Shanghai Daily news

City residents who are tired of Shanghai's concrete jungle might consider a trip just outside the city to enjoy a little nature.
Unknown to many in the city, Nanjiang Resort is located just outside of Shanghai, on the eastern portion of Chongming Island.
Located in Nanjiang Village, it is one of a few places where one can get close to the Yangtze River. Here, fresh wind will fill people's lungs and make them dizzy with the smell of pines, and their eyes will rest on the horizon watching stretches of the calmly flowing river.
The resort, which encompasses 1.33 hectares, features a giant lake, parks, lakeside pathways, and some man-made attractions such as a wooden ship-shaped guesthouse and a three-story tower.
Lovers should not miss the wooden ship-shaped guesthouse, also called "lover's boat," in which one can experience "sleeping on the water" and explore the fascinating beauty of the glistening lake.
With 40 fully furnished standard rooms and one suite, the ship-like guesthouse will appeal from the moment you "board." The rooms come complete with solid timber interiors that show a fine attention to detail.
The wooden rooms are a model of traditional and gracious accommodation, fitted with modern facilities such as air conditioning and color TVs. A standard room costs around 100 yuan (US$12.05) a night and the only suite costs about 400 yuan.
Not far away from the guesthouse is a three-story tower, where people can take their time and enjoy a beautiful river view. Ships - from tubby fishing boats to passenger vessels - come and go on the slow-flowing river. And the whole world quickly quieted down with only the sound of the wind whistling in one's ears.
Another attraction in the resort is fishing and boating on the lake while enjoying the tranquil hours in the warm sunlight. For many visitors, fishing is more than just a sport - it's a way of putting food on the table. A dazzling array of fresh fish is available in the resort's restaurant. People can also enjoy seasonal specialties such as fragrant corn and taros.
Opened to the public in October last year, the new resort has drawn around 6,000 visitors so far.
"This area was not considered a tourist destination at first," said Zhang Yuanxiang, general manager of the resort. "President Hu Jintao saw the potential of the nongjiale program, which means 'happy village life' in Chinese, during his visit to Qianwei Ecology Village last summer. It suddenly inspired me to make Nanjiang a base for many tourist attractions," he added.
Although the resort is in its initial stage, the future plans are ambitious.
Not far away from the resort are lush green fields with the island's typical two-story and three-story farmhouses. According to Zhang, Nanjiang Village will be the fourth village in Chongming to launch the nongjiale program. The tourist package will allow visitors to live in a farmer's house and eat traditional village-style dishes.
"More than 30 farmhouses in the village will be licensed to offer accommodation to visitors in May," said Zhang, adding that the program will not only provide fun for tourists but also help farmers increase their income.
To let city dwellers know more about the traditional village life, a 3,200-square-meter activity center will be set up by the end of this year. The center will house a farm tool exhibition hall, an opera stage, and two cottages.
Exhibits on display will include traditional farm tools and utensils used by locals, such as traditional water carts, millstones, spinning wheels and looms, which will provide a look at traditional lifestyle in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
However, the nongjiale program will not be the only form of entertainment in the future.
Shanghai people are excited as the long-awaited Shanghai-Yangtze River Tunnel and Bridge Project broke ground recently. The 10.3-kilometer cable-stayed bridge will be constructed to link Changxing Island to Chenjiazhen Town on Chongming.
"We are planning to build a nearly 200-meter-long bridge, which will zigzag through the reeds to four pavilions which have the best views for monitoring the bridge construction," said Zhang.
Developers envision an eco-friendly island that will attract throngs of visitors from around the globe by 2020.