Chongming Island in Shanghai

Chongming Island in Shanghai

Attractions Overview

With flat terrain, fertile land and beautiful natural environment, Chongming Island is suitable for self-cultivation. Chongming Island continues to suffer from sediment accumulation in the Yangtze River, increasing 5 square kilometers of land every year, and is expected to border the northern land in 50 years' time

English Name: Chongming Island in Shanghai
Type: Shanghai Scenic Area, Shanghai famous spots & Shanghai attractions
Best Time: All Year Around
Recommended Visiting Hours: 2-3 hours

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Why is Chongming Island so Special?

Chongming Island, the third largest island in China, is the backyard of Shanghai. The island is located at the eastern mouth of the Yangtze River. There is an embankment under the shade of trees. It looks like a huge green dragon lying on the river. Large-scale forests, lakes and wetlands will immerse you in the natural beauty of this place. You can find many things to do: explore the virgin forests in Dongping National Forest Park, observe birds in Pearl Lake, and enjoy the endless reed marshes in Wetland Park. Walking on the mudflat, you will encounter many crabs walking sideways. Mud flats are thickly dotted with crab holes. Therefore, Chongming Island is also called Crab Island. In addition to contact with nature, there are many historical scenic spots and cultural landscapes that expose you to cultural atmosphere, such as Chongming Academy, Danyuan, Shouan Temple and Hanshan Temple.

Where is Chongming Island?

Located in the Yangtze River Estuary, Chongming Island is the third largest island in China. Most of Chongming Island belongs to Shanghai. Most of the administrative districts on the island are Chongming District. A small part are Qilong Town and Haiyong Town in Jiangsu Province.

Main Attraction of Chongming Island

Dongping National Forest Park

Dongping National Forest Park, located in the center of Chongming Island, is the largest man-made plain forest in eastern China, with lush trees and fragrant flowers. Thousands of migratory birds come to this park to breed every year. In addition to the dense forest, there are many recreational facilities, such as grass skiing, rock climbing, forest golf courses, tennis courts, forest zipper lines and forest sunbathing.

Dongtan Wetland Park

Dongtan Wetland Park is located at the easternmost end of the island. Tourists can enjoy the fresh air and seemingly endless reed marshes there. The seascape pavilion is built at the eastern end of the park. Many tourists will go there to watch the beautiful sunrise. The bird migration route in the Asia-Pacific region will pass through Dongtan Park from November to March. During that time, thousands of birds can be seen, including wild geese and egrets. There is an egret pavilion in the center of the park for tourists to observe birds.

Xisha Wetland Park

Xisha Wetland Park is in the southwest of the island. The landform of this place is very rich: lakes, beaches, fresh water, reeds and marshes. The ebb and flow of the tide has diversified wetland animal species. Xisha Park is also the best place to watch the sunset on the island.

Pearl Lake

Pearl Lake, located in the west of Chongming Island, is the largest natural inland lake in the region, with a surface area of 4.3 square kilometers (1.7 square miles). There is a bridge full of flowers on the deck to lead tourists to the lake. Many rare trees are planted on the river bank. Walking along the woodland path, you will hear birds and insects singing and see butterflies flying around you, thus experiencing close contact with nature.

Best Time to Travel Chongming Island

The best travel time is spring and autumn, usually March-may and September-November.

Catkin, peach blossom and flying warbler are most suitable for outing in the suburbs in spring. Peach Blossoms in Nanhui, Cherry Blossoms in Gu Village Park and Tulips in Shanghai’s Fresh Flower Port are in full bloom. They are the best time to enjoy flowers. Autumn with red leaves all over the sky is the best time to taste hairy crabs. The so-called “autumn wind is ringing and crab legs itch”. At this time, hairy crabs have yellow legs, thick crab fat and beautiful crab meat, which make people drool.

How to Get There

  • By metro
    1. Take line 1, and get off at Wenshui Road Station. Leave through Exit 4, and take bus Shenchong Line 1 or Shenchong Line 3 at Wenshuilu Gonghexinlu Station to the terminal station.
    2. Take line 2, and get off at Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Station. Leave through Exit 6, and take bus Shenchong Line 2 at Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Metro Station to the terminal station.
    3. Take line 6, and get off at Wuzhou Dadao Station. Leave through Exit 2, and take bus Shenchong Line 6 or Shenchong Line 6B at Wuzhou Dadao Metro Station to the terminal station.
    Shanghai Bus / Metro Search

  • By ferry
    1. Take bus 51, 116b, 160, 508, 728, 952 or Baoshan Line 29 to Baoyang Port, and then take a ferry to either Nanmen Port or Baozhen Port.
    2. Take bus 116b, 508, 719, 728, 952 or Baoshan Line 5 or 21 and get off at Songbinlu Mudanjianglu Station. Walk east to Wusong Port. And take a ferry to Nanmen Port, Baozhen Port, or Xinhe Port of the island.
    3. Take a taxi to Shidongkou Port. Then take a ferry to either Nanmen Port or Xinhe Port of the Chongming Island.

Useful Travel Tips

Local Food

Hairy Crab: Although it is small sized, the meat is very tender. Usually a streamed dish, soup stewed with the crab meat is also very tasty.

Chongming Alcohol: Sticky rice is the main ingredient, adding herbs and water to brew. Different from other liquors, it tastes sweet and mellow, if slightly sour.

Other specialties: Chongming Cake, saury, white goat meat.

  • The rainy season is from mid-June to early July, with continuous rain.  From the end of August to the first half of September is the typhoon season, often with sudden storms, these two periods of travel to Shanghai must take umbrellas.
  • The entertainment life in Shanghai is quite rich. The modern facilities and natural scenery in major theme parks and parks make people feel relieved and happy.  Shanghai, as the birthplace of Chinese movies and the host of one of the world’s nine major film festivals, has many cinemas with state-of-the-art audio and video equipment, which can experience incomparable viewing effects.  If you are a fan and fan, then in Shanghai, a series of world-class art venues and theatres will definitely make you feel full of happiness.
  • You can buy a wide range of Shanghai specialties, snacks and handicrafts in Shanghai, such as spiced beans and pear paste candy from the Old City God Temple, which are generally available in local specialty stores and supermarkets.

Nearby Attractions

Recommended Shanghai Tour Packages

Edited by Doreen/张洋