The misty Xiaodong River is breathtaking.

With its distant mountains, river mist, and small fishing boats, the Xiaodong River in Chenzhou is like a traditional Chinese landscape painting. It's a paradise for photographers and one of the top 10 photography bases in China. 📷 "The fisherman is a guest in the mortal world, but now he is a fairy in the painting." The Xiaodong River is part of the Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area in Zixing, Chenzhou, Hunan. It is located downstream of Dongjiang Lake, from the entrance of the Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area to the Dongjiang Dam, with a total length of about 12 km. The water temperature of the Xiaodong River remains at 8–10°C all year round. From April to October, the temperature difference creates layers of mist on the river, making it look like a fairyland! That's why it's called the "Misty Xiaodong River"! 🗺️The Xiaodong River can be divided into several parts: morning mist, net casting, Dongjiang Dam, Hougushan Waterfall, a boat ride to Doushuai Island, and Longjing Canyon. · 📸About the morning mist: April to October is the best time to see the morning mist, and it's also the peak season for Dongjiang Lake. The best time is from 6 am to 8 am. The four viewing platforms in the scenic area are all accessible by eco-friendly buses. I recommend taking photos at the second viewing platform. Then you can walk along the boardwalk from the second viewing platform to the third or fourth viewing platform and then take a bus to the pier. 🕸About net casting: Net casting is a regular activity. Fishermen will cast nets in the lake below the second and third viewing platforms. You can take photos of the fishing boats if you wait a little while. · 🚢About Doushuai Island: The largest inland island in Hunan Province, with a large karst cave. If you haven't seen a karst cave before, you can visit the island. 🥣About dining: There are many restaurants in the pier area of the scenic area, mostly serving local cuisine. The fish from Dongjiang Lake is famous, and the local specialties are fish prepared four ways (cold fish skin, salt and pepper fish, steamed fish, and fish head and tail soup) and salmon sashimi. 🐟We ate at Huji Laoyufu next to Dongjiang Lake. The signature dish is [stone pot organic male fish]. The fish hot pot and vegetables are delicious! The fish is very tender! You can't visit Chenzhou without eating fish! I think you can just order fish and some side dishes without ordering anything else. · 🚘About the scenic area eco-friendly buses: They run in a loop, so you just need to wait at the stop and don't have to worry about missing them. · ✔️Dongjiang Lake Scenic Area 📍Address: No. 88 Wangjiazhuang, Zixing, Chenzhou, Hunan