[2025 Taizhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Changtan Reservoir (Updated Jul)

"The Lifeblood of Taizhou People" The largest reservoir in eastern Zhejiang is breathtakingly beautiful! The emerald lake surface reflects the green mountains, the redwood forest on the water turns into a fiery corridor in autumn and winter, and the abandoned island in the lake looks like a secret realm from "Interstellar"! Best of all, it's free to visit, perfect for cycling, camping, and fishing, so exclusive you can have it all to yourself! · 🚗 Transportation Guide | Shortcut from the city center Self-driving Navigate to "Changtanshui Reservoir East Entrance Viewing Platform" (best panoramic spot) 🚘 40 minutes from Taizhou city center, many curves on the lake road ⚠️ Beginners drive carefully 🅿️ Parking: East entrance free / Hubin Village parking lot 10 RMB Public Transport 🚌 Take the Huangyan-Ningxi shuttle bus from Huangyan West Station → get off at "Hubin Village" (1 hour per trip) ✨ Secret route: Take a Didi to "Lake Heart Island Viewing Platform" for about 💰50 RMB · 🗺️ Route Planning | Half-day / Full-day deep tour 📸 Must-shoot light version (3 hours to check in at core scenic spots) East Entrance Viewing Platform (reservoir panorama) → Hubin Village boardwalk (waterfront photo spot) → Water Forest (autumn/winter redwood forest) → Floodgate (impressive engineering marvel) ⏰ Total 3 hours | Gentle trails + few steps 🚴‍♀️ Deep lake circuit version (highly recommended!) Rent a bike to circle the lake (30 RMB/2 hours) → Maoshe Township section (rural windmills) → Shangyang Township wetland (egret habitat) → Lake Heart Island distant view (mysterious abandoned buildings) ⏰ Total 5-6 hours | Bring enough food! Few supply points along the way · ⚠️ Pitfall warnings from experience 1️⃣ No drones allowed! Strict control in water source protection area, flying will get you kicked out immediately 2️⃣ To photograph the redwood forest, aim for late November to December! Other seasons are just ordinary green 3️⃣ No camping or barbecuing by the lake! Patrol cars check frequently (you can go to designated lawn areas) 4️⃣ Restaurants are concentrated in Hubin Village, mostly closed after 14:00! 5️⃣ Heavy mist on cloudy days reduces visibility, the lake is bluest on clear mornings! · 🐟 Food Highlights | Reservoir fish delicacies Recommended spot: Hubin Village "Fisherman’s Street" 【Three Ways to Eat Bighead Carp】 Must order! Fish head soup / chopped chili fish tail / fried fish bones 💰45 RMB per jin ➤ Recommended: Changtan Fishing Village (window seat with lake view is popular) 【Xikeng River Snails】 Stir-fried with rich sauce! Perfect with beer 💰25 RMB ➤ Recommended: A Qing Sao Farmhouse (snails caught the same day) 【Sweet Potato Celebration Cake】 Chewy traditional flavor! Fried with brown sugar and sesame 💰10 RMB per box ➤ Most authentic sold by an old lady pushing a cart roadside! · 🛏️ Accommodation Guide | Lake view or mountain wild? ✅ For those who want lake views from the window → choose Hubin Village homestays (recommended "Wanghu Xiaozhu") ✨ Balcony fishing + boat shuttle by the owner 💰300+/night ✅ For quality seekers → Huangyan urban area (recommended Qilong Marriott Hotel) ✨ 25 minutes drive to the reservoir, enjoy late-night snail snacks freely 💰500+/night · 📌 Important Notes | Water source protection rules ⚠️ Swimming strictly prohibited! Water is over 100 meters deep with strong currents, drowning accidents happen every year ⚠️ Protect the environment! Littering fines of 500 RMB (witnessed tourists being fined) ⚠️ Fishing requires a permit! Ask homestay owners about wild fishing spots (know the no-fishing zones) ⚠️ No streetlights on the lake road! Be sure to return before dark · 💌 Closing Words When morning mist wraps the emerald lake surface, and the abandoned lighthouse stands quietly on the lonely island, The beauty of Changtan Reservoir carries a touch of melancholic poetry— It is the water bowl held in the palms of Taizhou people and a hidden green gem for wilderness lovers. Please come gently, leave quietly, leaving only footprints and taking away the endless blue.

Drive into the forest in the sunlight The scenery gradually changes from skyscrapers to rural landscapes Take a leisurely stroll in the Metasequoia forest Feel the light and shadow of the sun through the treetops A red ocean with surging waves This is Changtan Mangrove Forest, known as "Jiangnan Kanas" It's worth the trip! ～～ 👲Address: Changtan Reservoir, Taizhou, Zhejiang Changtan Lake, also known as Changtan Reservoir Like a pearl in the west of Huangyan, Taizhou The reservoir is large, about 35 square kilometers It takes more than an hour to go around it ～～ The Metasequoia forest is mainly concentrated in the following two places: 1️⃣Address 1: Bai Lu Wan Wetland Park, Shangyang Township Transportation: Navigate to Shangzhou There is a parking lot, and several RVs are parked here, so you can camp There are several places where you can go down to the water One of the entrances leads to the forest Most of my photos were taken here, and there are fewer people here than in Lijiayang Village ～ 2️⃣Address 2: Lijiayang Village Transportation: Navigate directly to Lijiayang Village, which is on the side of the road The parking lot is small, so it's easy to run out of space, or you can park further away and walk over Most people come here to take photos of the reservoir, so there are more people Don't just focus on this road, go further and there are roads that lead to the forest ～～ 💘Food: After the photo shoot, drive for half an hour to Changtan Village near the reservoir, where there are many farmhouses There are two Mocha shops on the dam of Changtan Reservoir, one is Wuli and the other is Mocha Post ～～ ‼️Food: 1️⃣Fish from Changtan Reservoir, such as braised bighead carp, with tender and delicious fish that goes well with a bowl of rice 2️⃣I like braised field snails, which have no earthy taste 3️⃣Qing cake: similar to Wenzhou's steamed cake, but made from local sweet potatoes ～～ ‼️Tips: 1️⃣Crowded on weekends, so it's recommended to come on weekdays 2️⃣If you come on weekends, it's recommended to come early, as there are more people in the afternoon than in the morning 3️⃣If you have a drone, be sure to bring it!

During the Qingming Festival, on the way back to Hangzhou after visiting the graves in my hometown, I took a detour to navigate to the Sky City of Huangyan. I had seen it mentioned on Ctrip by other travelers as very beautiful, so I made a special trip to check it out. Driving along the Wangbai route, climbing up the mountain with numerous twists and turns, I finally reached the Sky City. Standing in any corner of the Sky City, you can overlook the entire panorama of the Changtan Reservoir. It's really too beautiful and spectacular! The mountains and water complement each other, and even the air tastes sweet. I remember a few years ago, I took a boat tour of the Changtan Reservoir with my family, but this time, standing on the mountaintop looking at the reservoir, the feeling was just different. One of the highlights is the must-visit Cloud End, where I actually had to queue up to take photos. The photos turned out absolutely gorgeous! I never expected that right next to my hometown, Huangyan would have such a beautiful place. I was too out of the loop before!