Stand on the north bank of the Haohe River in the late afternoon and you will see the water start to hold the light, with the city's oldest museum and its gardens a short walk from the bank. Nantong is a river port on the northern side of the Yangtze, and much of what is worth your time sits close to that water or to the story of the cotton industry that built the modern city.
This guide suits travellers who are already in Jiangsu and want a day or two of museums, river views and a boat trip rather than a long-distance destination in its own right. It covers the sights named in the city's listings, grouped so you can plan a single day or spread them over two.
Top things to do in Nantong
1. Langshan
Langshan, which means Wolf Hill, is at the peak of a riverside hill and has a Buddhist temple dedicated to a Song Dynasty monk, who it is claimed had powers over water demons. The temple is a popular place for sailors, who offer prayers for safe passage.
Come for the combination of the climb and the river outlook, and treat the temple as the reason the hill has been visited for so long. The Cao Gong Zhu Memorial Temple, which commemorates a local hero who defended the city against Japanese pirates in 1557, is the other named sight in the same area, so pair the two.
2. Nantong Museum
Near the center of the city, beside the Haohe river, the Nantong Museum was established by a well-known educator, Zhang Jian, in 1905. It is made of five parts, the center, the south, the north, the east and the west, and it is one of the oldest museums in China, covering the history of Nantong from ancient to modern times.
Exhibits include the skeletal remains of whales, calligraphy and pottery, and English signage is ubiquitous, so you can move through without a translation app. Because it sits beside the Haohe river, it works well as the first stop before a walk or boat trip on the water.
3. Haohe River Scenic and Historic Spot
The Haohe River Scenic and Historic Spot is the water at the middle of the city, at No.508, Hao Bei Road in Chongchuan District. The scenic area is open all day, and the visitor centre is staffed from 08:30 to 22:00.
Boat trips run at 09:30, 14:30 and 18:45 on Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, with no trips on Mondays and New Year's Eve. The evening departure is the one to aim for, since the lights come on and the fountains start splashing around 19:00.
4. Boat trip along the Haohe River
A boat trip along the Hao He river is a treat in the evening. You can hire an e-boat for a few hundred yuan, and it is worthwhile doing it in the evening when the lights come on and the fountains go splashing around 19:00.
If you would rather not hire a boat yourself, time your visit to one of the scheduled evening departures from the Haohe River Scenic and Historic Spot instead. Either way, the river is at its best after dark.
5. Nantong Textile Museum
The Nantong Textile Museum opened in 1985 as a tribute to the city's long association with the weaving industries. It was the first of its kind in China and has six exhibition halls as well as courtyards and gardens.
This is the place that explains why Nantong grew into an industrial city, so it pairs naturally with the Nantong Museum and its account of the city's modern history. Allow time for the courtyards rather than treating it as an indoor-only stop.
6. Nantong Overseas Chinese Museum
The Nantong Overseas Chinese Museum is at 19 Haonan Road, Chongchuan District, and forms part of the Nantong Museum complex. It is the only Overseas Chinese museum in the Yangtze River Delta region, and entry is free.
It is open 09:30 to 17:00 and closed on Mondays, so check the day before you go. Since it sits within the Nantong Museum complex, visit it in the same outing rather than as a separate trip.
7. China Audit Museum
The China Audit Museum looks at accounting and auditing, and has displays of many different abacuses, including one that can calculate with 40 digits.
It is a specialist museum, so go if the subject interests you or if you want something different from the city's textile and history collections. It fits neatly into a day that already includes the Nantong Museum and the Haohe river.
8. Nantong Forest Safari Park
The Nantong Forest Safari Park is at No.299, Tong Liu Road, Chongchuan District, and buses 108 and 605 run directly to it. It is open 09:00 to 21:00, with admission closing at 19:00.
Adult tickets are RMB 180, concessionary tickets are RMB 90, and children under 1.2m and senior citizens over 70 years old are free. Because it is a full-day outing on the edge of the city, keep it separate from the central sights.
9. Nantong Sendi Ice and Snow Park
The Nantong Sendi Ice and Snow Park is at No. 299, Tong Liu Road, Chongchuan District, the same address as the safari park. It is open daily 09:00 to 17:00, with ticket sales stopping at 15:30, and tickets range from RMB 158.
To get there, take bus 655 from Nantong Airport Station to China Resources Centre Vientiane City Station, transfer to bus 605, get off at Nantong Forest Safari Park Station and walk 781 metres. Since it shares an address with the safari park, the two can be combined, but buy your ice and snow park ticket before 15:30.
10. Cao Gong Zhu Memorial Temple
The Cao Gong Zhu Memorial Temple commemorates a local hero who defended the city against Japanese pirates in 1557.
It is a short, focused stop rather than a whole afternoon, and it belongs with Langshan on the same trip out of the center.
11. Nantong Medical College
Nantong Medical College was founded in the first decade of the 20th century. Visit the college in the evening, when you may see hustle and bustle.
This is a campus visit rather than a formal attraction, so treat it as a walk-through at the end of a day rather than a scheduled stop.
12. Nantong Laowai Mixer
The Nantong Laowai Mixer at Tiger Tiger is a monthly get-together of the local expat community, with live music.
It is a way to spend an evening with people who live in the city rather than a sight to tick off, so check locally for the current date before you plan around it.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Nantong Museum beside the Haohe river, then step into the Nantong Overseas Chinese Museum, which is part of the same complex. If the subject appeals, add the China Audit Museum before lunch.
Afternoon: Move on to the Nantong Textile Museum and give the courtyards and gardens some time. Then walk the Haohe River Scenic and Historic Spot, timing your arrival so you are on the water for the 18:45 boat trip if it is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
Evening: Take the boat trip along the Haohe River, or hire an e-boat, and stay out for the lights and the fountains around 19:00. If your visit coincides with the Nantong Laowai Mixer at Tiger Tiger, finish the night there.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to take a boat on the Haohe River?
In the evening, when the lights come on and the fountains go splashing around 19:00. Scheduled boat trips run at 09:30, 14:30 and 18:45 on Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, with no trips on Mondays and New Year's Eve.
Which museums in Nantong are free?
The Nantong Overseas Chinese Museum is free. It is open 09:30 to 17:00 and closed on Mondays.
Can I visit the safari park and the ice and snow park on the same day?
They share the same address at No. 299, Tong Liu Road, so combining them is practical. Note that the safari park closes admission at 19:00, while ice and snow park ticket sales stop at 15:30.
Is there anything to do in Nantong in the evening?
Yes. The boat trip along the Hao He river is worthwhile in the evening, the Haohe River Scenic and Historic Spot visitor centre is staffed until 22:00, and Nantong Medical College is worth a visit in the evening for the bustle.
Decide which of these fits your days, check the Monday closures and the boat times, and you have enough to start planning a trip to Nantong.