If you are like me, staying in Shanghai too long seem claustrophobic. Yes, it's one of the world's largest cities. But it's also one of the largest polluters. After only a few weeks there, I found myself feeling crushed under the grey skies and hordes of people: I needed to get out.
And Zhenjiang was the perfect break from the city.
Here's a rundown of the budget:
Train from Shanghai: ¥193
Taxis in Zhenjiang: ¥7
Bus in Zhenjiang: ¥1
Entrance to JiaoShan Park: ¥65
Dinner at Xijindu Ancient Street: ¥45
Noodles at Train Station: ¥4
Taxi/Metro in Shanghai: ¥15
TOTAL: ¥330 = $54
Zhenjiang definitely has a unique, untouched air to it, and spending the day there is opens a side of China often hidden from Western tourists. The streets are empty, the monasteries pure, and the industry missing. It was a little scary, but also thrilling.
Zhenjiang Travel Hacks:
1. Getting There: Trains often stop at Zhenjiang on the Shanghai-Nanjing route. Slow train tickets are quite cheap, but, if you are going for the day, the bullet train can get you there in an hour. We took the bullet train from Shanghai for ¥193 ($31) round-trip.
2. JiaoShan Park: This was hands-down the BEST monastery I visited in China. Since Zhenjiang isn't a tourist city, the monastery is left for actual monks and real worshipers--who knew? I heard a bunch of people chanting "Amnitofo," got a lesson about Buddhism from a local monk, and saw some of the most elaborate Buddha statues I've ever seen. But if that's not enough to wet your appetite, the monastery also sits on an island in the middle of Yangtze river. And you can visit it's top-rated gardens, military bunker used in the Opium Wars, and the 10,000 Buddha Temple (and yes, there are actually 10,000 Buddhas there). The entrance ticket for JiaoShan Park is a flat ¥65 ($10.50), including a ferry ride to the island.
2. Local Transportation: You can easily find a taxi in the city center (like the train station), but getting one on the outskirts of town is going to be difficult. We were essentially stranded outside of JiaoShan Park with no taxi to be seen. But, luckily, a few locals helped us get on a bus for ¥1 ($0.16) that headed towards the city center. This was AWESOME! Not only were we able to talk to a few locals, but we were definitely the first Westerner some of them had seen. Plus, there were a bunch of really cute babies on the bus, all of which had a lot of fun staring at us :)
3. Town Parks: Zhenjiang is dotted with small parks. During our afternoon exploration, we stumbled into one of them. We were able to interact with many of the local elderly, visit another temple, and climb through some interesting rock formations. So if you're looking for some raw culture, stop by one of these parks! They're free!
4. Xijindu Ancient Street: We took the bus from JiaoShan Park to Xijindu Ancient Street, the main "tourist" attraction in Zhenjiang. It is super old and all made of brick, with lots of alleys to wander around. It was definitely more upscale than the rest of the town, and we got pizza for dinner.
All in all, Zhenjiang is a GREAT place to visit if the weight of Shanghai is starting to press in. Not only will it give you a glimpse of a different China, but you will also be able to learn a lot about traditional Chinese culture. And, only being an hour away, it's a perfect day or weekend trip!
So, will you be headed to Zhenjiang anytime soon? Comment below with your travel plans!
Labels: 10000 Buddha Temple, backpacking, budget, budget travel, cheap, China, China Adventure, China travel guides, day trip, JiaoShan park, Opium Wars, Shanghai, Travel Hacks, weekend trip, Xijindu Ancient Street
