Shanghai Daily News

Part of Chongming County's charm is that the island is dotted with forests and wetlands, meandering rivers and lakes, as well as farmland that provides a nice change from the urban blight of the city.

This week's guide to Chongming profiles a lotus festival where you can experience the elegance of this unique Asian flower and suggests some interesting activities to do when visiting the country's third largest island.

Chongming County

Due to its geographical restrictions, the 1,225-square-kilometer island's development has long lagged behind the rest of the city. Yet, it is for that reason that 80 percent of its 704,000 population are farmers; to this day it remains very much an old village lifestyle.

A new area has been completed to the east of the old town. With its wide roads and modern infrastructure, the area will be the new location for the county government's office building.

Compared with the soaring real estate prices in downtown Shanghai, the most expensive house in the county center is 6,000 yuan (US$750) per square meter.

Currently, the only way to get to the island is by ferry, which takes at least 45 minutes travel. However, the long-awaited Shanghai-Yangtze River Tunnel and Bridge Project which started construction in 2004 will soon change this situation when it opens late next year.

This project is considered by most locals as a great opportunity for economic development, since the average annual income for the farmers is only 6,000 yuan.

Forest Lotus

Flower Festival

Starting today in Chongming National Dongping Forest Park, this festival is displaying more than 5,000 jars of lotus and 300-plus varieties from throughout the country. This first-of-its-kind event in the city will run through September 15. A lotus which has traveled with astronauts in a spaceship is also part of the display.

Lotus have long been valued by Chinese as beautiful flowers that emerge from the mud and symbolize purity. Countless poems related to the flower have been created dating back to ancient history to modern times. In this show, selective poetry will be displayed to give visitors a deeper and profound understanding of this elegant and noble flower.

Address: Nanmen Harbor (north Chongming County)

Price: Park entrance 40 yuan for adults; 15 yuan for children under 1.2 meters. Pensioners over 70 free.

Forest Bar

This quiet, inviting riverside watering hole situated to the east of the park gate, features a room dominated by an exotic bar where an old gramophone is displayed prominently. With only 40 seats, this new attraction is positioning itself as a place for special coffee drinks.

At this tiny place with heavy rustic elements and a few wooden tables and chairs, the simple, straightforward menu includes cocktails, beer, soft drinks and coffee and tea.

The ground-to-ceiling glass windows provide a great view of the grassy park, while the 30-square-meter balcony offers an intimate setting among the water lilies. This area provides a good vantage point to view the special smoke effects that are performed on the water.

Having an afternoon tea or coffee on the balcony and watching a flock of egrets flying above the river, provides a tranquil setting and a good resting spot after a long walk through the forest park.

Average price:

20 yuan for a drink

Forest Golf Driving Range

For golfers, this remote driving range provides one of the best settings in the city to hone your game. The 30,000-square-meter facility features 30 bays and claims to be the world's largest golf driving range housed in a park. For golfers and non-golfers alike, the facility provides an idea opportunity to let anyone have a swing at this increasingly popular sport. A bucket of balls costs 20 yuan for 30 balls and the numerous greens built right into the range allow for pin-point target practice from various distances. The range also offers a 100 yuan daily training session for beginners interested in the game.

East Coast Nature Preserve

Also known as Dongtan Wetland Reserve, this oasis of tall green grass is home to millions of migratory birds at various times of the year. During their migration, some 265 birds, including ducks, egrets, swans, cranes and herons, among others, stop to rest at this tranquil 244.55-square-kilometer reserve.

At this bird sanctuary, 34 species have been designated as national priority protected animals. They include hooded cranes, whistling swans and the black-faced spoonbill.

Visitors are only allowed to conduct bird-watching activities in the outer area of the preserve via a promenade that zigzags out into the wetland. The best time to see the birds is between September and May. It is also best to go in the early morning or at dusk during food-gathering periods.

Address: Dongwang Avenue, East Coast Nature Preserve

Getting there:

Take Tourism Line No. 5 at Shanghai Stadium to Baoyang Port in Baoshan District. The ferries take cars and run hourly between 4:30am and 10:30pm. Dongping National Forest Park is 15 minutes' drive from Nanmen Port.