Chaohu City Tourism, Hefei Anhui

Chaohu City, Hefei, Anhui — the core area around Chaohu Lake, home to Chaohu Lake (one of China's five major freshwater lakes). It integrates lake scenery, thousand-year-old ancient temples, karst cave wonders and hot spring resources, featuring scenic spots such as Laoshan Island, Zhongmiao Temple and Ziwei Cave. Experience the natural and cultural beauty of the "Lake and Sky Scenic Area" in one day.

2046
sq. km of regional area
900,000+
Permanent resident population
20+
Characteristic cultural and tourism attractions
780
sq. km of Chaohu Lake water area
Laoshan Island Scenery, Chaohu City, Hefei
Laoshan Island - Natural Landmark of Chaohu City
The only lake center island in Chaohu Lake, with an altitude of 115 meters, named for its shape like a snail shell floating on the water. The island has scenic spots such as Wenfeng Pagoda and Shengfei Temple. Climbing to the top offers a 360° panoramic view of the vast Chaohu Lake, making it the core attraction of tourism around Chaohu Lake.

One-Day Tour of Lake Views and Wonders in Chaohu City

Enjoy lake island scenery, pray at ancient temples, explore karst caves, relax with hot spring wellness

Trip Duration
1 Day
Main Destinations
Laoshan Island, Zhongmiao Temple, Ziwei Cave, Yinping Mountain, Bantang Hot Spring
Suitable For
Nature lovers, photography enthusiasts, prayer believers, geological explorers, hot spring experience seekers
Per Capita Budget
¥180-¥500
All Day
Combined Tour of Chaohu Lake Views and Wonders
Laoshan Island · Zhongmiao Temple · Ziwei Cave · Bantang Hot Spring
Trip Highlights

In the morning, take a boat to Laoshan Island to overlook the panoramic view of Chaohu Lake, and visit Zhongmiao Temple to experience the "First Scenic Spot of Lake and Sky"; in the afternoon, explore Ziwei Cave to marvel at stalactite wonders, climb Yinping Mountain to admire the thousand-year-old peony; in the evening, relax in Bantang Hot Spring and taste the characteristic lake fresh food of Chaohu Lake.

Attraction Arrangement
Laoshan Island
A national 4A-level scenic area, the only lake center island in Chaohu Lake, composed of crystalline tuff. Wenfeng Pagoda on the island was first built in the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty, with a height of 51 meters and 7 floors. Climbing the pagoda offers a distant view of the 800-li Chaohu Lake. The waters around the island are rich in whitebait, white shrimp and crabs, making it an ideal place to experience lake fresh food and lake scenery.
Zhongmiao Temple
First built in the second year of Chiwu in the Eastern Wu Dynasty, named for its location at the midpoint of the north bank of Chaohu Lake, known as the "First Scenic Spot of Lake and Sky". The temple faces south, directly facing Chaohu Lake. The existing halls were rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty, consisting of the front hall, middle hall and back hall. Guanyin Bodhisattva is enshrined in the temple, making it an important Buddhist holy land in the Jianghuai region.
Ziwei Cave
A national 4A-level scenic area, a typical karst cave formed about 150 million years ago, with a total length of 1500 meters. The cave has "three wonders and four unique scenes" — Double Well Opening to the Sky, Iron Chain Cold Bridge, Underground Long River, etc. The stalactites are in various shapes, complemented by lighting, like an underground fairyland, making it a rare karst cave wonder in East China.
Yinping Mountain
Named for a huge stone in the mountain that is white as silver and shaped like a screen, the main peak is 508 meters above sea level, famous for the "Thousand-Year-Old Peony" — a wild white peony growing on the cliff for a thousand years blooms around Guyu every year. There are scenic spots such as Xianren Cave and Longxing Temple in the mountain. Climbing to the top offers a bird's-eye view of Chaohu Lake and pastoral scenery.
Practical Information
Transportation Guide
  • About 1.5 hours' drive from downtown Hefei to downtown Chaohu
  • High-speed trains from Hefei South Railway Station to Chaohu East Railway Station (about 30 minutes)
  • Bus lines H1/H2 around the lake are available for scenic spots in Chaohu City
  • Take a boat from Zhongmiao Wharf to Laoshan Island (about 20 minutes)
Ticket Information
  • Laoshan Island: ¥60 (including boat ticket)
  • Zhongmiao Temple: ¥10
  • Ziwei Cave: ¥60
  • Yinping Mountain: ¥50
  • Bantang Hot Spring Resort: ¥168-268
Food Recommendations
  • Steamed Egg with Chaohu Whitebait
  • Sautéed White Shrimp with Chives
  • Chaohu Hairy Crab
  • Dongguan Old Goose Soup
  • Lujiang Xiaohongtou (surrounding specialty)

Must-Try Foods in Chaohu City

Steamed Egg with Chaohu Whitebait

A signature dish of Chaohu City, made with special Chaohu whitebait (transparent body, tender meat) steamed with local eggs. It has a smooth and tender taste, rich in umami flavor and nutrition, and is the most representative way to eat the "Three Whites" of Chaohu Lake (whitebait, white shrimp, white fish).

Chaohu Hairy Crab

A specialty of Chaohu Lake, due to the clear water and abundant aquatic plants in the lake, the produced hairy crabs have green shells, white bellies, golden claws and yellow hairs, full of roe and cream, and sweet meat. They are as famous as Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs. The best tasting period is from September to November in autumn, making them the "business card" of Chaohu's food.

Dongguan Old Goose Soup

A specialty of Dongguan Town, Chaohu City. Local old geese are stewed slowly for several hours with ginger, star anise and other spices. The soup is milky white, the meat is tender and rotten, and the aroma is rich. It is served with crispy rice crust, a perfect warming dish in winter with a history of over 100 years.

Sautéed White Shrimp with Chives

A home-style dish in Chaohu, made with Chaohu white shrimp (thin shell, tender meat, transparent body) stir-fried quickly with local chives. The shrimp meat is sweet, the chives are fragrant, and the color is emerald green, embodying the classic stir-fry characteristics of "fresh, tender and crisp" of Chaohu's lake fresh food.

Chaohu City Travel Tips
Best Travel Time
  • Spring (April): The thousand-year-old peony on Yinping Mountain blooms, with a flowering period of about 10 days
  • Autumn (September-November): Chaohu hairy crabs are on the market, and the climate is cool, suitable for a tour around the lake
  • Summer (June-August): Water sports on Chaohu Lake can be experienced, avoid high temperatures at noon
  • Winter (December-February): Wellness with Bantang Hot Spring, fewer tourists and quiet environment
Must-Experience Activities
  • Take a cruise on Laoshan Island to enjoy the lake view, climb Wenfeng Pagoda to overlook the panoramic view of Chaohu Lake
  • Listen to the bell and pray at Zhongmiao Temple, enjoy the magnificent view of "lake and sky merging into one"
  • Walk along the underground river in Ziwei Cave and watch the stalactite light show
  • Look for the thousand-year-old peony on Yinping Mountain and explore Xianren Cave
  • Soak in the "one cold and one hot" double springs at Bantang Hot Spring and experience hot spring physiotherapy
Budget Reference
  • Tickets and boat tickets: About ¥200-300
  • Catering: ¥100-180 (including lake fresh food)
  • Transportation: ¥80-150
  • Hot spring experience: ¥168-268
  • Total: ¥180-500
Frequently Asked Questions
  • How often do the cruise ships to Laoshan Island depart? → Every 30 minutes in peak season, every hour in off-season
  • When does the peony on Yinping Mountain bloom? → Around Guyu every year (April 19-21)
  • How long does it take to visit Ziwei Cave? → 1.5-2 hours (including boat ride on underground river)
  • What are the characteristic pools at Bantang Hot Spring? → Added ingredient pools, traditional Chinese medicine pools, stone slab baths, etc.

Explore Tourism in Districts and Counties of Hefei City