A first-day trip to Mount Putuo: Huge crowds on a typical weekend.

November 29th, an ordinary Saturday, but with a huge crowd. Departed from Minhang District, Shanghai at 5:30 AM, arrived at Wugong Wharf around 8:30 AM. The parking lot was already full from the previous two days! Traffic police guided us to a temporary parking lot, but we walked quite a distance. Waited half an hour in the waiting hall, then arrived at Putuoshan at 9:30 AM! The bus to Puji Temple was already packed with people. The announcement said it was about a 25-minute walk to Puji Temple, so we chose to walk. ⭐️Important note!!! Taking the left-hand path is shorter⭐️ (Map navigation as shown in P3; ask staff if you can't find it). If you follow the bus route to the right like we did, the red line in P3 is the one we took, a huge loop along the coast! Over two kilometers of uphill road was exhausting… Hope this helps everyone. Also, when we arrived at the wharf, the bus to Puji Temple was the most crowded; the buses to Fayu Temple and the cable car were much less crowded. Plan your trip accordingly to avoid peak hours! However, my parents insisted that Puji Temple be the first stop on our trip to Putuoshan—it's a tradition. Puji Temple was incredibly crowded. After praying, we had some Xide Coffee (P6), 38 yuan a cup. The taste and appearance were okay, but the price was high. There were also Starbucks and Luckin Coffee nearby. Even with withered lotus leaves, the lotus pond at Puji Temple was still very beautiful. At the bus stop for Fayu Temple, the announcement said the bus would take an hour, and it was a 25-minute walk. Since we had already walked to Puji Temple that morning and were too tired from the uphill climb, we chose to take the bus. And indeed, we waited a full 55 minutes!!! Less than a five-minute drive from Fayu Temple, the crowds were much smaller. There wasn't much of a queue for the shuttle bus to the cable car to Foding Mountain. Huiji Temple was smaller and less crowded. ✨The Guanyin statue for sending children is located in the back halls of Fayu Temple and Huiji Temple, which are the most crowded areas. After taking the cable car, take a bus directly to the South China Sea Guanyin statue. The queue wasn't long. The South China Sea Guanyin statue is a very long walk in, so be careful if you're with elderly people or children. The Purple Bamboo Forest seems to be where Sun Wukong captured Guanyin, but I didn't see any purple bamboo. It's a 20-minute walk from the Purple Bamboo Forest to the pier. I left the island at 4:30 PM and arrived at Wugong Pier. I stayed in Dinghai and drove back to Shanghai on Sunday morning with a smooth journey. ✨I walked 28,000 steps that day. I was so tired I fell asleep during dinner. When I woke up, my whole body ached. Important notes: 1️⃣Take public transport whenever possible (unless the queues are really long). 2️⃣Wear comfortable shoes! It's all uphill and downhill. 3️⃣ Bring a lighter, otherwise you'll have to borrow one to light incense. It's really crowded in the morning, so consider visiting during off-peak hours and staying on the island. The temples are much less crowded in the afternoon. Overall, the scenery is truly beautiful, with towering ancient trees and well-maintained roads. It's best to avoid weekends as it gets extremely crowded.