Qiandao Lake Travel Guide—Must-Visit Attractions Recommendation

1. Must-Visit Attractions and Fees Meifeng Island Ticket: Central Lake Area ticket + boat combo 155 RMB (includes round-trip boat ticket) Highlights: Climb to the top for a panoramic view of Qiandao Lake, cable car one way 25 RMB, grass sledding down 15 RMB Huangshanjian Ticket: Combo ticket 165 RMB (includes boat ticket) Highlights: View the "All Under Heaven" archipelago wonder from the mountain top, cable car recommended (one way 50 RMB) Tianyu Mountain Viewing Platform Ticket: 50 RMB (includes escalator) Activities: Best spot to watch the sunset, water slide one way 30 RMB Southeast Lake Area Ticket: 55 RMB (includes boat) Recommended islands: Osmanthus Island (feed parrots), Tianchi Island (watch flamingos) Wenyuan Lion City Ticket: 60 RMB Highlights: Replica of an underwater ancient city, immersive experience of Ming and Qing dynasty streets Qinchuan Ancient Town Ticket: Free (some ancient houses charge 10-20 RMB) Highlights: 750-year-old Huizhou-style ancient village, free experience of pounding clothes and oil-paper umbrella making 2. Transportation Fees 1. Main Transportation High-speed rail: Hangzhou East Station → Qiandao Lake Station, ticket price 70 RMB/person, 1 hour direct Self-driving: About 2 hours from Hangzhou, toll fee about 60 RMB one way 2. Scenic Area Transportation Central Lake Area boat: Upper deck 98 RMB/person, lower deck 65 RMB/person (includes ticket) Southeast Lake Area boat: Same price as Central Lake Area Lake cycling: Bike rental 50 RMB/day (helmet included), bus K002 route 1 RMB/ride Night cruise: 200 RMB/person (Longshan Island + Moonlight Island light show) 3. Accommodation Recommendations and Prices Type Recommended Hotel Price (RMB/night) Features High-end Qiandao Lake Kaiyuan Resort 1200-1800 Five-star, lakeside villa, includes private hot spring Cost-effective Green City Resort Hotel 300-500 5-minute walk to popular coffee shops, some include breakfast Boutique B&B Xuanshan Yunju (Jiangjia Town) 400-600 Huizhou-style design, near Wenyuan Lion City, includes breakfast Budget Hanting Hotel (Qiandao Lake Plaza) 150-200 Chain quality, 1 RMB bus to scenic area Hostel Qiandao Lake Yitu Hostel 50-80 Rooftop terrace with lake view, suitable for backpackers 4. Food Recommendations and Average Cost Must-try Restaurants Xiaoyucun · Delicious Dishes: Fish head soup + chopped chili fish tail, average 75 RMB/person Chunyuanwai: Freshly killed fish head soup with corn cake, average 94 RMB/person Qilong Alley Snacks: Preserved vegetable cake 5 RMB, Anshang rice noodles 8 RMB Special Dishes Qiandao Lake Fish Head Soup: Milky white broth, 68-128 RMB/portion (depending on fish size) Wild Jiao Jiao: Kudzu starch jelly 10 RMB/bowl, better with chili sauce Guanyin Vegetable: Stir-fried with farmhouse firewood, 15 RMB/portion Night Market/Snack Street Qilong Alley: Average 30-50 RMB, milk tea, fried dough sticks, rice cakes Beer Town: Fresh beer 10 RMB/cup, go-kart 50 RMB/time 5. Suggested Itinerary (3 days 2 nights) Day 1: Classic Lake Area Tour Morning: Central Lake Area (Meifeng Island + Yule Island), ticket + boat 155 RMB Afternoon: Southeast Lake Area (Huangshanjian + Tianchi Island), combo ticket 165 RMB Evening: Qilong Alley Night Market, average 50 RMB Accommodation: Green City Resort Hotel (300 RMB) Day 2: Cultural Leisure Tour Morning: Wenyuan Lion City + Qinchuan Ancient Town, ticket 60 RMB Afternoon: Tianyu Mountain sunset + lake cycling, bike rental 50 RMB Evening: Dinner at Chunyuanwai, average 94 RMB Accommodation: Xuanshan Yunju B&B (400 RMB) Day 3: In-depth Experience Morning: Forest oxygen bar hiking, ticket 55 RMB Afternoon: Longchuan Bay wetland boating, boat ticket 80 RMB Evening: Return trip 6. Money-saving Tips Ticket Discounts: Half price for students/teachers, some attractions 50% off in off-season (Dec-Feb) Transportation Savings: Buy high-speed rail tickets 15 days in advance for 20% off Dining Tips: Be cautious choosing fish head soup inside scenic areas, Qilong Alley "Xiaoyucun" offers good value Free Experiences: Tianyu Mountain escalator 30 RMB one way can be replaced by walking, forest oxygen bar free oxygen intake Total Budget Reference (2 people, 3 days) Tickets: About 1200 RMB Transportation: About 800 RMB (including high-speed rail + bike rental) Accommodation: About 1400 RMB Dining: About 1000 RMB Total: 4400 RMB (2200 RMB per person) Qiandao Lake is beautiful all year round: enjoy flowers and cycling in spring, water activities and camping in summer, red leaves and fishing in autumn, fish soup and jogging in winter. Choose your combination based on your interests and start your "islander" journey!