Editor's note: The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has recently launched 82 high-quality rural tourism routes across the country to enable the public to experience the countryside. Notably, Shanghai has three boutique tourism routes on the list. The following is one of the recommended routes.

The annual Spring Flower Festival has begun at Shanghai Dongping National Forest Park. The festival boasts over 600 species and nearly 3 million flowers blooming in an array of colors with various elements of Chinese pop culture to enhance the floral beauty. Park staff is dressed in traditional Chinese clothing hanfu, who act as the "12 Flower Goddesses" among the flowers. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of the blooming flowers and participate in various activities such as the Spring Flower Festival concert.

Location: Chongming district, Shanghai

Routes: Beigang village, Xianghua town- Dongping National Forest Park - "Begonia Flower Creek" in Sanxing town - Xisha Mingzhu Lake Scenic Area

Transportation:

Self-driving: 70 kilometers from downtown Shanghai (Shanghai Railway Station) to Beigang village, a 90-minute drive.

Route highlights

- Dongping National Forest Park's Spring Flower Festival: Here, you can experience not only art-themed Spring Flower Festival events, but also activities like digging wild vegetables, making flower cakes and tea, and watching peacocks. It's a vibrant spring gathering for all.

- Begonia Flower Cultural Tourism Festival: Sanxing township boasts 333 hectares of begonias with 100,000 seedlings in over 60 varieties. During the annual Begonia Flower Cultural Tourism Festival, visitors can fly kites, explore the market for products of intangible cultural heritage, and taste renowned bitter grass tea.

Surrounding attractions

- Qianwei Ecological Village: It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction that encompasses cultural landmarks such as Xiyuan Garden and the Lei Feng Memorial Hall. Haishanghua Island within the scenic spot spans 453 hectares, featuring a rose sea and lush lawns. It offers visitors a range of experiences from comfortable stays to delightful dining, fun activities, team-building, and shopping.

- Yuanyi Garden: It is a national 3A-level tourist attraction focusing on flower viewing and showcasing international new flower varieties to create a high-quality garden landscape experience. The garden has main areas featuring flower exhibitions, landscapes, flower research, and cultural experiences.

- Beigang village, Xianghua town: In the spring, Beigang village is filled with daffodils quietly blooming, their white petals and yellow hearts swaying in the breeze, emitting a refreshing fragrance that captivates visitors.

- Zhi Valley 1984: It is a rural guesthouse, which blends local cultural elements with modern designs, featuring traditional brick-and-tile horse head walls and rural carved windows alongside a touch of contemporary style. Visitors can stay here with a similar experience of a star-rated hotel, taste authentic Chongming cuisine, and listen to the guesthouse owner sharing stories about the region.

Xisha Mingzhu Lake scenic area: It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction. As the weather warms up, flowers like February orchids, white magnolias, weeping cherry blossoms, purple-leaved plums, and camellias create a sea of blossoms. Walking along the trails of Mingzhu Lake feels like entering an ecological paradise with fragrant camphor, cedar, willow, and fir trees providing a thorough cleanse of the heart and lungs.

Signature cuisine and creative products

Signature Cuisine: Caotou (a clover-like trifoliate herb) cake, Chongming lamb, sweet melon pastries, Chongming hairy crabs, Chongming crispy taro.

Local Specialties: Chongming Baijiu (white spirit), Chongming cakes, golden melon threads.

Creative Products: Products made of handwoven cloth.

Source: mct.gov.cn