Qinglong Bay Ecological Resort

Qinglong Bay Ecological Resort

Qinglong Bay Ecological Resort is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a national water conservancy scenic area.

A national forest park and national water conservancy scenic area, located in the western part of Ningguo City, Anhui Province, on the eastern edge of the mountainous region of southern Anhui. It is 17 kilometers from downtown Ningguo and is a mountain-lake type scenic area. In 1998, a reinforced concrete-faced rockfill dam, 68 meters high and 253 meters long, was built on the upper reaches of the Xijin River, creating a reservoir with 38 islands, a storage capacity of 941 million cubic meters, and a water surface area of 32.8 square kilometers. The reservoir was impounded in 2001, and in July of the same year, the tourism area's planning and design passed expert review. It was integrated with the provincial-level Banqiao Nature Reserve to form the Qinglong Bay Ecological Tourism Area.

The Qinglong Bay Ecological Tourism Area spans hundreds of square kilometers, featuring a mild climate, distinct seasons, and abundant rainfall. Winters are not harsh and summers are not scorching, with gentle winds and fine rains, making the scenery pleasant. The area boasts clear lakes, beautiful mountains, steep cliffs, towering peaks, long valleys, ancient trees, and rare fish. Experts have praised it as having “first-class air and first-class water,” as well as being a “kingdom of animals, a hall of biodiversity, and a precious pure land in the gene pool.”

The tourism area is rich in plant resources—lush forests of pine and bamboo remain green all year round, with a vegetation coverage rate of 77.5%. The landscape is picturesque, the air is fresh, and the area has a high concentration of negative oxygen ions, making it a natural oxygen bar. The Banqiao Nature Reserve within the area serves as a green gateway to the northern subtropics and is known as the “green hall,” with dense forests and a forest coverage rate of 95%. Vast expanses of sweet evergreen oak forests are spectacularly beautiful, dotted with trees such as cyclobalanopsis glauca, pteroceltis tatarinowii, and pinus taiwanensis, enhancing the mountain’s charm. Surrounded by cliffs, with murmuring streams and ancient houses, it feels like a hidden paradise, offering a true sense of an idyllic retreat. It is a natural haven for forest wellness. A total of 483 plant species have been identified, belonging to 116 families, including 10 species under national protection. There are 215 animal species, including 4 under first-class national protection: clouded leopard, leopard, black muntjac, and white-necklaced partridge. There are also 20 species under second-class protection, such as macaques and stump-tailed macaques...

“Eight parts mountain, one part water, and half a part fields and estates,” Qinglong Bay is fertile and abundant, known as the “Hometown of Mao Bamboo in China” and the “Hometown of Chinese Hickory Nuts.” It produces an abundance of chestnuts, ginkgo, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tea, and more. Here, visitors can fully enjoy the pristine natural mountain and water scenery, experience the simple rural life, and engage in a variety of tourism activities such as exploration, fishing, yacht rides, and agritainment to meet diverse interests.

Huiyun Zen Temple: Originally built during the Tang Dynasty’s Taihe era, it is located on Xiuyun Island and was the place where the famous Song Dynasty monk Dajue Zonggao became a monk. With its evening drums, morning bells, and the aura of Buddhist practice, it is a serene site for Buddhist devotees to worship and study, exuding a strong Buddhist cultural atmosphere that is truly captivating.

Gangkou Bay Reservoir Dam: It is the first reinforced concrete-faced rockfill dam in Anhui Province. The dam is 253 meters long, 7 meters wide, and 68 meters high, presenting a majestic sight with its green mountains and clear waters, offering beautiful scenery. Visitors standing at the top of the dam can take in the panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

Gaofeng Mountain: With an elevation of 1,153 meters, it is the highest peak of the provincial-level Banqiao Nature Reserve. At the summit, there is a rock formation shaped like the mouth of a lion, inside which a spring flows year-round without drying up. An ancient temple stands proudly atop Gaofeng Mountain. It was called the “Baiyun Zen Temple” in the Ming Dynasty and the “Tiewa Temple” in the Qing Dynasty. It was once widely renowned, thriving with incense and frequented by worshippers and tourists.