Dongting Lake, China

Dongting Lake is a large, shallow freshwater lake in northeastern Hunan Province of China. It is a flood-basin of the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang); hence the lake's size depends on the season. It is famous in Chinese culture as the place of origin of Dragon boat racing. It is the site of Junshan island, and is a home to the Finless Porpoise, which is endangered in China. Major cities on the lake include Yiyang, Yueyang and Changde.

Dongting Lake is divided into 5 parts: East Dongting Lake, South Dongting Lake, West Dongting Lake, North Dongting Lake, and Datong Lake. East Dongting is the biggest part of Dongting Lake. The District has abundant animal and plant life, especially birds and waterfowl. South Dongting Lake, near Yuanjiang City, is famous for the picturesque beauty of its fishing villages, and is also an important international marsh. The most famous scene in the lake is an island called Junshan, a lone, mountainous island on Dongting Lake. Junshan Island contains 72 peaks. There are ferries to take the passengers back and forth.

Things to See & Do

* Junshan Island
* Fishing Villages
* Bird watching
* Fishing

General information

Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Chinese Yuan (CNY)
Language – Mandarin
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time - GMT plus eight hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 86

Travel Links – There are domestic airports located in Changsha and Zhangjiajie.

Important Visa Information
Australian and New Zealand passport holders staying on board or going ashore to visit any Chinese ports are required to obtain a single-entry Chinese visa (3 month validity) prior to travel. We recommend you include a copy of your itinerary with your application and confirm the expiration of the visa at the time of issue to ensure that it is valid for your stay in China. Visas cannot be issued upon the ship’s arrival. Please note that any passengers not in possession of a Chinese visa may be denied boarding or incur a fine.