Welcome to Zhoushan, the city of a thousand islands with beautiful scenery
Explore Zhoushan with a budget of 800 RMB per person in 2 days! Climb Mount Putuo, visit Zhujiajian, check in at the seaside sunset, and enjoy freshly caught seafood—the best value island experience...
This time, we take you to a city floating on the East China Sea—the Zhejiang Zhoushan.
It’s not Sanya, but it has pure blue seas, clear skies, and golden beaches;
It’s not as famous as Gulangyu, but it’s a millennium-old sacred place of Guanyin, a Buddhist sanctuary on the sea;
It’s not tropical, but a bowl of seafood noodles plus hairtail fish soup will make your tongue tingle with freshness!
In 2 days and 1 night, with 800 RMB per person, we have designed a high-value itinerary combining island life, Buddhist culture, natural scenery, and seafood delicacies. Using high-speed trains, ferries, and buses, sharing a fisherman's homestay for two, you will visit Putuo Mountain for blessings, stroll on Zhujiajian Beach, and gaze at the East Pole’s light and shadow. All this without spending a fortune, letting you fully embrace Zhoushan’s sea breeze and Zen spirit. 📍Itinerary Overview Time:
2 days and 1 night (weekend trips recommended), budget: 800 RMB per person (including round-trip transportation, accommodation, tickets, and meals).
Recommended departure cities: Ningbo / Hangzhou / Shanghai (convenient high-speed train).
Start and end points: Ningbo Station → Zhujiajian Wugongzhi Pier → Zhujiajian Pier → Ningbo Station.
Route:
Day 1: Ningbo → Zhujiajian Pier → Putuo Mountain day tour (South Sea Guanyin + Puji Temple + Baibu Sand) → Return to Zhujiajian → Check into homestay → Beach sunset + seafood stalls.
Day 2: Zhujiajian Nansha Seaside Bathing Beach → Daqing Mountain Coastal Road → Return to Ningbo.
Day 1: Enter the Buddhist sea sanctuary of Guanyin’s domain. Transportation: Ningbo Station → Shenjiamen Station (second-class seat on high-speed train about 24 RMB, 35 minutes), transfer to bus, Putuo Mountain special line to Zhujiajian Wugongzhi Pier (ticket 5 RMB, 20 minutes), then take a ferry to Putuo Mountain Island (combined ferry + island transport ticket 130 RMB, includes round-trip ferry and scenic area shuttle bus).
✅ Putuo Mountain entrance ticket is included in the combined ticket (original price 150 RMB, off-season discount). Morning: Tour the core scenic spots of Putuo Mountain, Puji Temple (main temple): burn incense for blessings, see the thousand-year-old temple, the South Sea Guanyin statue, a 33-meter-high bronze statue facing the sea with majestic presence, Baibu Sand beach—take off your shoes to feel the sand and listen to the gentle waves.
Suggested route: Pier → Puji Temple → South Sea Guanyin → Baibu Sand → Lunch → Return to pier.
Recommended stay: 5 hours. Lunch: Putuo Mountain “Yinxiu’an Vegetarian Restaurant” or bring your own food.
Recommended: vegetarian noodles, vegetarian buns, bottled water. Average cost: 25 RMB.
Afternoon: Take the ferry back to Zhujiajian (about 15 minutes), then taxi or bus to a homestay near Zhujiajian Nansha Scenic Area.
Accommodation: Zhujiajian seaside fisherman's homestay shared room for two, walking distance to the beach, clean and tidy, shared room about 160 RMB/person/night.
Evening: Free activities at Nansha Beach to watch the East China Sea sunset, shoot “golden sea surface” photos, walk barefoot on the sand, collect shells, relax and daydream.
Dinner: Zhujiajian “Haiguazi Seafood Stall” or “A Tao Seafood,” must-try dishes: boiled shrimp, braised hairtail fish, scallion oil clams, clam tofu soup, seafood fried noodles. Average cost: 65 RMB.
Daily expenses: Transportation 154 (high-speed train + bus + ferry) + Accommodation 160 + Meals 90 + No extra scenic tickets = 404 RMB.
Day 2: Between mountains and sea, coastal road and silver sands.
Morning: Zhujiajian Nansha Seaside Bathing Beach (free), one of the most beautiful beaches in the Yangtze River Delta, with fine sand and clear water.
Activities: Morning run or walk, feel the morning sea breeze, shoot “windmill + beach + waves” photos, try beach motorbikes (optional, 50 RMB/10 minutes, not included in budget). Recommended stay: 1.5 hours. Then take bus or carpool → Daqing Mountain Scenic Area coastal road (outer area free, scenic ticket 80 RMB can be waived).
✅ Recommended free activities: walk the coastal road, check in at “Lisha Shazui” and “Dongji Stone House Group,” shoot aerial-level photos of “cliffs + sea + greenway,” climb high for a distant view of the East Pole islands.
Recommended stay: 2 hours.
Lunch: “Fisherman’s Small Restaurant” near Daqing Mountain or bring your own simple meal.
Recommended: seafood noodles, rice with stir-fry. Average cost: 30 RMB.
Return: Zhujiajian → Shenjiamen Station (bus 5 RMB) → Ningbo Station (high-speed train 24 RMB), recommended departure before 1:00 PM to avoid evening rush hour.
Daily expenses: Transportation 58 (bus + high-speed train) + Tickets 0 + Meals 30 + Emergency reserve 378 = 466 RMB.
Total cost summary (per person): Item costs Transportation (round-trip high-speed train + bus + ferry) 24×2 + 154 + 58 = 230 RMB,
Accommodation (1 night shared room) 160 RMB,
Tickets 0 (included in ferry ticket),
Meals (2 days) 90 + 30 = 120 RMB,
Emergency reserve & souvenirs 290 RMB,
Total: 800 RMB.
Precisely controlled within budget!
Helpful tips:
1. Best season: May to October, especially June to September for sea views, swimming, and sunsets.
2. Putuo Mountain requires advance ferry ticket reservation via the “Putuo Mountain Pier” WeChat public account; it’s recommended to arrive before 8 AM to avoid crowds.
3. Want to save money? Skip the Daqing Mountain scenic area interior (save 80 RMB), the outer coastal road is enough for great photos.
4. Souvenir recommendations: dried small fish, shrimp skins, kelp knots (available at Zhujiajian market), Putuo Mountain small Buddha amulets, lotus sachets (blessing souvenirs), vacuum-packed hairtail fish, yellow croaker.
5. Island UV rays are strong; remember to apply sunscreen, wear a hat, and non-slip shoes.
Zhoushan is a city that “blows Buddhist chants into the sea breeze.”
It is the bell of Putuo Mountain, the golden sunset of Zhujiajian, the coastal road of Daqing Mountain, and the fresh sweetness and freedom from the depths of the East China Sea in a bowl of seafood noodles.
In 2 days and 1 night, with 800 RMB, you can not only visit the highlights of this city of a thousand islands but also complete a refreshing island getaway between sea and sky.
Wish you a pleasant journey!
Please stay tuned for more (to be continued)!