Today you may have to settle for a cup of coffee as breakfast; you’ll be picked up at 7:00 for your transfer to the bus station at the southern side of the Bund. A public bus will drive you for 3 hours along neatly maintained factory properties and growing highways to Luchao, where you’ll catch a boat to Putuoshan. Bring along some food for in the bus (on the way back as well); the boat only has a simple bar. Around 12:30 the 35m high statue of Guanyin will come into view.

You’ll stay in a comfortable 3.5 star hotel with all necessary facilities. Have some lunch at your hotel, rest up for a bit and then head out sometime at the end of the afternoon to see the statue of Guanyin. At this time of day it will be beautifully lit by the setting sun. The best way to explore the island is by foot; the island has been cultivated for pedestrians and there are signs everywhere to lead you in the right direction. Putuoshan is small (approximately 6km in circumference) and you can easily walk around it in a day. You’ll walk along neatly kept walking paths in the shadow of tropical trees and plants that are maintained by an army of gardeners.

Wake up early this morning and enjoy the charm of Putuoshan island before the rest of the world awakens. Delight in the many delicately carved rooftops and arches mirrored in the ponds of the Puji temple. Stroll through the temples, along the pagodas and well-kept gardens. More than 500 monks live on the island; however you won’t see many of them during your stay. You’ll have a better chance of seeing them mid-February, June and in September due to several important ceremonies, such as the festival of the goddess.

Bring along your towel and lay it down on the official “100 steps” beach or head down a little further to the "1000 steps” beach. Around noon you’ll start to see people with buckets and garden hoses in them; it’s time for lunch and these are the catches of the day for the Putuo fish restaurants. In true Putuo style just point out what you’d like to eat and enjoy a delicious meal at an affordable price. In the afternoon you can head back to the beach or take in some Chinese culture, for instance you can visit Fayuchan temple. The temple lies on top of a mountain and pilgrims climb hundreds of stairs to reach it. Every three steps they kneel and bow down with their hands on the ground.

You can probably imagine that most Chinese would prefer to put up an umbrella against the sun than lay in it and get a tan. What may be a bit puzzling is why your fellow travellers are happily chatting on the bus one moment, but surprisingly quiet during the boat ride. Why are they fully clothed on the beach with only a camera and a telephone as accessories? Why after carefully wading up their ankles do they carefully dry their wet, sandy feet with tissues and why do the few bold swimmers receive such heartfelt praise?

It’s actually quite simple……. millions of Chinese have never really seen the sea. So it’s not that uncommon for the Chinese tourists not to know how to behave on the beach or how to swim. That’s why they love to take pictures and call those less fortunate 1000km away at home to let them hear the waves breaking on the beach. Chinese tourists also read the signs placed on the Putuoshan Chinese beaches. They tell then what to do if you get a cold or if you get water in your ear….. thank goodness for this information, what would we do without it? Last but not least the Chinese tourists are warned against the dangers of the sea….. careful drowning!

At 13:30 the boat from Putuoshan will head back to the mainland, so you’ll have some time in the morning to take another dive into the sea or to visit one of the temples. You’ll be back at the Shanghai bus station at around 18:00, where this module ends. You can catch a taxi cab at the pier to your hotel in the city or if you’re travelling on, to the station or airport. 

 Tips

1. The island does not offer bike rentals; most people make use of a mini van network that connects the island’s attraction in several minutes. 
2. The distances on the island aren’t large, so most attractions can be reached in 30 minutes. You can walk around the entire island in 2,5 hours. 
3. As a contribution to preserving the temples and walking paths on the island you’ll pay 110 Yuan when you arrive on the island. You’ll also pay 5 - 6 Yuan to visit temples and 25 Yuan for the guarded ‘100 steps’ beach. The other ‘1000 steps’ beach is quite beautiful; however it’s forbidden to swim here since there is no lifeguard present. 
4. The (round) trip is relatively long for 2 days at the beach, even if it is truly Chinese and unique. If you’re looking for China with more of a western influence, have a look at Easy Going in Hong Kong, If you’re looking for more of a resort holiday, have a look at the Hainan Island beach paradise.