Snake Island

Snake Island

The total area is about 1 square kilometer. The main peak of the small island is 216 meters above sea level. There are 7 ridges, 6 gullies, and 7 caves on the island. Except for a small pebble beach, the surrounding area is all cliffs. The island is home to more than 13,000 snakes. Snake Island is the only island in the world that is inhabited solely by a single species of pit viper, and it has only one highly venomous species—the black-necked pit viper. The pit viper is a type of Siberian pit viper, belonging to the family Viperidae (also known as Crotalidae) under the reptile class. It measures 60 to 70 centimeters in length, with some growing up to 94 centimeters. The viper has a triangular head and a slender neck, with a grayish-brown back and two rows of dark brown circular spots on each side. Its belly is grayish-brown with black and white speckles. It preys on rats, birds, frogs, and lizards. The pit vipers on Snake Island have particularly large heads and fangs, and their venom is extremely potent—1 gram of their venom can kill 1,000 rabbits, 30,000 pigeons, and 0.1 gram can be lethal to humans.

A world-famous and unique island, it is a national nature reserve. Located in the Bohai Sea at the northwest corner of Lushun, it is 7 nautical miles from the nearest point on land. The island is approximately 1,500 meters long and 800 meters wide, with a total area of 1.2 square kilometers. It is higher in the southwest and lower in the northeast, shaped like an abalone shell, and features seven ridges and eight gullies. The main peak is 216.9 meters above sea level. The island is mostly surrounded by steep cliffs and exposed rocks, with only a small pebble beach in the southeast corner. The slopes are steep, the gullies deep, and the soil layer is thick, loose, and rich in natural rock crevices and caves, providing an ideal habitat for pit vipers. The island is covered with lush vegetation, including over 200 species of plants. Among the bushes, rock crevices, ridges, and shaded valleys, more than 18,000 pit vipers of a single species—scientifically named the black-necked pit viper—inhabit the island. They reproduce around 1,000 offspring each year. The black-necked pit viper differs from other snake species in two ways: first, it hibernates in summer, and second, it gives birth to live young. It is said that after becoming pregnant once, it gives birth to only one offspring per year, taking several years to complete the reproductive cycle. Spring and autumn are the feeding seasons for the pit vipers, during which large numbers of migratory birds become prey.

Admission Fee

120.00 RMB (includes round-trip ferry ticket)

Opening Hours

Open every year in January, February, March, July, August, and September. Location

Lushun, Dalian, Liaoning