Zhejiang Province’s coastline stretches 6,500 kilometres — China’s longest provincial coastline — encompassing hundreds of islands, ancient fishing villages, and the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage site in East Asia.
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Putuoshan Island (普陀山)
Putuoshan is one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains (四大佛教名山), dedicated to Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. An island of extraordinary natural beauty — granite peaks, ancient forests, and secluded beaches — studded with temples and monasteries.
Getting There
From Ningbo South Bus Station: ferry + bus to Putuoshan (2.5 hours, ¥140 round trip)
From Shanghai Nanpu Bridge Area: fast boat to Zhoushan, then bus + ferry (3.5 hours total)
Key Sites
Puji Temple (普济寺) — the main temple; 15th century, with a causeway over a lotus lake leading to the mountain gate. Most atmospheric at dawn during morning prayer ceremonies.
Nanhai Guanyin Statue (南海观音像) — a 33-metre bronze Guanyin standing at the southern tip of the island, visible from the sea.
Chaoyin Cave (潮音洞) — a sea cave in the cliff face where the crashing waves produce a resonant sound said to resemble a Guanyin prayer chant. Dramatic in stormy weather.
Thousand Step Beach (千步沙) — a long arc of fine sand on the island’s east side; clean and uncrowded outside summer weekends.
Ningbo (宁波)
Ningbo was one of China’s five Treaty Ports opened to foreign trade in 1842. It has a long maritime history and remains one of the world’s busiest cargo ports.
Tianyi Pavilion (天一阁)
China’s oldest surviving private library — built in 1561 by a Ming Dynasty official and still containing 300,000 ancient texts, including the only surviving copies of some Ming-era documents. The garden complex surrounding the library is a classical Jiangnan garden of great refinement. Entry ¥30.
Old Bund (老外滩)
Ningbo’s compact colonial waterfront — treaty-port era trading houses along the Yong River, now restaurants and bars. More authentic and less polished than Shanghai’s Bund; the Haishu Bridge nearby is one of China’s most dramatic modern bridges.
Dongqian Lake (东钱湖)
A large freshwater lake 20km from central Ningbo, with Song Dynasty stone sculptures along its shoreline paths. The lakeside Yinxian Ancient Road is lined with 2,000-year-old Song Dynasty military and official stone figures.
Wenzhou (温州)
Wenzhou is famous in China as a cradle of entrepreneurship — “the Wenzhou model” of private enterprise developed here before economic reform spread nationally. The city has a coastal setting between mountains and the East China Sea, with some surprisingly dramatic scenery.
Yandang Mountains (雁荡山)
A UNESCO Geopark 70km north of Wenzhou city — extraordinary volcanic basalt formations: vertical cliff faces, narrow gorges, and waterfalls. The Big Dragon Waterfall (大龙湫) drops 190 metres — one of China’s highest. Best in spring and autumn.
Nan’ao Islands (南麂列岛)
A marine nature reserve archipelago of 52 islands with crystal-clear water and pristine beaches — one of China’s few areas where you can see naturally occurring purple sea urchin, starfish, and sea anemones in rock pools. Ferry from Wenzhou (1.5 hours).
Jiangxin Island (江心屿)
A small island in the Oujiang River within Wenzhou city — two ancient Song Dynasty pagodas stand at opposite ends of the island. Free to explore; ferry every 15 minutes from the city bank.