Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area

Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area

Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area is a national scenic spot, a National AAAAA-level tourist attraction, a national water conservancy scenic area, and a national wetland park.

Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area, located in Zixing City in the southeastern part of Hunan Province, lies between 25°34’ to 26°18’ north latitude and 113°08’ to 113°44’ east longitude. It is a place where natural and cultural landscapes complement each other, integrating mountains, water, lakes, dams, islands, temples, caves, villages, rafting, waterfalls, mist, forests, gardens, rocks, hot springs, hunting, and water recreation, all within a national scenic area and tourist resort.

Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area boasts beautiful mountain scenery and enchanting views. Its attractions and tourism resources are comprehensive and diverse, characterized by grandeur, wonder, beauty, serenity, and openness. It skillfully combines uniqueness, novelty, thrill, and adventure, fully reflecting the direction of modern tourism development. It is a shining pearl on the golden tourism route of Hunan, Guangdong, and Jiangxi.

The scenic and tourism resources of Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area are mainly concentrated in three major areas: Dongjiang Lake, Tianeshan National Forest Park, and Chengjiangkou. They are distinguished by their mountains, water, lakes, dams, mist, islands, temples, caves, villages, waterfalls, and rafting. The Dongjiang Lake scenic area features ancient trees and dense forests, with the entire natural vegetation of the area designated as a first-class protected zone. The Youcui Gorge, Longjing Canyon, and the vegetation along the Dongjiang River rafting route largely consist of pristine secondary forests. The water bodies not only offer an abundance of scenic spots—where there are mountains, there is water, and where there is water, there is sound—but also excel in the diversity of water landscape types and a wide variety of water-based tourism activities. These include scenic river sections, lakes, waterfalls, springs, as well as activities such as river rafting, skydiving, water slides, fishing, the negative-ion breathing zone at Hougushan, and water sightseeing.

Especially notable is the “miraculous mist of Little Dongjiang,” hailed as a “marvel of China and a wonder of the universe.” From April to November each year, before sunrise and after sunset, a sea of clouds rises over the 12-kilometer-long stretch of the narrow, flat Little Dongjiang Lake from the entrance of Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area to the Dongjiang Dam, resembling a jade ribbon fluttering through the canyon, as if riding auspicious clouds through a fairyland. It can be said that water is the inner essence of Dongjiang Lake’s tourism resources; without it, the charm of Dongjiang Lake would be lost.

Located in Zixing City, the lake covers a surface area of 160 square kilometers with a water storage capacity of 8.1 billion cubic meters, equivalent to half of Dongting Lake. The lake is surrounded by forests, and its water is crystal clear. There are 13 lake islands and peninsulas, each featuring uniquely beautiful landscapes. The largest island, Doushuaiyan, houses the Doushuai Temple, which contains a deep and peculiar large karst cave with ever-changing scenes inside. Known as the “Switzerland of the East,” the national forest park—Tianeshan—is situated on the shores of Dongjiang Lake.

Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area not only offers the natural and cultural landscapes of the three major areas—Dongjiang Lake, Tianeshan, and Chengjiangkou—to delight both domestic and international tourists, but also features a wealth of unique cultural and natural attractions, such as the “Ten Dragon Pools” in Xingning, the “Luminous Smoke of the Beacon” in Beiji, the “Setting Sun Over the Returning Dragon” in Tuanjie, the “Xiunei Park” in the city, and the “Liyangjiang Through Arch Steel Truss Highway Bridge”—the first bridge in Hunan.

Visitors can also fully experience a range of thrilling and exciting participatory and recreational tourism activities on Dongjiang Lake, including the Dongjiang River rafting, water-assisted parasailing, seaplanes, jet skis, water skiing, lakeside fishing, Yao ethnic folk song and dance performances, swimming, and night cruises. These activities allow you to enjoy the thrills of adventure, exploration, discovery, and amusement.

The Dongjiang Lake scenic area is primarily known for its natural scenery, combining majestic mountains, beautiful water, unique rocks, serene caves, islands, and rafting, along with cultural attractions. It features a comprehensive range of high-quality, diverse elements, forming a tourist destination suitable for both sightseeing and leisure vacations.

Suggested Duration

3–4 hours

Transportation

1. Take a taxi directly from the exit of Chenzhou Railway Station to the Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area’s Gate Complex Service Zone. The fare is approximately 150 yuan.

2. After getting off at Chenzhou Railway Station, take bus routes 101, 18, or 26 to Tianlong Station in Chenzhou City, then transfer to intercity bus route 201 to Zixing City urban area (Luowei Station), and from there, take bus routes 1, 2, or 3 in Zixing City to reach the Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area.

Ticket Prices

Route A (Mist-Shrouded Little Dongjiang, Hougushan Waterfall, Dongjiang Dam Exterior View, Longjing Canyon, Dongjiang Lake (Viewing), Qiyoubowuguan (Oddities Museum), Photography Gallery, Humanities Xiaoxiang Gallery): 100 yuan.

Route B (Mist-Shrouded Little Dongjiang, Hougushan Waterfall, Dongjiang Dam Exterior View, Longjing Canyon, Dongjiang Lake (Boat Tour), Doushuai Cave, Qiyoubowuguan, Photography Gallery, Humanities Xiaoxiang Gallery): 171 yuan (includes boat fare).

Route C (Mist-Shrouded Little Dongjiang, Hougushan Waterfall, Dongjiang Dam Exterior View, Longjing Canyon, Dongjiang Lake (Boat Tour), Xiaoxiang Flavor Water Town Huangcao, Dongjiang River Rafting): 338 yuan (including 248 yuan for tickets and 90 yuan for the cruise). Island Loop Tour (Mist-Shrouded Little Dongjiang, Hougushan Waterfall, Dongjiang Dam Exterior View, Longjing Canyon, Dongjiang Lake (Ancient-style painted pleasure boat “Huilaifang” loops around Doushuai Island, requiring about 15 people): 239 yuan (including 139 yuan for tickets and 100 yuan for the cruise).

Opening Hours

6:00-18:00

Location

Dongjiang Town, Zixing City, Chenzhou, Hunan Province

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Scenic Areas

· 28th Batch of National AAAAA-Level Tourist Attractions (July 2015)