Orange Isle Scenic Area

Orange Isle Scenic Area

Located about 8 kilometers from the Huating Lake Dam. The island features lush orange orchards as well as surrounding chestnut, peach, tea, and plum gardens, making it a renowned agricultural eco-tourism destination.

The term “Orange Isle” is derived from Mao Zedong’s poem “Qinyuan Chun · Changsha”: “Alone I stand in the cold autumn air, / On the south bank of the river at Changsha; / I see the mountains all in red, / The forests in their glory; / The endless river clear and bright, / And boats racing one another on it.” Covering an area of 6 square kilometers, Orange Isle is home to thousands of species of flowering vines and plants, including 143 varieties of rare and precious flora. It also hosts rare animals such as cranes, egrets, gulls, foxes, and badgers. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the water on one, the area enjoys a mild and pleasant climate, making it ideal for fruit cultivation. Especially noteworthy is the orange orchard, where visitors can enjoy the fragrant blossoms in spring and harvest ripe oranges in autumn. The orange scent wafts for miles, and the green canopy spreads far and wide. The plum, chestnut, and tea gardens, along with economic forest belts of loquat, peach, pear, and apricot, are accompanied by wild fruit groves of hawthorn, kiwi, rosa laevigata, wild grapes, and crabapple. Beyond enjoying the lake and mountain views, visitors can freely taste sweet oranges and wild fruits, appreciating the wonders of nature. In 1990, Song Jian, then Director of the State Science and Technology Commission, visited the Orange Isle orchards and personally inscribed the words “Agricultural Science and Technology Demonstration Garden.” In recent years, the local government has seized the opportunity of Huating Lake’s tourism development, investing heavily to transform the old orange orchards into high-tech citrus bases. Citrus varieties have been introduced from Zhejiang and Japan. The resulting oranges are bright and glossy, with thin skin, juicy flesh, and a perfectly balanced sweet and sour flavor, making them highly popular among locals. For several consecutive years, they have ranked first in Anhui Province’s high-quality fruit evaluations, with products also sold in provinces such as Hebei and Inner Mongolia. Visitors can not only freely stroll through the orchards, pick and taste fruits, but also take home 5–6 pounds of fresh, sweet oranges to share with family and friends.

Address: Taihu County, Anqing City

Phone: (0556) 3253908