As summer begins so does the joy of camping. With snacks, refreshments and friends, at the ready, it’s time to join the crowds and pitch up your tents! Here are seven of the most extraordinary camping places in and around the city of Hangzhou.
Qingshan Lake in Lin’an City
For local people, Qingshan Lake can be generalized in one sentence: trees are growing in the water, boats are moving in the forest, birds are chirping on the branches, and human beings are wandering in the pictures. The rare jade-like forest grows in a one-million-square-meter grassland in the north of Qingshan Lake, and is reputed as being the “most beautiful forest in water in China”.
Nowadays, the crowds are gathered in the Great Marina Grassland of Nishan Bay, and some people think that the lakeside in the Qianshan Lake Great Dam is also a good place to camp. In the wild, near the lake, it is advisable to take your own drinking water, and if camping in the docks, then you can take a boat to appreciate the forest in water and Valentine Island on the inside of Qingshan Lake.
Reference Price: Chinese traditional sightseeing boat: 120 RMB per person; yacht: 150 RMB per person
Camping Equipment: self-provided
Address: Qingshan Lake Street, Lin’an City, Hangzhou City
Qiandao Lake Recreational Vehicle Camp Site
Qiandao Lake Recreational Vehicle Camp Site is located at Jiangjia Town, Qiandao Lake Scenic Area, where green trees under blue skies and an abundance of beautiful scenery dominates. It is isolated from the hustle and bustle of urban life, quietly melting itself into the landscape of the green water and forests. Here, you can appreciate the beautiful scenery with your family, and experience the excitement of RV camping.
Reference Price:
Recreational Vehicle: 450 RMB every night, and each one accommodates 4 to 5 people; Site Cost for Self-provided: 200 RMB per person (both include public toilets.)
Transportation: Hangzhou –Hangzhou-Qiandao Lake Highway (nearly for 1.5 hours) –Qiandao Lake –Chunkai Road (nearly for 1 hour) –Jiangjia Camp Site
Address: Jiangjia Town, Qiandao Lake Scenic Area, Chun’an County, Hangzhou City
Dongbai Mountain
There are plum forests in the winter and ravines in the summer. Now, it is the most pleasant time of year where you will see the broad alpine meadow, the vast windmills and so on. When it is foggy, boundless meadows and windmills appear indistinct; when the fog is lifted, the sunshine sprinkles itself over Taibai Peak, and the distant mountains and lakes vividly appear. There are many places to set up camp in Dongbai Mountain such as the little house in the peak, the open space beside the little temple and the areas near the reservoir which are, of course, most convenient for water. When night falls, people put up their tents in the light of the stars - enjoying the surrounding peace and tranquility.
Reference Price: free
Camping Equipment: self-provided
Address: Hulu Town, Dongyang City which is in the middle of Zhejiang Province
Tips: 1. You can drive up the hill for convenient transportation. 2. It is advisable to take more water and clothes as it gets very cold at night.
Kuocang Mountain in Taizhou City
Kuocang Mountain is full of steep hills that shine brightly in daylight and glisten with stars at night. The scenery here is changeable not only in a day but also in a year of four seasons. The 28-kilometer winding mountain road is so steep that it can lead you up from a height of 220 meters to a high altitude of 1382 meters. Kuocang Mountain is the best choice for camping, though, at night, it will be nearer ten degrees Celsius lower than at the foot of the mountain so, on that note, you had better pack some warm clothes. Barbecuing with several good friends in the mountain is also another good pastime.
Reference Price: free
Camping Equipment: double tents to rent are 100 RMB at least
Barbecue (for reference): 68 RMB per person for 3 hours which includes all the necessary tools
Address: Kuocang Town, Linhai City, Taizhou City
Chongniao Island in Shengsi County
Chongniao (Flowers and birds) Island, located at the northern end of Shengsi Islands, has a small area where lush vegetation and clouds exist in abundance. From a distance, it seems like fairyland and when night falls, a bright white light beams from the lighthouse and makes the sea around the island appear fluorescent. Camping here is both exciting and romantic. With the flickering tower light, you can enjoy the view of rolling waves in the evening and the glowing sunrise at dawn.
Reference Price: free
Camping Equipment: available for rental
Address: Chongniao Village, Shengsi County, Zhoushan City
Transportation: the government of Shengsi County –No.2 Shengxiang Boat (slow boat) – Chongniao Island
Heaven Lake of Jiangnan in Anji County
Heaven Lake of Jiangnan is famous for its power station and vast plateau which is set in a deep valley with a sea of bamboo. Camping in and amongst the bamboo-lined paths on the top of the mountain is most pleasant. If you want to appreciate the stars, you can choose the lawns on the top of the mountain and the loops around the Heaven Lake.
Reference Price: 80 RMB per person
Camping Equipment: available for rental
Address: Heaven Lake of Jiangnan, Henglu Village, Tianhuangping Town, Anji County, Huzhou City
Nanjian Rock in Suichang County
In Nanjian Rock Scenic Area, birds chirp amidst the clouds, and shepherd boys drive cattle to plow the distant fields. Layers of terrace form a perfect collection of lines and color swatches in the mountains of Suichang. Although Nanjian Rock Terrace is not widely known by everyone, it accumulates a long list of cultural and historical heritages and retains a rare simplicity.
You can camp near the parking lot on the top of the mountain which is not far away from the hotel and others houses. Accordingly, the supplies are guaranteed and the starry sky is forever clear. Moreover, at 4 o’clock, golden sunshine penetrates the layers of leaves and gives a little transparent light to the forest.
Reference Price: 80 RMB per person
Camping Equipment: self-provided
Address: Wangcunkou Town, Suichang County, Lishui City