Day Trips / Weekend Getaways

Wuzhen Water Town - Photo by Ethan Wong on Unsplash

There's a lot to do in Shanghai, but if you want to take a side trip to neighbouring areas, there are also many options available. Most of these places can be done in a day, although in some cases, time permitting, you might want to stay overnight so you can see more and have a more relaxed schedule. Here are just a few of them:

Suzhou

Famous for its classical gardens, Shanghai's close neighbour Suzhou is just 30 minutes away by fast train, making it an ideal day trip destination.

Hangzhou

Around 175km from Shanghai, Hangzhou is known for the West Lake as well as tea plantations. The fast train gets you there in an hour or more.

Zhujiajiao

This ancient water town is located on the western outskirts of Shanghai, around 45km from the city centre, making it a very comfortable day trip.

Wuzhen

Signifcantly further away from Shanghai than Zhujiajiao (around 130km), this traditional water town is still an option for a day trip excursion.

Moganshan

Around 220km from Shanghai, this is a very popular getaway destination for Shanghai expats, Moganshan offers lots of outdoor activities including hiking in the Bamboo Forest, cycling, barbecues, kayaking or just chilling and being pampered in one of the luxury retreats (my personal choice).

Huangshan

Perhaps more suited for an overnight trip, Huangshan boasts stunning mountain views from above the clouds (weather permitting). There's even an hotel at the peak for those who want to wake up to see the sunrise from the top of the mountain. The train takes 2.5-3 hours to get to the nearby Huangshan city.

Nanjing - Historical Significance

Although distance-wise, Nanjing is quite far from Shanghai (approximately 300km), modern train connections mean that you can be in Nanjing in as little as 90 minutes, depending on which train service you select.