Sanshan Islands (Three Hills)

The Sanshan Islands sit about two kilometres offshore from Turtle Head Isle, reachable by tourist ferry in fifteen minutes. The largest island has Buddhist temples, pavilions, and a network of walking paths up through wooded slopes. The views back toward Wuxi and the Turtle Head peninsula from the island's high point are among the best available of the whole lake.

The temples are active religious sites and the atmosphere is quieter and less touristic than the mainland parks. The ferry schedule runs throughout the day; the last departure back is usually around 4:30pm, so check times before boarding. The island gets crowded on weekends and national holidays but is genuinely quiet on weekday mornings.

things to do sight
A story
The Three Hills are said in local legend to be three mountains thrown into the lake by the Jade Emperor when he needed to hold down the cosmic turtle that supports the earth. The islands are tiny but the story gives a sense of the mythological weight Taihu carries in Chinese cosmology — this has been a landscape of stories for as long as people have lived beside it.

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