Stand on Bingang Road at dusk and the whole harbour turns into a single long table: lamps strung over the water, tanks of crab and shellfish, and the smell of the day's catch hitting hot oil. Zhoushan is an archipelago at the southern mouth of Hangzhou Bay, and much of what you will do here is decided by boats and tides rather than by a schedule.
It suits travellers who are happy to plan around ferries, who want Buddhist pilgrimage sites and fishing ports rather than theme parks, and who will trade a packed itinerary for a beach, a bowl of seafood and a slow afternoon. This guide covers the sights and experiences on Zhoushan Island and the surrounding islands that are worth building a trip around, with practical notes on how to combine them.
Top things to do in Zhoushan
1. Putuoshan
Putuoshan is the island most visitors come for. It is one of the four famous mountains of Chinese Buddhism, and it has become a well-known pilgrimage and tourist destination. The island is described as a Buddhist country in the sea and sky, with mountains, water and pure Buddhism.
Come for the pilgrimage rather than for a beach day, and give it the better part of a day. It sits in Putuo District, at the south edge of Hangzhou Bay in the eastern Zhoushan Islands sea, so treat it as a full excursion from the main island rather than a quick stop.
2. Shenjiamen Fishing Port
Shenjiamen Fishing Port is on Bingang Road in Putuo District, at the southeastern end of Zhoushan Island. It is famous for its night stalls, and many foreign tourists come here to taste fresh seafood. The setting is blue sea and blue sky, clean and with few people, and it is a place where people live leisurely.
The seafood is the most famous thing here. It is a bit expensive, but still worth trying. Go in the evening when the stalls are the point of the visit, and note that bus routes 1, 3, 6, 7 (or k07), 15, 23 and 29 serve the port.
3. Zhujiajian Island
Zhujiajian is a beautiful seaside town, most famous for its sandy beach. It has hosted the China Zhoushan International Sand Sculpture Festival more than ten times, and visitors come to enjoy sand art and play and to ride the waves on the beach.
It is better to eat some small seafood while you are here, sitting at the seaside with the smell of sea water in the air. Pair the beach with the sand sculpture displays rather than treating it as a swimming-only stop.
4. Nansha
Nansha is the centre and essence of the "Ten Mile Golden Sands" wonders, with delicate sands and a vast sea. It is an ideal place for beach and sea activities.
This is the beach to choose if you want space and soft sand rather than a rocky shoreline. Combine it with the rest of Zhujiajian Island, since it is the beach experience that anchors that side of the trip.
5. Zhujiajian Daqingshan Scenic Area
Zhujiajian Daqingshan Scenic Area is known for its majestic green mountains, among which are white birches, willows, six-edged trees and apricot trees, as well as natural caves.
It is the walking and viewpoint half of a Zhujiajian visit, so pair it with Nansha or the beach in the same day. Wear shoes you do not mind getting dusty on the trails.
6. East Pole (Dongji) island
East Pole island, in East Pole Township, Putuo District, is the main shooting place of "Meet Later". The main scenic spots in the East Pole are Miaozi Lake, Qingbang Island, Dongfu Mountain and Huangxing Island. It has strong and simple fisherman characteristics as well as beautiful scenery, and it covers sunshine, blue sea, islands and reefs, and seafood.
This is an island for people who want a working fishing culture rather than a resort. Because it is a separate township, plan it as an overnight rather than a day trip.
7. Taohua Island
Taohua Island, also called Peach Blossom Island, is the shooting place of the 1987 version of the Legend of the Arched Heroes. It offers sea, fine sand, farmhouse stays, seafood and the Taohua Valley Scenic Area.
Walk along the beach at night, feel the sea breeze and listen to the sound of the sea; you can buy a Kongming lamp to fly into the sky and pray for your family. You cannot feel the noise of the city here, and, like its name, it is a place you come to for a Xanadu.
8. Shengsi Islands
Shengsi is the only national island scenic spot in China, far away from the hustle and bustle, relaxing and cool to enjoy. The golden sand stretches, the beach is gentle and the sand is clean, and the archipelago is famous for its island scenery of "blue sea, strange reef, Jinsha fishing fire".
It is a must visit to Zhoushan, and it rewards more than a single day. Build in time for the boat crossings and for the beaches rather than trying to see the whole archipelago at once.
9. Opium War Relics Park
Opium War Relics Park, also known as Zhushan Park, is at 81 Zhushanmen Road in Dinghai District. Entry is free, and bus routes 31 and 34 serve it.
It is the history stop on Zhoushan Island and sits in Dinghai, so combine it with a wander through the Dinghai city proper rather than making a separate journey for it.
10. Zhoushan Museum
Zhoushan Museum is at 610 Haitian Avenue in Xincheng, Dinghai District, and entry is free. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00, with no entry after 16:00, and bus routes 22, 103 and 105 serve it.
Use it as your wet-weather or arrival-day option, and note the last entry time when you plan the afternoon. It pairs naturally with the Opium War Relics Park on the same Dinghai day.
11. Daishan Island
Daishan Island is one of the larger inhabited islands in the archipelago and is home to the Lulan Qingsha Scenic Area. It is a separate county from Dinghai and Putuo, so reaching it means a boat crossing.
Treat it as an island-hopping day or overnight rather than a stop squeezed between two others, and check your onward connections before committing to a late return.
12. Gouqi Island
Gouqi Island is one of the islands in the archipelago reachable from the main island group. It is a quieter, more remote option for travellers who have already covered the main sights.
Because it lies further out, it works best as part of a longer island-hopping itinerary rather than a standalone day. Plan your crossing in advance and keep your schedule flexible.
13. Liuheng Island
Liuheng Island is one of the larger inhabited islands in the archipelago and is administered within Putuo District. It offers a slower, less developed side of Zhoushan.
It suits travellers who have time to spare after Putuoshan and Zhujiajian. As with the other outer islands, the boat timetable shapes your day more than anything else.
14. Flower and Bird Islands
The Flower and Bird Islands are among the archipelago's outlying islands. They are a long-range option for visitors who want to go beyond the main island group.
Given the distance, plan them as an overnight trip with a buffer day on either side. Confirm sailings before you build the rest of your itinerary around them.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start on Zhoushan Island with the Opium War Relics Park on Zhushanmen Road in Dinghai District, then continue to the Zhoushan Museum on Haitian Avenue in Xincheng. Both are free, and the museum opens at 09:00 with no entry after 16:00, so keep the museum for the later part of the morning.
Afternoon: Cross to Zhujiajian Island and spend the afternoon on Nansha, the centre of the "Ten Mile Golden Sands" and the best place for beach and sea activities. If you have energy left, add the Zhujiajian Daqingshan Scenic Area for the mountain paths and natural caves.
Evening: Finish at Shenjiamen Fishing Port on Bingang Road in Putuo District, at the southeastern end of the island. The night stalls are the reason to come, and the fresh seafood is the most famous thing here. It is a bit expensive, but still worth trying.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pay to visit the main sights on Zhoushan Island?
No. The Opium War Relics Park and the Zhoushan Museum are both free, and Shenjiamen Fishing Port is free as well.
When is the Zhoushan Museum open?
It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00, and there is no entry after 16:00. It is closed on Mondays.
Which islands are worth adding if I have more than a day?
Putuoshan is the pilgrimage island and the strongest single addition. Beyond it, the Shengsi Islands, East Pole (Dongji) island, Taohua Island, Daishan Island, Liuheng Island, Gouqi Island and the Flower and Bird Islands are all reachable parts of the archipelago, though each involves a boat crossing.
Where should I go for seafood?
Shenjiamen Fishing Port in Putuo District is the obvious choice, since it is famous for its night stalls and many foreign tourists come here to taste fresh seafood. Zhujiajian is also a good place to eat some small seafood by the sea.
Decide which islands you are willing to cross water for, check the boat timetables around them, and start laying out your days from there.