Yansai Lake
A man-made lake created by damming the Shihe River, with a gorge stretching over ten kilometers and sheer cliffs facing off on both banks—mountains holding a lake, a lake holding mountains, gorge-and-calm-water scenery rarely seen in northern China.
Visitor info
- Opening hours
- 08:00-17:00
- Ticket
- approx. CNY 80 (boat ticket included)
Price is indicative — final quote on inquiry.
A man-made lake formed by damming the Shihe River, its gorge stretches over ten kilometers with sheer cliffs confronting each other on both banks—mountains holding a lake, a lake holding mountains—scenery of gorge and calm water rarely seen in northern China. The Birdsong Forest aviary and boat cruises are the main draws; spring mountain-peach blossoms and autumn foliage are the best windows, and it chains naturally with Shanhaiguan Ancient Town in a one-day trip—a good half-day add-on if you have time to spare.
Getting there: Bus from Shanhaiguan to Yansai Lake
Photos
More in Qinhuangdao
- First Pass Under Heaven (Shanhaiguan Ancient City)
Core of the national 5A-rated Shanhaiguan scenic area; the pass was built in the 14th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming dynasty (1381) on the orders of Xu Da, Prince of Zhongshan, named for backing onto mountains and adjoining the sea, and is the first pass at the eastern starting point of the Ming Great Wall
- Laolongtou (Old Dragon's Head)
The only section of the Ming Great Wall that reaches the sea; Qi Jiguang built the Stone City into the Sea in the Longqing reign (approx. 1571), extending the Great Wall into the Bohai Sea, and Chenghai Tower, perched on the wall for sea views, has long been a stop for literati
- Shanhaiguan Great Wall Museum
A specialist museum themed on Great Wall history, exhibiting the Wall's evolution, building techniques and military institutions; sand tables and excavated components give a vivid picture of the Nine Border Garrison Towns system, with Ming-dynasty weapons and inscribed steles as collection highlights
- Pigeon Nest Park (Geziwo Park)
Beidaihe's number-one spot for sunrise viewing and birdwatching; Yingjiao Pavilion (Eagle Cliff Pavilion) stands on a solitary cliff, and the vast tidal-flat wetlands are a node on the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, with tens of thousands of migratory birds stopping over in spring and autumn
- Laohushi Seaside Park (Tiger Rock)
Named for the giant rocks in the Zhonghaitan area that reach into the sea like a crouching tiger; one of Beidaihe's earliest developed bathing beaches, where Russian-language signs and crowds of Russian visitors have long been part of the streetscape
- Beidaihe Modern Villa Complex (Dongjing Road–Xijing Road Area)
In 1898, the 24th year of the Guangxu reign, the Qing government officially designated Beidaihe as a summer resort. Over the decades that followed, Chinese and foreign residents built hundreds of villas here, with British, Tudor, and Chinese courtyard styles mingling across the wooded slopes, forming the seaside character of one of modern China's most famous summer retreats.