| One of the most enriching travelling experiences I | | | | Buddhist architecture also strikes you as not being |
| have ever had was on an island little known to | | | | typically Chinese, it seems to have an European |
| foreign tourists located in Zhejiang Province in eastern | | | | al-fresco flair that makes you feel you're somewhere |
| China. The island is called Putuo Shan. The island itself | | | | between Santorini and Shanghai, the temples have |
| is located about an hour by boat from the small | | | | large open windows to keep the casually |
| sea-side town of Ningbo (itself too worth a visit!) and | | | | whitewashed interior cool and breezy, golden religions |
| around eight to nine hours from shanghai for those | | | | ornaments adorn every room, accompanied with the |
| of you who enjoy longer boat rides! | | | | deep aroma of incense. The experience is almost |
| The most distinctive thing about Putuo Shan is: how | | | | overwhelmingly stimulating. |
| sharply it contrasts to mainland China! The boat ride is | | | | Aside from the peak there is plenty to do on the |
| the first point of difference, it is always important to | | | | island, the seafood of course is amazing; fresher than |
| enjoy the journey as much as the destination and | | | | fresh, walking along the crooked, shady alleys of the |
| during fine weather the one hour catamaran ride | | | | base of the mountain,you will be tempted by the |
| from the mainland to the island is defiantly a highlight, | | | | seafood in the small shops and can't help feasting on |
| surrounded on all sides by deep blue sea and equally | | | | fish, crab, lobster and shellfish (usually that delicacy |
| blue sky you're struck by a feeling that you have | | | | costs more than 100 Yuan). If seafood is not your |
| finally escaped the occasionally suffocating slate grey | | | | thing then pack your own lunch. |
| clouds that hang above most Chinese cities. Getting | | | | There are two beaches on the island, one-thousand |
| off the boat one really gains the sense that they | | | | step beach and one-hundred step beach, swimming is |
| have left China and arrived in another place, | | | | not permitted at one-thousand step beach but for |
| everything seems less rushed, more fluid; no | | | | those of you keen to hit the water then head to |
| disturbing but) freedom and space to enjoy yourself. | | | | one-hundred step beach (accessing the beach |
| Putuo Shan is far from just a small island, it has an | | | | requires a small charge is applied), there are deck |
| incredibly rich history which is there for you to | | | | chairs with umbrellas to relax on and for those who |
| explore as much or as little as you please. The | | | | can't sit still there are banana boats and quad-bikes |
| mountain that dominates the topography of the | | | | for rent, the water is as clean as it is blue and is the |
| island is one of the four-sacred mountains in Chinese | | | | perfect way to waste away a slow-paced relaxing |
| Buddhism and is adorned with a golden thirty-three | | | | afternoon. |
| metre high statue of Zizhu Lin an ancient master of | | | | Typically tourists start heading back to the mainland |
| Chinese Buddhism which sits on the peak of the | | | | at four to five o'clock by boat, truthfully one day is |
| island with omnipresent gaze. As you head up the | | | | enough time to sufficiently enjoy the island, but |
| mountain the thick fragrance of incense becomes | | | | accommodation is available if you wish to stay. It is |
| more palpable, and the light clank of Buddhist bells | | | | possible to organise transport to and from the wharf |
| ring gently against the empty blue sky, reaching the | | | | in Ningbo back to the city or even as far as |
| summit it becomes apparent just how big a | | | | Hangzhou. In the spirit of searching for ways to add |
| thirty-three metre high Buddha is, and how | | | | a new dimension to your China travel experience this |
| remarkable that this monolith could somehow be | | | | gorgeous, relaxing Buddhist paradise certainly should |
| erected on the craggy peak of this small island. The | | | | be something on your to-do list. |