Live Your Best Lives
As living standards gradually improve, people's expectations for quality of life are growing. This is especially true for children. Every weekend, parents want to take their kids out for some fun. But when it comes to where and how to go, parents often struggle. So, today, I'd like to share some fun places near Shanghai where you can relax and have fun while still taking care of your kids!
In the southeastern corner of the Zhoushan Archipelago in Zhejiang Province, close to Liuheng Town, lies one of China's earliest privately contracted islands, accommodating only about 100 people. The island boasts azure waters, vibrant birdsong, and abundant vegetation. Green mountains, sandy beaches, unique reefs, and grotesque rocks abound. Not far from the mainland, this secret island feels like a hidden paradise on the sea. Its tranquility and elegance alone are enough to captivate visitors. Its proximity to Zhoushan offers a wide variety of seafood, and the island's master chefs tame its cuisine, ensuring a truly mouth-watering experience. The island's clean and hygienic hotel offers breathtaking ocean views. It features a conference room, fishing area, chess and card room, bonfires, barbecues, and live projections, offering a unique and tranquil escape into the world of everyday life. Staying on Yanwa Island, you can witness the sunrise over the sparkling waters, watch the sunset drift by in the west, and admire the silver moon and the dazzling starry sky at night. You can also enjoy a quiet stroll along the boardwalk that circles the island. The island is rich in ecology, and rabbits appear from time to time, making you feel like you’ve walked into Alice in Wonderland.
One island, one yacht and one hotel. Because it is a private island, it can only accommodate 120 people a day according to the capacity of the only resort hotel on the island. The scheduled ship cannot go directly to the island. You will be picked up by the "Yanwa Holiday" private yacht to enjoy this beautiful place privately.
Yanwa Island Transportation Guide
1. Navigate to Ningbo Guoju Wharf and buy a ferry ticket from Guoju Wharf to Liuheng Island Sha'ao Wharf.
The ferry from Guoju Wharf in Beilun, Ningbo, to Liuheng starts at 6:30 AM and ends at 9:00 PM, with one ferry per hour arriving at Sha'ao Wharf in Liuheng. The journey takes about 30 minutes.
Reference fare: 10 yuan/adult, 5 yuan/child (half price for children aged 1.2-1.5), free for children under 1.2 meters, ferry parking tickets available for small cars (reference fare: 70 yuan/car, cars need to queue for boarding, please allow enough time). For details, please visit: http://chuan.114huoche.com/M_LiuHeng/
2. The ferry stops at Sha'ao Wharf on Liuheng Island. After getting off the ferry, self-driving tourists can navigate to Zhoushan Holiday Island Yacht Wharf, which is about a 30-minute drive away. You can also take a taxi for about 40 yuan.
The gathering time at the Holiday Yacht Wharf is 13:00-13:30. It is recommended to have lunch in Liuheng Town at noon.
Recommended restaurant: Liuhengdao Donghong Hotel, Tel: 13758011006
Taohua Island, an island under the jurisdiction of Putuo District, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, lies in the East China Sea, southeast of the Zhoushan Archipelago. Bounded by the Thousand Island Lake Scenic Area to the north and the Tu'erling Scenic Area to the south, it forms a tourist belt. Taohua Island is the seventh largest island in the Zhoushan Archipelago. Located 7.8 nautical miles north of Shenjiamen, the seat of the Putuo District government, Taohua Island faces Mount Putuo, known as the "Buddhist Kingdom of Sea and Sky," and Zhujiajian, known as the "Wild Goose Pond," across the harbor. It is 12 kilometers west of Ningbo City, bordered by the Taohuagang International Deepwater Channel to the south and the renowned East China Sea fishing grounds to the east. The island covers an area of 41.7 square kilometers and has a total population of 11,500. Huang Yaoshi, the "Eastern Evil" from Jin Yong's masterpieces "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" and "The Return of the Condor Heroes," lived on this island.
Best time to visit Taohua Island: It is a good place to escape the summer heat and relax. You can visit Taohua Island in any season, but the peak tourist season from June to October is the best time to visit.
Taohua Island Transportation Guide
Taohua Island is located in the southeastern Zhoushan Archipelago. The typical route to Taohua Island involves taking a bus to the pier, then boarding a boat. There are three piers with direct ferries to Taohua Island: Duntou Pier, Banshengdong Pier, and Guoju Pier. From nearby cities, you can take a long-distance bus to Putuo Shenjiamen Bus Station, then take a taxi to Duntou Pier. Self-driving is also an option if you have the means. Tourist minibuses and taxis operate between scenic areas on Taohua Island.
Ticket Information
Scenic spot combined ticket: 140 yuan (half price with student ID)
Taohuazhai Scenic Area Ticket 45 yuan + The Legend of the Condor Heroes Tourist City Ticket 50 yuan + Anqi Peak Scenic Area Ticket 45 yuan
Big Buddha Rock Scenic Area (The Legend of the Condor Heroes Film and Television City) 50 yuan
Taohuayu Scenic Area 45 yuan
Anqi Peak Scenic Area 45 yuan
Tickets to Tawan Sands are 30 yuan in the off-season (November 1st - April 25th) and 58 yuan in the peak season (April 26th - October 30th).
Located in the eastern Shengsi Islands, Gouqi Island is the second largest island in the archipelago after Sijiao. Inhabited since the Jin Dynasty, it earned its name from the dense wolfberry shrubs that cover the island. It is the easternmost inhabited island in China. Except for the houses, everything is pristinely green, with every home facing the sea and blossoming in spring. With azure seas and skies, sheer cliffs and reefs, and lush, deserted villages, it's only 100 kilometers from Shanghai, making it a perfect place for a family vacation. Here, you can hike to admire the ocean, watch the sunset and the stars, wade in the waves on the beach, go fishing, and indulge in a seafood feast. Feel the pristine ocean breeze, listen to the ancient, tranquil sea. On Gouqi Island, we slow down life.
From May to September, the sea is clear, the sand is white, and the crystal blue waters are breathtaking. This is the most beautiful time of year for Gouqi Island and Shengshan. The blue is breathtakingly blue during neap tide (the seventh or eighth day of each lunar month, or the twenty-third or twenty-fourth day of each lunar month). High tides occur on the first and fifteenth day of each lunar month. During this time, the sea rises, the waves roll, and the scenery is truly spectacular. However, this period is typhoon season, so it is best to pay attention to weather forecasts when visiting the islands.
Goji Island Transportation Guide
Ticket Information:
Single ferry tickets from Shenjiawan to Shengshan Island/Goji Island cost 84 yuan for regular flights, and 109-152 yuan for the peak season ferry. Online ticketing is not available for regular flights. Starting July 16, 2018, additional ferry trips will be offered on a trial basis in July and August. Tickets can be purchased online one day in advance. Only one ferry will depart daily.
Flight information:
There is one boat per day in the off-season, which departs at around 09:25 in the morning. This is the Zhouqiao passenger ferry, a slow boat, which takes 3.5-5 hours to sail on the sea. In the peak season, the overtime boat departs between 8:30 and 9:45.
Nanbei Lake, China's only panoramic mountain, sea, and lake resort, is located in Haiyan County, on the northern shore of Hangzhou Bay in Zhejiang Province. Covering approximately 45 square kilometers, it comprises four key elements: lakes and ponds, mountains and forests, the coast, and an ancient city. Rich in natural resources and cultural landscapes, it is one of the first provincial-level scenic spots in Zhejiang Province, a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, and one of Zhejiang's top ten "Best Leisure Resorts." Nanbei Lake, with its layered mountains, winding waters, breathtaking seascapes, and charming villages, is my country's only panoramic resort integrating mountains, sea, lake, and village. Leveraging the unique resources of mountain, sea, lake, and village, it offers a variety of themed vacation options for a perfect panoramic vacation experience.
Browse Route References
1. One-day tour: Tanxian Stone City - Yunxiu Temple - Bailuzhou - Butterfly Island
2. Two-day leisure vacation tour of Nanbei Lake:
D1: Bailuzhou - Butterfly Island - Celebrity Cultural Zone
Day 2: Tanxian Stone City - Baiyun Pavilion - Yunxiu Temple (Eagle Nest) - Lake Area Leisure
3. Farmhouse Inn: "Visit Nanbei Lake, taste farmhouse food, and stay in a mountain and water house"
D1: Talk about Xianshicheng - Baiyun Pavilion - Yingkeding - Stay in a mountain and water house and taste farm food
D2: Bailuzhou - Butterfly Island - Lake Area Leisure - Farm Picking
4. Two-day leisure tour of the North Bank of the Cross-sea Bridge and Haiyan:
D1: Yunxiu Temple (Eagle Nest Peak), Tanxian Stone City, Bailuzhou, Butterfly Island
D2: Qiyuan Garden, Tianning Temple, Hangzhou Bay Bridge
(Note: Qiyuan is 10 yuan per person, Tianning Temple is 10 yuan per person)
5. Two-day tour around Nanbei Lake:
Nanbei Lake and Xitang (Scenic and Ancient Town Tour)
Nanbei Lake·Yanguan (Sound of Tide and Melody of Lake)
Nanbei Lake Haining Leather City (Tourism Shopping)
Ticket prices
80 yuan/person Tongcheng Travel Network special price 60 yuan/person
Yunxiu Temple Ticket: 10 yuan/person
Business Hours
8:00-17:00
Qiandao Lake, the "back garden" of the Shanghai Economic Zone and the tourist city of Hangzhou, is located in Chun'an, Zhejiang Province. It boasts the world's largest number of islands. Its crystal-clear waters are dotted with islands of varying sizes, resembling a constellation of stars. Dense fog rolls in at dawn and dusk, creating a fairyland-like atmosphere and refreshing coolness. Qiandao Lake is a popular summer destination both domestically and internationally. Located 129 kilometers from Hangzhou and 140 kilometers from Huangshan, it stands as a shining pearl on the iconic Hangzhou-Qiandao Lake-Huangshan tourist route, a renowned city, water, and mountain. The lake's waters are crystal clear, and its scenery is breathtakingly beautiful. While there are numerous optional activities, the boat ride is a delightful and relaxing experience.
Suitable time for play
September to November offers crisp, clear skies, minimal rainfall, and optimal visibility, with average temperatures ranging from 12°C to 18°C. In spring, Qiandao Lake boasts picturesque waters and verdant mountains, making boating a unique experience. However, rain is common, so be sure to bring rain gear. In summer, Qiandao Lake offers a chance to fully enjoy the water, with opportunities for splashing and rafting. However, during the rainy and summer drought seasons, the weather can be quite sweltering, with afternoon highs reaching 36°C. The lake is at its clearest after the winter solstice, when visitors are fewer and accommodations are relatively affordable.
You must visit Meifeng Island, Huangshan Peak and the Forest Oxygen Bar on the island.
Meifeng Island
Looking across Qiandao Lake, the islands are like plum blossoms floating on the water. The larger islands and harbors are crisscrossed, drawing a white sandy beach arc between the green islands and the green water. The saying "If you don't climb Meifeng to see the archipelago, you won't know the true face of the Thousand Islands" is well-deserved.
Huangshan Peak
Climbing to the summit of Huangshan Peak and gazing northwest, you can see over ninety islands, shaped like the Chinese character "公" (Chinese character for "公"), and like strings of pearls scattered across the lake. The myriad islands and winding harbors create a breathtaking display of mountain and water.
Qiandao Lake Forest Oxygen Bar
Boasting the best forest vegetation, stunning natural scenery, and ecological environment in Qiandao Lake, this scenic area is a perfect place to breathe in the air and refresh your lungs. Streams and waterfalls can be found throughout the scenic area; you can walk on rope bridges, swing on swings, take photos with peacocks, or go grass skiing and sliding, enjoying all sorts of wild mountain fun while bathing in the forest.
Tickets
Peak season (March 1st to November 30th), 150.00 yuan
Off-season (December 1st to February 29th), 120.00 yuan
Attraction opening hours
1. Peak season (March 1st to November 30th), 08:00~17:00
2. Off-season (December 1st to February 29th), 08:40~16:30
Green mountains, clear waters, blue skies, and white clouds. Looking out, you'll see the deep blue sea, and looking back, you'll see memories of the rosy clouds. Listen to the whispers of the waves, casually pick up lost shells, and savor the refreshing beauty of Crescent Bay in the East China Sea. A yearning for the sea is a deep and unique sentiment in everyone's heart. Facing the starting beach of the Golden Coast, and backed by the Windmill Road that connects the mountains and the sea, Crescent Bay in the East China Sea boasts unique natural scenery and a rich cultural heritage. Changsha Village, the starting beach of Xiangshan's 100-mile Golden Coast, is a natural oxygen bar with a beautiful ecological environment and high levels of negative ions, preserving the original ecology of the fishing village and pursuing its roots. It is renowned as the first bay in the East China Sea, the Fairy Reef Ocean.
Crescent Bay in the East China Sea nestles between the sea and the mountains, secluded like a young girl in love, yearning for the outside world yet shy of discovery. The first time I saw Fairy Bay, I was captivated like a teenager. Flower fields, windmills, starry skies, wooden houses, seafood, sunrises, lawns, beaches, the ocean—everything nature has to offer is here. When we first encountered Changsha Village, we fell in love at first sight and decided to build Fairy Bay Gardens, a light-vacation B&B complex and custom-built activity campsite. We wanted to provide a weekend escape for those trapped in the city, a place to explore, discover, and meet new people. You could spend an entire day just relaxing here, sitting in the spacious glass house or on the rooftop, gazing at the distant sea, basking in the sun, listening to music, or chatting with friends. Isn't that wonderful?
The Jilongshan Leisure Camping and Development Base in Tonglu, Zhejiang, faces Yaolin Wonderland, one of China's top 40 tourist destinations, across the river. It connects to the Tiandou Dilou Scenic Area and the Chuiyun Tongtian River. To the northwest lies Yaolin National Forest Park, and to the northeast lies Qinxi Xianggu Scenic Area. It is 25 km from downtown Tonglu, 80 km from downtown Hangzhou, and approximately 260 km from downtown Shanghai.
Therefore, a round trip from Hangzhou is sufficient in one day, while Shanghai, Nanjing, and Suzhou can accommodate two days. Jilong Mountain enjoys a subtropical, warm and humid climate, with an average annual temperature of 16.6°C, a daily high of 29.3°C, and a low of 4.5°C, resulting in warm winters and cool summers. Jilong Mountain boasts a typical karst landscape, rising over 800 meters above sea level. Its canyons, streams, and high plains form a rolling landscape of lush peaks and hills, dotted with unusual rock formations, numerous caves of varying sizes, and numerous underground rivers and springs. The mountain is shrouded in craggy rocks and shrouded in mist. The scenic area boasts attractions such as the Demon-Suppressing Pillar, the Demon-Suppressing Lock, ancient temple ruins, ancient trails, ancient villages, sunrises over a sea of clouds, Leopard Cliff, City Gate Cave, and Wolong Cave. This area attracts adventure enthusiasts and outdoor clubs from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai.
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Tips:
Activity Notes
1. China-TravelNote's outdoor activities implement a strict safety guarantee system. Team members must follow the instructions of the team leader to avoid outdoor risks.
2. Please choose to sign up for activities that suit you based on your physical health conditions.
3. When exercising as a team, maintain a suitable speed and rhythm to avoid the team from becoming separated. Assist teammates at all times and promote the great team spirit of tourists!
4. For hiking, please wear hiking boots or trekking shoes. For caving, you need to wear river trekking shoes.
5. Eco-friendly travel, green outdoor! It is strictly forbidden to throw non-degradable garbage along the way, otherwise it will be thrown into the valley to feed wild boars.
6. If this activity is cancelled due to special circumstances such as heavy rain, earthquake, etc., the beautiful women in the China-TravelNote lobby will notify each participating team member.
7. When participating in rock climbing, you must obey the instructions and do not act without permission. Rock climbing is absolutely safe with the correct protective measures, and you should not be too stressed.
8. Wear loose-fitting, athletic clothing when climbing. Do not wear bracelets, watches, rings, or other accessories while climbing, as these can easily cause injury and damage your climbing gear.
9. It is best to trim your fingernails and toenails before rock climbing. Girls should not be reluctant to do so, as long nails can easily scratch and injure you on the rock. Girls with long hair should tie it up to prevent it from getting tangled in the rope.
10. It is necessary and very important to do a thorough warm-up under the guidance of a coach before rock climbing to warm up and stretch your body to avoid sprains and strains.
The Gongcha Ancient Road is named after a story from the Tang Dynasty. Legend has it that during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, her son Li Dan was demoted and married a woman from western Hunan. After Wu Zetian's fall from power, Li Dan ascended the throne and made his wife Empress. When the Empress returned home to visit her family, she brought local green tea, which was so beloved by the Emperor and officials that the tea was designated as tribute tea, known as "Empress's Tea." This marked the beginning of an official route for tribute tea. Along the Gongcha Ancient Road in Dayong Prefecture, the charming and elegant tables and chairs, the curling smoke of boiling water, the subtle fragrance of green tea, and the graceful tea artists create a captivating and timeless immersion in the art of Chinese tea.
In the poem "Hearing at Night that Jia Changzhou and Cui Huzhou Meet in the Tea Mountains, I Envied the Joyful Banquet, So I Sent This Poem" by Bai Juyi of the Tang Dynasty, it goes like this: "I heard from afar that there was a gathering in the tea mountains at night, with singing children in pearls and jades all around them. The two states were divided on the plate, and they worked together as one family in front of the lamp. The young girls danced one after another to compete for their beauty, and the purple bamboo shoots were tasted together to compete for their freshness..." - This poem reflects the historical fact that officials from Changzhou and Huzhou jointly met to roast tribute tea and supervised the production of tribute tea.
As the name suggests, it was an official road from Hangzhou to Xuanzhou, Anhui in ancient times. It has existed since the Tang Dynasty. Only one section remains today at the junction of Yuhang and Anji. In ancient times, there were three passes here - Youling Pass, Tieling Pass, and Dusong Pass. Today, only Dusong Pass remains. There is also an ancient stone bridge on the ancient road - Baochang Bridge. Its age is no longer traceable. Most of the remaining ancient roads are relatively flat. The road paved with bluestone slabs is shaded by bamboo forests and accompanied by a flowing clear stream. It is a leisure-type primary ancient road that is very worth walking on. In the valley not far from the ancient road, there is also the thousand-year-old Futuo Temple, a quiet Buddhist temple.
Hiking time: about 1.5 hours
Hiking distance: about 2 kilometers
Hiking altitude: 100m-200m
Benefits of Trail Hiking
Brain: It encourages the brain to release endorphins, which boosts spirits and makes you feel happy.
Lungs: Increases maximum ventilation, relieves symptoms of bronchitis, and reduces the desire to smoke.
Back: The pressure on the intervertebral discs when hiking is similar to that when standing, making them less prone to injury. It can also strengthen the back muscles and consolidate the spine.
Relieve stress: Walking among green mountains and clear waters, with bright sunshine, makes people feel happy.
Body shaping and weight loss: Walking can exercise muscles throughout the body, flatten the abdomen, and shape the calves.
Learning: Walking along ancient roads can help you understand the transportation conditions of ancient people and learn some interesting historical knowledge that you cannot learn from books.
Experience: Participate in more ancient trail hiking activities to broaden your horizons and increase your life experience.
The charm of hiking begins with your feet. Once you start, you can't stop. When you cross barriers, step over thorns, and stand at the top of the world, at that moment, you embrace the distant and mysterious nature, revere all things, and feel proud of yourself! Pack your bags, open your eyes, and set off. Let's measure the world with your feet!
Okay, that’s all for this recommendation. I hope it will be helpful to you!
