It’s Easy Being Green: Must-See Cool Wetland Parks in Chongqing

By Rui Hu, EDITOR

Wetland parks break up the hot press of both the urban and rural regions of Chongqing. Their lakes, in various shapes, celebrate both beautiful scenery and profound history and culture.

Caiyun Lake National Wetland Park in Jiulongpo District

Chongqing Wetland Protection and Management Center is planning to build a wetland park around Caiyun Lake, thus making it the “Taohuayuan (Peach Blossom Spring)” in central urban areas. It is not only the first state-level wetland park of Chongqing but also the most significant ecological and urban wetland park in the central urban region.

Address: Caiyun Lake, Hi-Tech Industry Development Zone, Jiulongpo District

Route: Take Bus No. 117/466/807 to Caiyun Lake (Caiyunhu Station).

Dachang Lake National Wetland Park in Wushan County

Dachang Lake National Wetland Park is located in the core region of the Three Gorges Dam reservoir, covering 1,464.73 hectares in total. Among it, the wetland area is 1,020.59 hectares. Formed after the Dam’s impoundment, this large lake presents scenery in unique charm. Neighboring Dachang Ancient Town, the beautiful scenes and the town’s culture combine in harmony.

Address: Dachang Town, Wushan County

Routes:

1. Depart from the county and take a car to Guangming Village (near Ma Bamboo Plant), Dachang Town through Wushan Mountain and Futian Road.
2. Take a fast ship at Gucheng Wharf in the county to Dachang Passenger Transportation Wharf and take a car to Huahui Park, Guangming Village.

Yingfeng Lake National Wetland Park in Dianjiang County

Yingfeng Lake National Wetland Park is in Pushun Town, Dianjing County, Chongqing. It is the largest eco-tourism scenic resort in the North Gate of Dianjiang and the literary and artistic creation base of Chongqing.

Address: Pushun Town, Dianjiang County

Routes:

1. Take the shuttle bus at Chongqing Hongqihegou Long-distance Bus Station to Dianjiang County and then transfer a shuttle bus to Pushun Town.
2. Get off the G50 Expressway at Zhoujia Town, Dianjiang County, drive along S303 Expressway to Pushun, and drive directly along Yingfeng Road to the park.

Hanfeng Lake National Wetland Park in Kaizhou District

Hanfeng Lake is a unique artificial lake formed during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. In December 2014, it was officially approved as the 4A Tourist Attraction by National Tourism Administration P.R. China.

Address: Kaizhou District

Route: Chongqing-Yichang Expressway—Wanzhou-Kaizhou Expressway—Kaizhou

Bashan Lake National Wetland Park in Chengkou County

It is located at the southern foothill of Daba Mountains. The total planning area is 1,116.3 hectares, and the wetland takes up 587.8 hectares. This state-level wetland park is built under the theme of protecting the quality and sufficient water source, preserving the ecological environment of Northern Chongqing, creating environmental and green galleries, inheriting and displaying Qin-Ba culture, and promoting ecological civilization construction.

Address: Datianjiao, Bashan Town, Chengkou County

Routes:

1. Take the bus at Chongqing Longtousi Long-Distance Bus Station to Chengkou County and transfer a bus to Bashan Town.
2. Get off from the main urban regions and take Dazhou-Chongqing Expressway—Dazhou-Shaanxi Expressway—get off at Wanyuan Station—Chaxikou—Bashan Town.

Youshui River National Wetland Park in Youyang County

Embraced by lush plants on its sides, this river-type wetland has apparent characteristics, abundant animal and plant resources, significant biodiversity value, unique mountain and water arrangement, and beautiful scenery. With scattering residences of Tujia people, it is of the cradle of the minority’s profound culture.

Address: Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County

Route: Depart from the main urban regions and reach Youshui River National Wetland Park through Baotou-Maoming Expressway and S409 Expressway.

A’peng River National Wetland Park in Qianjiang District

The A’peng River National Wetland Park includes A’peng River Gorge, Shiquan Ancient Miao Village, Changpu Alpine Steppe, and Longtou Mountain, the holy land of Buddhism. A’peng River is the largest branch of Wujiang River.

Address: Xishui Village, A’pengjiang Town, Qianjiang District

Bus route: Depart from Chongqing to Qianjiang, and take the shuttle bus at the South Bus Station to A’pengjiang Town.

Yameijia Wetland Park in Dazu County

Yameijia Wetland Park was built in 1995. On its land of around 0.57 square kilometers, there are over 1,000 kinds of plants, including rare lotus and water lily.

Address: Longshui Town, Dazu County

Routes:

1. Chongqing-Chengdu Expressway—east of Dazu (3 kilometers toward Longshui)—Longtang Artery (Zhifeng Intersection).
2. Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway—Youting—Longshui—Longtang Artery (Zhifeng Intersection).

Qingshan Lake National Wetland Park in Wansheng District

Qingshan Lake National Wetland Park is rested in Jinqiao Town, north of Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone. It gathers various types of wetlands and precious resources, distinguishing characteristics, and diversified landscapes of the lake, peninsula, and waterfall. It is an optimal destination with hills and lakes in the village.

Address: Jinqiao Town, Wansheng Economic, and Technological Development Zone

Route: Chongqing-Guizhou Expressway—Qijiang-Wansheng Expressway—Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone—X207 Expressway—Jinqiao Town.

Longhe River National Wetland Park in Fengdu County

The Longhe River National Wetland Park is making efforts to eliminate the pollution source near the river, shut down livestock farms in its protection zone, improve the sanitary sewage and waste treatment rates of the surrounding regions, and intensify the clean-up efforts. Besides, through a series of measures of reforestation, afforestation, management, and protection, the wetland water has been purified and the eco-environment ideally improved.

Address: East of Fengdu County

Route: Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway—Changshou-Fuling Expressway—Fuling—Fengdu County

Source: CQCB
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