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Hot spots for cooling, watery retreats
By Wu Huixin and Xu Wenwen |
July 10, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
RAFTING or boating on a river in a bamboo forest is a cooling, idyllic way to spend a hot summer's weekend away from the city. And for those who are more adventurous, there are gorges to pass and rapids to run.
Hangzhou has many nearby water retreats where visitors can tackle rapids (big and small), swim, paddle or just sit on a raft and watch the scenery go by. Temperatures in hilly, wooded, river and lake areas are definitely lower than in concrete cities.
Shanghai Daily takes a look at several cooling water "hot spots."
Tonglu
Tonglu County in southwest Hangzhou is famous for its mountain and river scenery. Visitors can go boating on Tianmu and Chuiyun Tongtian rivers and rafting in Daxi Gorge. There are even rapids.
Visitors can start at Bipu port and end at Lengkeng, a journey of around an hour and a half since the Tianmu River runs slowly and winds along. There are quite a few ups and downs, and there's a saying, "There are 18 rapids in Tianmu River, the next is always higher."
The boating stretch of Chuiyun Tongtian River is around 4,500 meters long, originating in an unspoiled forest and running into a cave.
Daxi Gorge is more like a white water river, flowing at around 5 cubic meters per second. The 8-kilometer-long stretch of rapids drops 198 meters, meaning there's a 5-meter drop every 200 meters or so.
The gorge was formed by glaciers and features sheer, unscalable granite cliffs so rafters need to stay alert to appreciate the scenery because it goes by quickly.
If you go: G60 (Shanghai-Hangzhou) Expressway -- north line of Hangzhou Raocheng Expressway --- S05 -Expressway - Tonglu - Fenshui Town - Daxi Gorge
Qiandao Lake
Vast Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake) is a man-made lake in Chun'an County and is famous for its clean, drinkable water.
It was formed after completion of the Xin'an River hydroelectric station. The lake contains 1,078 large islands and a few thousand small ones.
There are several nearby rapids suitable for rafting.
Longtan Gorge Rapid stretches 3.6 kilometers and has a total drop of 160 meters. The swift water released from the reservoir makes it challenging. The biggest drop is 21 meters and navigating requires skill. It plungers into a strong whirlpool that turns rafts about.
Rafters can also try the Jiulong Stream Rapid, Jinfeng Canyon Rapid and Pinghe River Rapid.
If you go: G60 (Shanghai-Hangzhou) Expressway - Hangzhou North Interchange Overpass (Qiaosi Town) - south line of Hangzhou Raocheng Expressway - Hangzhou South Interchange Overpass (Yuanpu Town) - Hangxinjing/Hangqian Expressway -- Qiandao Lake
Shuangxi
A perfect river for lazy rafting runs through Shuangxi Bamboo Forest. Bamboo on either side and tea plantations cools the temperature and provides a peaceful retreat.
The bamboo raft is open and there are no compartments, so passengers who stand or sit on bamboo chairs can enjoy sweeping views of the landscape.
The river is broad, calm and so clear that fish and stones on the bed are visible. Aquatic birds fly overhead or pick their way along the banks.
There are tea plantations, dark green bamboo forests and hilly landscapes extending for kilometers.
Professionals take care of the steering. The trip lasts around an hour.
For those seeking more adventure, one or two people can take a canoe along a narrow, swift and winding stretch that extends 2,500 meters and features five barrages, two of them around 3 meters high. Everyone gets drenched. The trip usually takes half an hour. A change of clothes is recommended.
If you go: G60 (Shanghai-Hangzhou) Expressway - north line of Hangzhou Raocheng Expressway - Gouzhuang Exit -- 104 National Expressway -- 04 Provincial Expressway (Anji) - 15 Provincial Expressway (Yuhang) - Shuangxi
Gourd Gorge
Gourd Gorge rafting route on the scenic Fuchun River in Jiande is a narrow river shaded by lofty trees. Visitors can drift along or walk in shade on the banks.
To get there, visitors first need to cross Qi Li Yang Fan, a 20-kilometer waterfall featured in the famous painting "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" by Huang Gongwang (1269-1354).
Visitors then come to the Gourd Waterfall nd Gourd Gorge, named because there are two caves linked together in the shape of a giant double-gourd.
The drift stretches 3 kilometers, with a drop of 100 meters. Continuous barrages, some up to 4 meters high, and many rapids make this a challenging trip. The water is so clear that visibility is 3 meters deep.
If you go: Take a bus to Xin'anjiang and head for Qiantan Tourism Dock.
Hangzhou has many nearby water retreats where visitors can tackle rapids (big and small), swim, paddle or just sit on a raft and watch the scenery go by. Temperatures in hilly, wooded, river and lake areas are definitely lower than in concrete cities.
Shanghai Daily takes a look at several cooling water "hot spots."
Tonglu
Tonglu County in southwest Hangzhou is famous for its mountain and river scenery. Visitors can go boating on Tianmu and Chuiyun Tongtian rivers and rafting in Daxi Gorge. There are even rapids.
Visitors can start at Bipu port and end at Lengkeng, a journey of around an hour and a half since the Tianmu River runs slowly and winds along. There are quite a few ups and downs, and there's a saying, "There are 18 rapids in Tianmu River, the next is always higher."
The boating stretch of Chuiyun Tongtian River is around 4,500 meters long, originating in an unspoiled forest and running into a cave.
Daxi Gorge is more like a white water river, flowing at around 5 cubic meters per second. The 8-kilometer-long stretch of rapids drops 198 meters, meaning there's a 5-meter drop every 200 meters or so.
The gorge was formed by glaciers and features sheer, unscalable granite cliffs so rafters need to stay alert to appreciate the scenery because it goes by quickly.
If you go: G60 (Shanghai-Hangzhou) Expressway -- north line of Hangzhou Raocheng Expressway --- S05 -Expressway - Tonglu - Fenshui Town - Daxi Gorge
Qiandao Lake
Vast Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake) is a man-made lake in Chun'an County and is famous for its clean, drinkable water.
It was formed after completion of the Xin'an River hydroelectric station. The lake contains 1,078 large islands and a few thousand small ones.
There are several nearby rapids suitable for rafting.
Longtan Gorge Rapid stretches 3.6 kilometers and has a total drop of 160 meters. The swift water released from the reservoir makes it challenging. The biggest drop is 21 meters and navigating requires skill. It plungers into a strong whirlpool that turns rafts about.
Rafters can also try the Jiulong Stream Rapid, Jinfeng Canyon Rapid and Pinghe River Rapid.
If you go: G60 (Shanghai-Hangzhou) Expressway - Hangzhou North Interchange Overpass (Qiaosi Town) - south line of Hangzhou Raocheng Expressway - Hangzhou South Interchange Overpass (Yuanpu Town) - Hangxinjing/Hangqian Expressway -- Qiandao Lake
Shuangxi
A perfect river for lazy rafting runs through Shuangxi Bamboo Forest. Bamboo on either side and tea plantations cools the temperature and provides a peaceful retreat.
The bamboo raft is open and there are no compartments, so passengers who stand or sit on bamboo chairs can enjoy sweeping views of the landscape.
The river is broad, calm and so clear that fish and stones on the bed are visible. Aquatic birds fly overhead or pick their way along the banks.
There are tea plantations, dark green bamboo forests and hilly landscapes extending for kilometers.
Professionals take care of the steering. The trip lasts around an hour.
For those seeking more adventure, one or two people can take a canoe along a narrow, swift and winding stretch that extends 2,500 meters and features five barrages, two of them around 3 meters high. Everyone gets drenched. The trip usually takes half an hour. A change of clothes is recommended.
If you go: G60 (Shanghai-Hangzhou) Expressway - north line of Hangzhou Raocheng Expressway - Gouzhuang Exit -- 104 National Expressway -- 04 Provincial Expressway (Anji) - 15 Provincial Expressway (Yuhang) - Shuangxi
Gourd Gorge
Gourd Gorge rafting route on the scenic Fuchun River in Jiande is a narrow river shaded by lofty trees. Visitors can drift along or walk in shade on the banks.
To get there, visitors first need to cross Qi Li Yang Fan, a 20-kilometer waterfall featured in the famous painting "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" by Huang Gongwang (1269-1354).
Visitors then come to the Gourd Waterfall nd Gourd Gorge, named because there are two caves linked together in the shape of a giant double-gourd.
The drift stretches 3 kilometers, with a drop of 100 meters. Continuous barrages, some up to 4 meters high, and many rapids make this a challenging trip. The water is so clear that visibility is 3 meters deep.
If you go: Take a bus to Xin'anjiang and head for Qiantan Tourism Dock.
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