Nanbei Lake is located in Haiyan County, Jiaxing, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing a river on one side, offering a unique landscape. A causeway named Bao Gong Di divides the lake into two parts: North Lake and South Lake. Being close to both Shanghai and Hangzhou, Nanbei Lake is an ideal destination for weekend leisure self-driving tours.
The scenic spots within the area are relatively dispersed. Visitors can walk along the lake or use shuttle buses and electric carts for transportation. For a casual stroll, one might visit the Egret Island and Butterfly Island in the lake, or follow the ancient mountain trails to Yingke Summit and Baiyun Pavilion to overlook the scenery of Nanbei Lake.
If you have two days, you can not only visit these attractions but also enjoy boating on the lake and driving around the lake to appreciate the scenery, making the experience even more pleasant. The scenic area has resort hotels and many farmhouses with prices around 100 yuan, offering reasonable prices for meals and accommodation.
Almost all visitors to Nanbei Lake walk on Bao Gong Di, which divides the river and lake into two parts, with bridges on both sides leading to Egret Island and Butterfly Island. Access to the islands is via winding wooden bridges, which are quite elegant, and there are tea houses on the islands where one can enjoy tea and scenery.
If you have ample time, consider boating at the dock to the east of the causeway (30-40 yuan per person for half an hour), offering a unique experience. The entrance to Jiuqu Path is on the south side of the scenic area, and this mountain trail consists of stone steps, not difficult to walk, but it will still make you sweat. On the way up, you will pass by Yunxiu Temple, with the eastern courtyard for sightseeing and the western courtyard for living. The eastern courtyard features an antique-style stage. Admission to Yunxiu Temple is 10 yuan, and it is worth a visit if you are interested.
Continuing up the ancient path to Yingke Summit, on a clear day, the view is expansive, allowing you to overlook the entire landscape of Nanbei Lake, with the distant sea in view, though not clearly visible. After leaving Yingke Summit, the path to Baiyun Pavilion is a flat cement road. Baiyun Pavilion is a newly built pavilion with a tea room on the first floor, but seating is only allowed for consumers, so many people only come here to go up to the second floor for another panoramic view of Nanbei Lake before heading west to Tanxian Stone City, which was once a fortress against Japanese pirates. The buildings you see now are recent reconstructions and quite imposing. There is also a Taoist temple here that can be visited together.
Opening Hours: 08:00-16:30 all year round.
Parking Facilities: Jiaxing Nanbei Lake Parking, reference price: ¥10 per time; Address: Haiyan County, Hangzhou Bay North Shore, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province; Spaces: 800; ¥10 per day. East and North gates each have 400 spaces.
Intra-park Transportation: Prices vary for private transportation.
