Tianmu Lake
A 60-square-kilometer “green lung” for water purification in East China.
Tianmu Lake is a clear bay in Changzhou, with 60 square kilometers of blue water, like a piece of jade held in the palm of bamboo forests and tea mountains. Sailing slowly, one can see the islands and the silhouettes of the sails embracing each other. Cycling along the lake, the fresh and fragrant fish soup wafts in the wind. After sunset, the steam from the hot spring rises to the surface, dissolving all the fatigue of the day into this “last still water of Jiangnan”.
Tourist Recommendations:
| Project | Time required | Opening hours | Price | Remarks |
| Cruise ships (including Longxing Island) | 2.5 h | 8:30–16:30 | 160 yuan per person | The last ship is 30 min in advance in winter, including walking on the island. |
| Yushui Onsen | 3 h | 10:00–23:00 | 218 yuan per person (Monday to Friday) 258 yuan per person (weekend) | There are 55 pools, lake scenic pool after 17:00 less flow. |
| Dam cycling | 1 h | Throughout the day | Car rental: 30 yuan per car per hour | The one-way distance is 7 kilometers without motor vehicles. Family bicycles can be rented. |
| Fish head in casserole | 1 h | 11:00–20:30 | Half a portion of fish head 98 yuan | I recommend half a portion of “Gold Medal Fish Head” for 2 to 3 people. |
| Night fishing platform | 2 h | 18:00–21:00 | Free (deposit: 50 yuan) | Bring your own pole for free. Limited to 30 spots. First come, first served. |
① Local knowledge:The “Fish head in casserole” must be stewed with bighead carp from Tianmu Lake and pure lake water for 4 hours. Once the soup turns milky white, it should be served within 7 minutes; otherwise, the white soup will become clear.
② Best shooting position:At the viewing platform at the west end of the dam, 30 minutes after sunrise, the lake surface against the light presents a “water mirror” effect. A 0.5× mobile phone can capture the “reflection of two islands”.
③ Official service hotline:For scenic area consultation and ticket refund, please call 400-188-8588 (07:00-22:00, manual service)
④ Two-day Itinerary Micro-guide:Day 1: Morning cruise → Noon fish head → Afternoon hot spring Day 2: Morning ride on the dam → Take photos → Return. It’s suitable for a round trip by high-speed rail on weekends.
Route:
Self-driving: The parking lot of the scenic area is just 3 kilometers away from the “Tianmu Lake” exit of the Shanghai-Wuhan Expressway (10 yuan per visit for small vehicles, free for the first 15 minutes).
High-speed rail: Take the train to “Liyang” station, exit the station and turn right onto the “Tianmu Lake Tourist Special Line”. There is a bus every 30 minutes, the fare is 5 yuan, and it takes 30 minutes to reach the entrance of the scenic area.
City bus: Take the “Changli Express Line” from Changzhou Bus Terminal → Liyang Bus Station → Transfer to Bus No. 9. The whole journey takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes.