Discover the rich heritage and vibrant culture of Ningbo with this engaging 3-day itinerary. Start your adventure with a visit to the historic Tianyi Pavilion Museum and the bustling Chenghuang Temple, before exploring the architectural marvels of the Drum Tower and the expansive Tianyi Square. Venture to the charming Old Bund for a taste of local history and waterfront ambiance. On day two, immerse yourself in the serene beauty of Putuo Mountain, visiting its scenic temples and picturesque landscapes. Conclude your trip on day three with a tour of the remote East Ji Island, where you’ll experience the scenic beauty of Miaozi Lake Island, Dongfu Mountain Island, and Qingping Island. Enjoy Ningbo’s local culinary delights and take in the stunning coastal views, making for an unforgettable exploration of this fascinating city.
Day 1: Tianyi Pavilion Museum — Chenghuang Temple — Drum Tower — Tianyi Square — Old Bund
First Stop: Tianyi Pavilion Museum (1-2 hours) Start your exploration in Ningbo with a visit to Tianyi Pavilion. Although it’s a museum, it’s essentially a traditional Jiangnan garden with its East and South Gardens featuring rockeries, ponds, and pavilions. It is the oldest private library in China and the oldest library in Asia. Mahjong enthusiasts will enjoy the Mahjong Exhibition Hall, showcasing various mahjong tiles and providing insights into the culture’s origins and development. Tianyi Pavilion is considered one of the most authentic attractions in Ningbo, offering a distinctive experience as you stroll through its pavilions and along the Tingzhou Island. Note: The museum is closed on Monday mornings.
Second Stop: Chenghuang Temple (1-2 hours) Take the subway Line 2 for one stop to Chenghuang Temple. This bustling area is one of the most significant in Ningbo, with thousands of shops and eateries where you can enjoy local and regional delicacies. The Tianfeng Tower to the south of Chenghuang Temple is a local landmark, where a 5-yuan ticket allows you to climb and enjoy a panoramic view of the city’s lively streets.
Third Stop: Drum Tower (0.5-1 hour) Continue on the subway Line 2 for one stop to Drum Tower, also known as Haishu Tower. This is the only remaining ancient city tower in Ningbo, featuring traditional Chinese city tower architecture at its base and a Romanesque bell tower on top. The blend of Western and Chinese styles is unique, and the tower often hosts art, calligraphy, and photo exhibitions. Nearby, you’ll find a north-south pedestrian street with various local snacks, curiosities, and traditional items.
Fourth Stop: Tianyi Square (1-2 hours) From Drum Tower, take subway Line 1 for one stop to reach Tianyi Square, the city center of Ningbo. This large shopping and leisure plaza stretches from Chejia Street in the east to Kaiming Street in the west, and from Zhongshan Road in the north to Yaohang Street in the south. It is the largest “one-stop” shopping and leisure plaza in China. On weekends, you can also enjoy a musical fountain show.
Fifth Stop: Old Bund (1-2 hours) Take a bus for about 1 to 3 stops to arrive at the Old Bund, located on the northern bank of the Sanjiangkou area in Jiangbei District. Older than Shanghai’s Bund by 20 years, the Old Bund features notable architecture, including Gothic buildings in the south and the Ningbo Catholic Church. Additionally, the Ningbo City Exhibition Hall to the north of the street offers a 3D virtual presentation of Ningbo’s past and future. The Ningbo Museum of Art, located nearby, frequently hosts exhibitions of calligraphy and painting, which are free to visit and worth exploring.
Dining Recommendations:
While exploring Chenghuang Temple, you can enjoy local snacks at the Chenghuang Temple Snack Plaza. This area offers a variety of treats with Ningbo local specialties and flavors from across China. Must-try items include teppanyaki squid, stinky tofu, fried quail, Ningbo tangyuan (sweet rice balls), beef potstickers, beef vermicelli, grilled mackerel, wontons, and takoyaki (octopus balls).
Tianyi Square also boasts numerous dining options. A standout is the century-old establishment Gang Ya Gou (缸鸭狗), known for its full, flavorful tangyuan with sweet and smooth sesame filling. Another excellent choice is Ningbo Zhuangyuan Lou Hotel (宁波状元楼酒店), famous for its authentic Ningbo cuisine. Located by the Yong River, the restaurant offers scenic riverside views, and the signature dish, yellow fish soup, comes highly recommended.
Day 2: Putuo Mountain Scenic Area
You can take a ferry from Daxie Wharf in Ningbo to Putuo Mountain Wharf. Ferries operate daily from 7:10 AM to 5:45 PM, with departures every hour. The journey takes approximately 70 minutes, and tickets can be purchased in advance on Qu Naer. Upon arrival at Putuo Mountain Wharf, you can find three different tourist bus routes to various attractions, with prices ranging from 2 to 10 RMB.
- Route 1: Puji Temple East (Baibu Beach) → Baibu Pavilion → Zizhulin (Nanhai Guanyin Open-Air Buddha) → Ru Sanmo (South Heavenly Gate) → Ferry Wharf → Xishan New Village Area 1 (Haifang New Village) → Seafood Garden → Baotuo Hotel → Puji Temple West (Western Heaven Pier)
- Route 2: Puji Temple East (Baibu Beach) → Immortals’ Well (Chaoyang Cave) → Dasheng Temple → Fayu Temple (Qianbu Beach) → Feisha Ao → Baoyue Temple → Ancient Buddha Cave → Cable Car Station
- Route 3: Passenger Wharf → Ru Sanmo (South Heavenly Gate) → Zizhulin → Baibu Pavilion → Baibu Beach → Chaoyang Pavilion → Dasheng Temple → Fayu Temple (Qianbu Beach) → Feisha Ao → Xianghui Temple → Fanyin Cave
Notable attractions include Foding Mountain, the highest peak on Putuo Island, which can be reached by cable car or hiking. Qianbu Beach is known for its fine sand and fewer tourists, making it worth a visit. The island’s three major temples offer vegetarian meals at affordable prices, which are a distinctive feature of the island (breakfast from 5:30 AM to 7:00 AM, lunch from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM, dinner is not provided).
If you wish to explore all the classic sites on Putuo Mountain, consider staying overnight on the island. There are various accommodation options, including hotels, inns, and guesthouses, catering to different standards and preferences.
Dining Recommendations:
Lunch Options: You can enjoy vegetarian meals at various temples on Putuo Mountain. Additionally, private vegetarian restaurants like Changsheng Vegetarian Restaurant (长生素斋) offer a buffet for 38 RMB per person with a variety of dishes and unlimited watermelon.
Afternoon Dining: Try the chain restaurant Yuan Zhi Yuan Wei (原制原味), known for its signature dish, Jianzhuang Yu Tu Fish. Other recommended dishes include braised mixed fish with cabbage and smoked ribbonfish. For those who prefer a milder taste, dishes like sour soup beef and garlic vermicelli shrimp are also available, resembling the flavors of Hangzhou cuisine.
Seafood Enthusiasts: If you are keen on seafood, visit A Cheng Seafood (阿城海鲜). Although it’s located a bit off the beaten path and pricier compared to Zhoushan, it offers fresh ingredients, enthusiastic service, and delicious flavors, including well-made dipping sauces.
Non-Seafood Option: For a change, consider dining at Zaozi Tree Vegetarian Restaurant (枣子树素餐厅), located about a ten-minute walk from Puji Temple. This popular restaurant serves dishes such as sweet and sour vegetarian ribs, seafood fried rice, and vegetarian three-cup chicken.
Day 3: Dongji Island – Miaozihu Island, Dongfushan Island, and Qingping Island
Dongji Island is a collective term for a group of islands, including four inhabited ones and several uninhabited ones. The main island is Miaozihu Island, with Huangxing Island to the west, Qingping Island to the east, and Dongfushan Island.
Miaozihu Island (0.5-1 day): To reach Miaozihu Island, take a ferry from the Banshengdong Pier in Shenjiamen Port, Putuo District, Zhoushan City (approximately 2 hours). Miaozihu Island is a prominent filming location for the movie “The Continent” directed by Han Han, featuring stunning scenery. For a relaxed visit, you can take a sightseeing car around the island from the pier (50 RMB per person, about 30 minutes). If you prefer walking, you can follow the coastal cement road from the stone pier westward, pass by the military base on the mountain, and continue to the statue of Caibogong on the eastern edge before returning. This route covers the main attractions on the island and takes approximately four to five hours. Miaozihu Island is the most commercialized among the Dongji Islands, offering convenient dining options and a variety of accommodation choices, many of which feature sea views.
Dongfushan Island (0.5-1 day): From the Miaozihu Island waiting hall, you can purchase a four-island transportation boat ticket to Dongfushan Island. For an immersive experience, you can walk around the island, heading north along the coastline to see the unique large tree bay stone houses and a distinct line where the sea colors change. Walking south, you can explore the wind farm, Baiyun Palace, Meteorite Waterfall, and Elephant Nose Peak, all offering beautiful views. In the southwest, there’s a stone carving of “Blessings Like the Eastern Sea,” where you can rest on the rocks and enjoy the scenery. Be prepared for a 2-4 hour hike. If you wish to see the sunrise, you can head to the Sunrise Observation Deck around three or four in the morning for a spectacular and ceremonial view of the sunrise over the sea.
Qingping Island (0.5-1 day): Ferries depart from Miaozihu Island to Qingping Island at 8:30 AM and 12:00 PM daily. Qingping Island is relatively quiet and untouched, with buildings built into the mountains, resembling the Potala Palace. Locals refer to it as the “Sea Potala Palace,” making it ideal for distant viewing.
Tips:
- It is recommended to stay in Shenjiamen the night before exploring Dongji Island and catch the early morning ferry the next day.
- Some areas on the island are quite steep, so comfortable shoes are recommended.
Dining Recommendations:
Breakfast: You can start your day at Jidao Noodle Bar (极岛面栈), which offers a good value for breakfast with high-quality service. Their seafood noodles are made with a pork bone broth and feature a variety of seafood.
Miaozihu Island: For lunch or dinner, visit Miaozihu Village’s Night Market Street (夜排档一条街) and check out Houhui Youqi Seafood Restaurant (后会有期大排档), named after the film, it’s a notable spot for seafood. For more street food options, try Dongji Fishing Village Seafood Stall (东极渔场海鲜排挡) or Shimao Seafood Street Stall (石码头海鲜大排档). If you’re a fan of fish, Dongji Story · Stone House Restaurant (东极故事·石屋餐厅) is worth a visit.
Dongji Island Flower Sister Drink Shop (东极岛花妹妹饮品) is the island’s only milk tea shop. Their signature drink, Flower Sister Milk Tea (花妹妹奶茶), is a healthy blend made with red tea and black and white condensed milk, and it’s definitely worth a try.