Located in the Bohai Sea 7 nautical miles northwest of Lushunkou, the Snake Island is one-thousand meters long, and 800 meters wide. The highest peak is 216 meters above sea level and with the exception of the pebble beach on the southeast corner it is surrounded by steep precipices and overhanging rocks. The island is home to more than 200 species of plants but the real attraction are the 13,000 snakes that inhabit the island. The Pallas pit vipers are particularly active in the spring and autumn when many migratory birds arrive on the island for their north-south migrations. These migratory birds provide the snakes with a virtual smorgasbord.
Snake Island is an official National Nature Preserve protected by Chinese law.
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