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APRIL 2023
Shanghai’s a bustling city with so much to do! But as the weather is getting nicer, I’m sure you’re looking for weekend getaway ideas that’s a change in scenery and pace. Intercontinental Thousand Island Lake Resort offers just that! In just a 2-hour train ride, you could trade the skyscrapers for lake-side views.
Where is Thousand Island Lake?
Fun fact: Thousand Island Lake is a a human-made, freshwater lake located in Chun'an County, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. There are just over 1,000 islands (hence the name) and is one of the most picturesque places I’ve been! There are a couple ways to get here from Shanghai:
Driving. You can rent a car (eHi is one that’s been recommended in many group chats) or hire a long-distance Didi driver (I’ve purchased this service through TaoBao). Renting a car for the weekend can cost about 800CNY-1000CNY (122USD-152USD), whereas the private driver can run upwards of 2500rmb (382USD) round-trip.
High Speed Train. Going from Shanghai Hongqiao to Qiandao Hu will cost about 143CNY (21USD) one way, per person and then double that for the return trip back to Shanghai. Trains are very efficient, on-time, and relatively clean. The second-class seats have more space and legroom than economy seats on an airplane. The Qiandao Hu train station is about 20-40minutes away from the nearest hotels and resorts. Top tip: contact your hotel beforehand as many of them have a shuttle bus option to pick you up from the station.
What to do
Outdoors activities are selling point of this recreation and resort area. At the Intercontinental, the main activities you could book through them were ATVs, yacht rides, and island-hopping tours. At other resorts, I’ve also seen speedboating, water skiing, and mountain climbing being advertised!
There are tons of dining options, many with picturesque lake-side views, ranging from budget to luxury price points. My only wish was that we could stay longer, but we knew we only had one day to spare as we were heading to an adventure park with our friends later that evening…. details coming up in my next blog post!
Best Time to Visit
Best tourist season in this area is from September to November where the average temperature is 59°F (15°C). Early June to early July is rainy season, so that’s not ideal for outdoor activities. And it’s best to book a hotel with a pool during summer season as the weather can get to 97°F (36°C) during mid-July to late August.
What time of the year would you prefer visiting Thousand Island Lake?
Happy traveling!
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