Author Description

The Lake of a Thousand Islands is one of China's best kept secrets. A new lake by Chinese standards, this beautiful reservoir of islands and blue waterways was created by the damming of the Xin'an River in 1959. The pristine waters and green forests of the lake are the result of careful conservation, and in 2004 the Lake of a Thousand Islands gained the gold laurel for a B-type city at the Eighth International Park City Awards, the only winner in the entire southeast Asia region. These days, the Lake of a Thousand Islands is a model Chinese lakeside resort; a forerunner in the emerging leisure tourism and recreation industries. Monique Van Dijk's book is the first English-language guidebook to the lake region, providing a rare commentary on one of China's newest and most curious tourist attractions.