[2025 Shanghai Attraction] Travel Guide for Dongtan Wetland Park (Updated Jun)

Dongtan Wetland park is right on the eastern edge of Chongming Island in Shanghai. It is famous for birdwatching but I must confess at this time of year we didn’t see many birds. The park is well managed with lots of walking paths and easy parking. It’s definitely easiest to visit by car as like Chongming island itself it feels remote. There were lots of serious photographers visiting at the same time as us so I’m sure there is more wildlife to see. We rented a tandem bicycle which was cheap and great fun. There is also an area in the park with goats, rabbits and geese. You can even buy some pellet food in the bike hut next to it to feed the animals. A great day out in the winter because it was so quiet but I’m sure it will be more beautiful and feature more wildlife in the warmer weather. #staycation

Though surrounded by the Yangtze River estuary, Chongming Island isn't a true "sea," but it does possess its own unique version of vast horizons—**the magnificent convergence of river and sea, boundless ecological wetlands, and a pastoral freedom**. This limited-edition romance can only be experienced in person: --- ### 🌊 **The Boundary Aesthetics of "River and Sea"** - **The Spectacle of Fresh and Salt Water Meeting**: Chongming Island's East Beach Wetland is where the Yangtze River meets the East China Sea. During tidal changes, the light blue river water forms a gradient "waterline" with the yellowish seawater, like nature's own color palette. - **Birds' "Sky Realm"**: In winter, thousands of migratory birds (such as tundra swans and white-naped cranes) sweep across the mudflats, their wing beats harmonizing with the wind—more moving than any symphony. --- ### 🌾 **Land's "Sea" Imagery** - **Reed Marsh Waves**: In autumn, the reeds of West Sand Wetland extend for kilometers. When the wind rises, golden "waves" roll, and the walking boardwalk seems to float on the sea. - **The Breathing Rice Fields**: The rice field art in Shuxin Town (like the giant "Island Starry Sky" pattern) viewed from above resembles tidal patterns on the earth. --- ### 🌊 **Recommended Limited Experiences** 1. **East Beach Sunrise "Sea Chase"**: Wait at dawn for the sun to leap from the horizon. Clouds reflect in the tidal pools, like walking on the alien shores of "Interstellar." 2. **Bicycle "Surfing"**: Ride along the island's embankment (about 64 kilometers long), with the "river-sea" on one side and forest on the other, as wind whistles past your ears. 3. **Crab "Sea" Flavor Encounter**: Chongming hairy crabs are delicious. Enjoy them at a farmhouse restaurant while watching the sunset sink into the "sea" horizon, even the vinegar dish reflects the sunset glow. --- ### 📍 **Fun Facts** - Chongming Island "grows" toward the East China Sea at about 4 square kilometers per year—the "vast sea and sky" will become even more expansive in the future. - The white blades of the island's wind farms rotate day and night, called "land waves" by locals. If city buildings make you feel confined, come to Chongming for an "atypical" sea and sky feast—there are no palm trees or sandy beaches here, but you'll find windmills, flying birds, and growing land. 🌅

🌞👋Today, I'm taking you to the beautiful Dongtan Wetland Park to explore its mystery and beauty.🏞️ First, let's go to the park entrance, where there's a large lawn that's perfect for picnics and kite flying.🍔🪁Imagine enjoying delicious food with friends under the warm sun, how delightful!😋 Next, we arrive at the lake, where the water is crystal clear, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds.🌊Here, you can see various water birds playing on the lake, as if you're in a vivid painting.🐤🎨 Don't forget to bring your camera, because every corner of Dongtan Wetland Park is full of surprises.📷For example, the golden reed marshes swaying in the wind are breathtakingly beautiful.🌾💫 Finally, if you like hiking, you can't miss the boardwalk here. Walking on the boardwalk, you can feel the breath of nature and let your mind relax completely.🚶‍♂️🍃 Dongtan Wetland Park is not only a great place to enjoy natural beauty, but also an excellent choice for a pleasant and relaxing experience.🌈So, next time you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, come here for a walk and a look.🏙️➡️🌲

1. Dongping National Forest Park Features: The forest coverage rate is 90%, with cute animals such as deer, swans, and peacocks. There are also amusement facilities such as self-controlled planes and shark reef battles, as well as an immersive light and shadow theme pavilion in Jinhutian. Transportation: Drive from downtown Shanghai via Wuzhou Avenue, Yangtze River Tunnel and Bridge, Chenhai Highway, Panlong Highway to Beiyan Highway; take Metro Line 1 to Hanshui Road Station, transfer to Shenchong Line 3 to Chongming South Gate, and then take Nandong Line or Nanjiang Line directly. 2. Changxing Island Country Park Features: There are water projects, adventure parks, lotus gardens, plum gardens, orange gardens, and other amusement projects, as well as a sea plum garden, which has more than 300 plum trees and eight scenic spots. Transportation: Located at No. 199 Qiugan Road, east of Fenghuang Road, Changxing Island, Chongming, it can be reached by car or Shenchong Line 4. Dongtan Wetland Park Features: Located in an internationally important wetland, it is an important stopover and habitat for migratory birds on the Asia-Pacific migratory route, and an important habitat for the wild population of the national first-class protected animal, the Chinese alligator. Transportation: Located at the windmill on Dongwang Avenue, Chenjia Town, Chongming, it can be reached by car. Tickets: About 50 for adults

In the early morning, with a hint of night still lingering in the sky, I step into Shanghai Dongtan Wetland Park. The only sound is the gentle whisper of the breeze through the reeds. In the distance, a touch of orange-red quietly appears on the horizon, gradually turning the world into a golden hue. Standing on the wooden boardwalk, the reflections of the wetland intertwine with the sky, the water surface trembling slightly like a silver mirror. Light and shadow blend together in this serene world, creating a natural painting. As the sun slowly rises, its golden rays penetrate the thin mist, spreading across the vast wetland. The surrounding waterfowl awaken with the sunlight, gently skimming over the water, leaving ripples that reflect the tranquil beauty of dawn. At this moment, everything seems to be immersed in this soft light, bringing an indescribable sense of peace and tranquility. The sunrise at Shanghai Dongtan Wetland is not only a breathtaking natural scene but also a moment that makes one feel the stillness of time and the return of inner peace.

#ShanghaiAttractions In this natural oasis in the city, we not only get to watch the vivid and interesting wetland ecological landscape up close, but also deeply appreciate the beautiful vision of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. This awareness of being close to nature and cherishing ecological resources will remain in our hearts forever. The winding river stretches through the center of the park, and the gurgling clear waves set off the reed wetlands on both sides, forming a poetic natural scenery. We strolled along the wooden boardwalk, and from time to time we could see groups of wild ducks playing and wandering on the water, and occasionally a nimble squirrel jumped by. The most unforgettable thing is the observation deck area in the park. There is a small island in the center of the wetland. There is an almost completely transparent observation tower on the island. From the top of the tower, you can have a 360-degree view without blind spots, and have a panoramic view of the entire wetland. There are lush green areas and green reeds and grass. Colorful wild birds are flying around in the water looking for food, and they are in harmony with the wild ducks and wild geese wandering on the water. The whole scenery is vivid and interesting, like a three-dimensional ecological painting.

Today, I would like to introduce to you a place with beautiful scenery, which is Chongming Island in Shanghai. The scenery there makes me feel as if I am in different parts of the world. 1. Dongtan Wetland Park Inside the circle, there are many reeds, and different seasons create different landscapes. Every year, countless birds come here for transit and overwintering. The spectacular sight is like the entire sky is filled with birds. 2. Xisha National Wetland Park - Pavilion The sunset glow there is a moment every photography enthusiast wants to capture. 3. Dongping National Forest Park It has a deciduous viewing path, and when the sunlight hits the trees, it's like entering a world in a painting. With some luck, you can see deer crossing through the forest. Here you can experience paintball shooting, chasing and fighting in the forest, and feel the atmosphere of war. 4. Purple Sea Egret Yuan Romantic Love Theme Park The Lavender Festival held every May and June fills the entire estate with a romantic purple sea of lavender flowers, which is incredibly beautiful. 5. Murakami Haru Villa·Chongshang Island Hidden B&B (Shanghai Chongming Store) Located near the National Wetland Park, it consists of two private detached buildings, surrounded by a quiet and beautiful environment. 6. My Heart Returns·Murakami Haru Villa Starry Sea B&B Near Dongping Forest Park, the surrounding environment is quiet and filled with a rural idyllic sense of seclusion. 7. Chongming JINMAO Hyatt Hotel Not far from various attractions, it is convenient for travel. You can taste Chongming's special dishes, enjoy a garden landscape like a paradise, and experience a sense of seclusion. Isn't Chongming Island beautiful? Are you tempted?

The summer sun shines bright, but with it comes the scorching heat. Where to escape the heat? Drive to Chongming Island's Dongtan Wetland Park on the weekend ⛰【Travel Tips】 📍Detailed address: Dongtan Wetland Park on Chongming Island, located at Dongwang Road in Dongtan, Chongming (near the windmills) 🗓Itinerary: Drive from Jiading on Saturday morning, 1 hour and 30 minutes to Dongtan, Chongming, return to Jiading at 16:00 🚗Transportation tips: Self-driving is an option, or take a ferry from Wusong Pier, with the possibility of using the expressway for the entire trip 🕙Opening hours: 8:30-16:30 💰Ticket price: 80 RMB per person 🌟Highlights: Bird nature reserve, Chinese alligator breeding base, lotus pond 🍽Dining recommendations: There are farm restaurants in Chenjia Town with decent flavors, mainly good for fish and snails 📝Note tips: It's best to go early in the summer, whether taking a ferry or the expressway as both can be time-consuming. Also, it's hot. If you come across a restaurant, eat first as they can be hard to find later. Chongming Island in Shanghai, called 'Donghai Yingzhou' during the Ming Dynasty, features attractions like Dongtan Wetland Park, Dongping National Forest Park, Xisha Wetland, and Mingzhu Lake. This time we visited Dongtan Wetland Park, located in the eastern part of Chongming Island Adjacent to the Dongtan Bird Nature Reserve, the park is also a wetland park neighboring a migratory bird sanctuary. It also houses a Chinese alligator breeding base. Departing from Shanghai, it takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach Dongtan. It's advisable to start early in the summer to avoid the heat. If you arrive around noon, eat first. The park is vast, so bring plenty of water and food to enjoy a leisurely stroll. Spring and autumn are more comfortable seasons to visit, but it's hot in the summer! It's a great place to bring children for fun!

🌟Highlights: This place is at the easternmost point of Chongming Island, and it may take half an hour to drive from the Yangtze River Bridge. The scenery here is indeed for the birds to rest, very simple. The most obvious landmark is probably the wind turbine. The package can choose coffee shop exchange coupons, which is quite in line with the name of the coffee market, and there are also kayaking activities to participate in. The most important thing is that dogs can be brought in here, which is quite good. The coffee shop is a camping style, and the chairs are also camping chairs. It's great to take a break with a cup of coffee. It's probably not enough to rely on people to walk in the Dongtan Wetland. You have to rent a bicycle for a ride. In case of time, it will take almost two hours to go around, which is quite large.

Dongtan Wetland Park is located at the easternmost end of Chongming Island, adjacent to the Chongming Dongtan National Bird Nature Reserve, and is an important stop on the bird migration route from East Asia to Australia. The air here is fresh, and there are endless reeds covering the mudflats. Walking on the wooden plank road is a kind of enjoyment of nature

Getting There - Located near Bus Chenqian Line Lixin Village Station. We took a 2 hour didi from Shanghai. Entrance fee was 80rmb per person and well worth it! Attractions - You can rent a bicycle for as little as 30rmb for 2 hours. Get on a paddle boat or just walk around on the many pathways. We spent a total of 4 hours here. Food & Restaurants - There is a small snack shop with drinks, but everyone had their own picnic baskets- some people set up a portable bbq and tent that looked amazing! The space is so big that you can have your own private spot.

Chongming is the back garden of Shanghai. The island is clean and clean, and there are natural scenery without artificial axe. About 2 hours drive from the center of Shanghai to Chongming Island, the Shanghai Yangtze River Bridge spans over the Yangtze River, like a streamer, rolling up and connecting Shanghai and Chongming. Chongming Island is the third largest island in China and has the reputation of "the Yangtze River Gateway and the East China Sea Pazhou". Therefore, the estuary of the Yangtze River is also a major feature of Chongming. The levee is surrounded by green trees and forms a green dragon, which is on the mouth of the Yangtze River. Here, clean and clear, green trees, and infinite scenery, is a good place to watch the sunrise and sunset If you want to see the sunrise, Dongtan wetland is undoubtedly the best, every morning The first sunrise is rising here.