Longshui Lake

Longshui Lake

Longshui Lake is a national water conservancy scenic area.

The Longshui Lake Scenic Area is located in the western part of Chongqing, about 40 kilometers from the core site of the Baodingshan Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the central area of the Dazu Rock Carvings. Situated in the southern part of Dazu, the scenic area lies on the western side of the watershed of the Bayue Mountain Range and neighbors three districts and counties — Tongliang, Yongchuan, and Shuangqiao. It spans across Yulong Town, Longshui Town, and the Shuangqiao District. With convenient transportation

Longshui Lake

Longshui Lake is a medium-sized reservoir built in the late 1950s, with a catchment area of 16.5 square kilometers, a water surface area of 5,300 mu, and a total storage capacity of 16.4 million cubic meters. It is one of the sources of the Laixi River and the Xiao’anxi River. The scenic area features 108 uniquely shaped small islands scattered across the lake, stretching for over 10 kilometers, creating a distinctive landscape where mountains and water complement each other. Located at the foot of the Western Hills, it is also known as the "West Lake of Chongqing."

- Climate Conditions

The Longshui Lake Scenic Area has a subtropical monsoon humid climate, with an average temperature of 17.8°C, an average annual sunshine duration of 1,314.2 hours, and an average annual rainfall of 1,010 mm.

- Socioeconomic Conditions

The Longshui Lake Scenic Area is located in Longshui Town, Dazu County. Dazu’s industry now includes sectors such as energy, machinery and hardware, auto and motorcycle parts, metallurgy and casting, strontium salt chemical industry, food processing, and building materials. Longshui's small hardware products are renowned nationwide, making it famous as the "Hometown of Small Hardware," with products exported both domestically and to Southeast Asia. In 2003, Longshui Town was listed as one of China’s "Hundred Model Small Towns." The town has flat terrain, fertile farmland all around, a dense population of about 90,000, a large transient population, a relatively high economic level, and strong demand in the tourism market, all of which contribute positively to the further development of the Longshui Lake Scenic Area.

- External Transportation Conditions

The external transportation conditions of the Longshui Lake Scenic Area are very convenient. Longshui Town is the transportation hub of the county. The scenic area is about a 5-minute drive from Longshui Town (via a third-grade asphalt road), 22 kilometers from Dazu County Town (via a second-grade asphalt road), and about 10 kilometers from the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway and expressway. The scenic area is approximately 80 kilometers from Chongqing Jiangbei Airport. Adjacent districts and counties all have first-grade asphalt roads leading directly to the scenic area, offering highly accessible transportation.

- Water Quality Conditions

After more than 20 years of development and construction, the Longshui Lake Scenic Area has placed great emphasis on environmental and water quality protection, implementing a series of protective measures: setting up water quality warning signs, banning cage fish farming, strictly prohibiting the discharge of fish feed and domestic sewage, and assigning personnel to clean the lake surface. These efforts have ensured that the water quality meets Grade II standards.

- Tourism Resources and Scale

The Longshui Lake Scenic Area lies at the foot of the layered and picturesque Western Hills (Bayue Mountain), stretching for about 10 kilometers. The lake area features crisscrossing waterways and 108 uniquely shaped islands, with clear waters, beautiful mountain-water views, and a seamless blend of water and sky. The green forests of Bayue Mountain, along with the sight of flocks of cranes playing in the lake and lush pines covering the islands, create a vibrant natural landscape teeming with over 20 species of rare birds such as egrets, wild ducks, and mandarin ducks. This idyllic scenery has earned it the reputation of the "West Lake of Dazu."

Over the years, the Longshui Lake Scenic Area has developed into a well-established water conservancy tourism destination, offering a comprehensive natural tourist attraction integrating dining, accommodation, transportation, travel, shopping, entertainment, and group conferences. The Longshui Lake Hotel, situated by the picturesque lake, can accommodate about 300 guests for food and lodging. "Songhe Villa" is a main scenic spot on the lake, located on Songhe Island in the lake center, offering a tranquil and elegant atmosphere. The 30-meter-high "Songhe Tower" provides a panoramic view of the entire lake. There is also the uniquely ethnic-style "Songtao Tea House," an exciting suspension bridge, and high-altitude zip-lining. The "Dragon Island" promotes dragon culture. With over 300 various types of boats, including two high-end "painting boats" that can host groups or conferences (each seating 60 people), five motorboats, 200 wooden boats, and two jet skis, it has become an ideal destination for travel, leisure, and vacation.

- Natural Resources

Longshui Lake is located at the boundary between the parallel mountain valleys of eastern Sichuan and the hills of central Sichuan, giving it a unique natural landscape. The lake surface is calm, dotted with numerous islands. To the east, Bayue Mountain is closely connected to the lake, forming a green barrier. Its terrain resembles surging ocean waves, covered with dense pine, cypress, fir, bitter bamboo, shrubs, and cycads from the dinosaur era. Hiking through the forested mountain brings refreshing breezes and a sense of tranquility. Aside from unique peaks and rocks like Yutou Peak and Tanzishi, the mountain also features attractions such as the "Three Pure (Immortal) Caves," known as the "Little Emei," and Chanle Temple.

- Scenic Area Transportation

Location of Longshui Lake

Transportation to the Longshui Lake Scenic Area is very convenient. From the direction of Chengdu, take the Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway to the Chongqing Youting exit, where a high-grade highway directly connects to the scenic area. The entire journey takes between 3 to 4 hours. From Chongqing, you can directly access the Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway and exit at Youting to reach the high-grade highway leading straight to the scenic area, with the whole trip taking about 2 hours. The scenic area is about 10 minutes from Longshui Town (via a third-grade asphalt road), 22 kilometers from Dazu County Town (via a second-grade asphalt road), roughly a half-hour drive. The Chengdu-Chongqing Railway and expressway pass nearby, about 10 kilometers from the scenic area.

Yulong Town: Yulong Town is located in the southeastern part of Dazu County, at the foot of the Western Hills and along the Huaiyuan River, 30 kilometers from the county town. It borders Longshui Town to the west, Tongqiao Township of Shuangqiao District to the southwest, Yongchuan City to the southeast, Shipan Town to the northeast, and Shimashan Town to the north. The town covers an area of 51.07 square kilometers, currently comprising 9 villages, 2 street communities, and 71 village (residential) groups, with a total population of 23,068, including 19,239 agricultural residents and 3,829 non-agricultural residents. In 2004, its GDP reached 240 million yuan, and the per capita income of farmers was 3,091 yuan... More details about Yulong Town++