Taizhou｜The ultimate island hiking experience in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, well-deserved!

The most anticipated part of this trip was the Shuitong'ao hike, also known as the top island hike in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, the Zhejiang version of the MacLehose Trail.

Shuitong'ao has a small loop and a large loop. If you are a hiking beginner or the weather is very hot, it is recommended to take the small loop. The small loop is 7 km long with an elevation gain of over 300 meters, and the scenery is just as good as the large loop.

Because we were afraid of the sun, we finished breakfast and left the hotel at 7:30 am. It took about ten minutes to reach the hiking start point. We cleverly took the ridge line first, which was less sunny earlier, and the sea breeze made the temperature very comfortable. When it got warmer, we walked into the shaded section. However, the last part from Shuitong'ao beach back to the start was quite tough. We stopped to take photos along the way and returned to the start around 12 noon, ending the trip✌️

📍Navigation and Transportation
Location: Yiye Camping Site, which is the farthest drop-off point reachable by taxi, saving a few hundred meters of village road compared to Xiaojiao Chen Village Committee.

👔Gear
The ridge line has little shade, so pay attention to physical sun protection (arm sleeves, hat, sunglasses). One of my friends exposed her legs and even with sunscreen got a tan line like wearing tights. Wear comfortable, non-slip shoes as some downhill sections are quite steep.

🥤Toilets and Supplies
There are several small shops at the starting point. On the small loop, there is one small shop selling drinks carried up by villagers (mung bean soup 5 yuan per cup, very refreshing; energy drinks 10 yuan per bottle). At Shuitong'ao beach, there are shops, showers, and restrooms. A few hundred meters uphill from the beach, there are also facilities. There are no supplies or toilets in the middle section.

🏨Accommodation
All Seasons (Wenling Songmen Branch), includes breakfast (with special local snacks like Qiangao), convenient for travel, newly renovated, and many good food options nearby.

Overall,
The scenery of Shuitong'ao is definitely worth the hike, but be sure to check the weather in advance. Most of the negative online reviews are due to bad weather~

Post by OwenDonovan652 | Oct 12, 2025