Shanghai Bay National Forest Park is located at No. 1677 Suitanghe Road, Haiwan Town, Fengxian District, Shanghai. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction and the largest artificial ecological forest park in Shanghai by area. The park covers a total area of about 15,983.5 mu (approximately 10.65 square kilometers), including about 12,000 mu of forest land and 2,250 mu of water area. It boasts rich vegetation with nearly 300 species of trees, and the forest coverage rate reaches over 80%. Featuring "forest, lake, and wetland" as its core characteristics, the park integrates natural scenery, recreation, and science education. The total construction area of various landscape buildings and supporting facilities in the park is about 20,000 square meters, forming a unique ecological landscape of "forests in water and water in forests", making it an important destination for Shanghai citizens to get close to nature and spend their leisure holidays.
History and Culture
Shanghai Bay National Forest Park was originally a coastal saline-alkali land on the north bank of Hangzhou Bay. Since the 1950s, large-scale land reclamation and afforestation projects have been carried out locally, initially aiming to resist sea wind erosion, improve soil quality, and protect the coastal ecology. After decades of continuous development, this once desolate saline-alkali land has gradually grown into a large-scale forest area, becoming an important part of Shanghai's coastal ecological barrier.
In 2004, the planning and construction of Shanghai Bay National Forest Park officially started. Based on the original forest land, integrating the concepts of ecological protection and tourism development, the park integrated natural resources such as forests, wetlands, and water areas, and gradually improved its infrastructure and landscape layout. It opened to the public in 2010. With its unique ecological style and rich recreational experiences, it has become an eco-tourism landmark of Fengxian District and even Shanghai. Its development history reflects Shanghai's emphasis on coastal ecological protection and demonstrates the remarkable effect of artificial afforestation in improving the ecological environment.
Main Attractions
Bainiao Lake
Bainiao Lake is the core water landscape of Shanghai Bay National Forest Park, covering an area of about 580 mu, making it the largest natural lake in the park. The lake is surrounded by dense vegetation and abundant aquatic plants, providing a good habitat for birds. Dozens of bird species, such as egrets, herons, and mallards, live here all year round, making it an ideal spot for bird watching and water-related leisure. Wooden plank roads and viewing platforms are built on the lake, allowing visitors to enjoy the lake and forest scenery up close and experience the joy of integrating with nature.
Camphor Forest
The Camphor Forest is the largest arbor forest belt in the park, covering about 1,200 mu with more than 20,000 camphor trees, most of which are over 15 years old. Camphor is the city tree of Shanghai, evergreen and luxuriant all year round. Walking paths are paved in the forest, where visitors can enjoy the strong fragrance of grass and trees. It is an ideal area for summer cooling and leisure walking, as well as an important ecological science education spot in the park.
Plum Garden
The Plum Garden is a featured themed landscape area in the park, covering about 100 mu and planted with nearly 1,000 plum trees of more than 20 varieties, including Gongfen Plum, Zhusha Plum, and Lü'e Plum. When the plum blossoms bloom from February to March each year, the Plum Garden becomes the core scenic spot of the park. There are also plum-viewing pavilions and corridors for rest, making it a well-known plum-viewing resort in southern Shanghai.
Kunlun Stone House
The Kunlun Stone House is a cultural attraction in the park, housing hundreds of rare stones and ornamental stones from all over China, with a construction area of about 800 square meters. The stones on display in the exhibition hall are of various shapes, including Lingbi stones, Taihu stones, Kun stones, and other varieties, possessing both ornamental and cultural value. It is an important place to learn about stone culture and appreciate the beauty of nature.
Forest Karting Track
The Forest Karting Track is located in the recreation area of the scenic spot, covering about 5,000 square meters with a total track length of about 800 meters, equipped with a variety of professional karts. Built in the forest environment, visitors can drive karts along the forest track, which is both fun and experiential. It is a popular project for parent-child interaction and leisure entertainment.
Tour Route
Recommended classic tour route: After entering the park from the main gate, first go to Bainiao Lake, walk about 1.2 kilometers along the lake to enjoy the lake view and birds, and stop for photos at the viewing platform; then go to the Camphor Forest, walk about 1 kilometer along the forest path to feel the freshness of the forest oxygen bar; next visit the Plum Garden (priority in spring) for about 1 hour, then go to the Kunlun Stone House to watch the stone exhibition (about 40 minutes); in the afternoon, you can go to the Forest Karting Track for entertainment, or take the park sightseeing bus (total loop length about 8 kilometers) to visit the rest areas, and finally return to the main gate. The whole tour takes about 5–6 hours. If you have enough time, you can add visits to the wetland science area, fishing area, and other attractions. The overall route balances natural scenery and leisure experience, suitable for visitors of all ages.
Travel Tips
- The best seasons to visit are spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November). In spring, you can enjoy plum blossoms and blooming flowers; in autumn, the weather is pleasant for hiking and outdoor activities. In summer, avoid the midday heat and take sun protection measures.
- The park is large; a full walking tour takes about 6–8 hours. It is recommended to take the sightseeing bus or rent a bicycle to save energy.
- There are several dining areas in the park, mainly in the recreation zone, where you can taste local snacks and simple meals. You can also bring your own picnic mats and food for picnics in designated areas (around Bainiao Lake).
- Parent visitors can prioritize experiences such as forest karting, pet park, and children's playground. The park also provides science tours, suitable for parent-child nature education.
- Photography enthusiasts are recommended to visit Bainiao Lake in the early morning or evening, when the light is soft and birds are active, making it easy to take high-quality ecological photos. A telephoto lens is suggested for shooting in the Plum Garden in spring.
Notes
- Smoking is prohibited in the park. Open flames are strictly forbidden in forest areas to protect ecological safety. Do not pick flowers or catch birds and other wild animals at will.
- The plank roads around Bainiao Lake are slippery, especially on rainy days. Please be careful when walking. Do not approach unprotected areas near the water. Minors must be accompanied by parents.
- The last entry time during opening hours is 15:30, and some attractions begin to close at 16:00. Please plan your visit reasonably to avoid missing core attractions.
- A deposit is required for bicycle rental, which will be fully refunded if the vehicle is returned undamaged. Please keep the deposit receipt properly.
- Mobile phone signals may be weak in some areas of the park. It is recommended to download an offline map in advance, travel in groups, and avoid going to remote forest areas alone.
- The parking lot is easy to get full during holidays. It is recommended to travel during off-peak hours or by public transport.
Transportation
- Public transport: Take Metro Line 5 to Fengxian Xincheng Station, transfer to Fengxian Bus 3 to Haiwan Bus Station, then transfer to Fengxian Bus 18 to Shanghai Bay National Forest Park Station and walk about 500 meters to the main gate; or take Nanliao Special Line to Haiwan Forest Park Station and arrive directly.
- Self-driving: From downtown Shanghai, take S4 Hujin Expressway to Haiwan Road Exit, drive south along Haiwan Road for about 8 kilometers, turn left into Suitanghe Road, and go straight for about 1.5 kilometers to the park parking lot. The whole journey takes about 1 hour (starting from People's Square).
- Park through bus: On weekends and holidays, you can take the through bus from the North Square of Xinzhuang Metro Station. Departure times are 8:30 and 9:30, return times are 15:00 and 16:00.
Opening Hours
Daily opening hours: 8:30–17:00 (last entry at 15:30); legal holidays (Spring Festival, New Year's Day, Labor Day, National Day, etc.): 8:00–17:30 (last entry at 16:00); winter (December to next February): 8:30–16:30 (last entry at 15:00).
Tickets
Ticket: 60 yuan per person. You can search the official service account "上海海湾国家森林公园" on WeChat for the latest updates and online ticket purchase.
Online Booking
Click here to jump to the Trip.com ticketing platform for ticket purchase.