake's islands are only reachable by scheduled tour boat, independent exploration beyond the main routes is limited.