Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai Surrounding Tour | Shanghai-Zhoushan Travel Guide

🧳Preparations before departure: Sunglasses, sun protection clothing, sunscreen, sun umbrella, selfie stick, (prepare swimsuits and swim trunks if you can swim), a smaller waterproof picnic mat, a pair of slippers and sports shoes each (especially slippers, they are super expensive in tourist areas!). 🚉Transportation: We drove from Shanghai during the May Day holiday last year, and the traffic was terrible. Not only was the highway back to Shanghai congested, but also the roads between the scenic spots and the hotel in Zhoushan were jam-packed. I remember it took over 40 minutes to cross the 3-kilometer Zhujiajian Strait Bridge from Nansha to the hotel, and on the way back to Shanghai, we were stuck to the point where we couldn't drive and had to sleep on the road. The traffic was as bad as during the Spring Festival rush. ⏳Playtime: First, we went to Nansha to wade in the sea. Stepping in the water and on the soft sand felt so comfortable and relieving. The next day we went to Putuoshan and found that there were also places to wade there. If I had known, I wouldn't have gone to Nansha. Although the sand at Nansha is finer and softer, the ticket is 70 yuan per person, and there are no other activities besides wading, which doesn't feel very worthwhile. 🍽Dining: There's a lot of seafood in Zhoushan. We had crayfish when we went, which was about 100 yuan for 2 jin. Although not cheap, it was really delicious, fresh, clean, and the meat was plump. Highly recommended! However, I don't suggest buying dried seafood products like squid strips or eel strips to take home. They are either too sweet or too salty, and the prices are not attractive. If you really want to eat them, you can buy them online. 🏨Accommodation: Considering the public holidays, almost all popular scenic spot hotels will raise their prices, so we booked the hotel (Dasu Steveden Resort Apartment) a day in advance for 841 yuan per night. However, on the day of our stay, we saw the same room for only half the price. We booked through Ctrip and couldn't cancel, which was so frustrating! 📝Summary: 1. I suggest avoiding public holidays when you go to play, as the traffic should be much better. 2. If you're short on time, just visit Putuoshan. The ticket + round-trip boat fare 💰220 yuan per person. The place is large, the climate is pleasant, the scenery is beautiful, and there's a lot to do like praying, wading, taking photos, and visiting Huiji Temple, Fayu Temple, Qianbu Jinsa, Shancai Cave, Fanyin Cave, Puji Temple, and Nanhai Guanyin. It might not be enough to see everything in one day. 3. When booking hotels, I recommend choosing those that support cancellation if you don't check in on the same day. Because there are always some tourists who book hotels in advance and cancel because they don't have time to visit, which leads to the hotel having some rooms available. At that time, they will sell the rooms at a reduced price, which can even be cheaper than many people's advance booking prices.