Overview
Escape the skyscrapers for a day and step into Zhujiajiao — a 1,700-year-old water town just one hour from downtown Shanghai. Row through back canals on a traditional scull boat, explore a private garden where East meets West, and stand on the city’s largest stone arch bridge. Choose the morning session to catch the water town at its quietest, or the sunset session for golden-hour views from the water. If you want to try your hand at a traditional Chinese craft, you can also experience the art of incense plaque making here.
Highlights
- Traditional Scull Boat Ride — Glide through narrow back canals where locals still live, not the tourist-packed main waterways
- Sunset Canal Cruise (Sunset Tour) — Watch golden light paint the ancient bridges from the water
- Kezhi Garden — A rare East-meets-West private estate that most visitors skip
- Fangsheng Bridge & Qing Dynasty Post Office — Stand on Shanghai's largest stone arch bridge and send a postcard from a real Qing-era post office
- Incense Plaque DIY (Optional, Day Trip +$30) — Craft your own traditional Chinese incense plaque with a local artisan
Itinerary
Choose Day Trip/Sunset Tour
Day Trip — Morning Departure
8:00 AM — Free pick-up from your Shanghai downtown hotel. (Pudong Airport area? Add $30–50 per car.)
9:30 AM — Scull Boat Ride. Board a traditional wooden boat and glide through the narrow back canals. This isn’t the main tourist waterway — you will pass homes where residents hang laundry, tend rooftop gardens, and go about their daily lives. The boatman steers with a single oar from the stern, a technique unchanged for centuries.
10:00 AM — Kezhi Garden. A surprisingly elegant private estate that blends Chinese classical landscaping with Western architectural touches. The story behind it — a local merchant who studied abroad and came home to build his dream garden — is even more interesting than the architecture.
11:00 AM — Fangsheng Bridge & Qing Dynasty Post Office. Stand on Shanghai’s largest stone arch bridge, then visit a beautifully preserved post office from the Qing Dynasty where you can actually mail a postcard home.
12:00 PM — Lunch break by the water. Not included, but your guide can arrange a local meal for $15/person.
1:00–2:00 PM — Free time. Browse handcraft shops, sample local snacks, or relax in a canal-side teahouse.
3:30 PM — Arrive back at your Shanghai hotel.
Add the Incense Plaque Workshop (+$30/person): Depart for the artisan’s studio at 1:30 PM, craft your own traditional Chinese incense plaque using aromatic herbs and time-honored techniques, finish by 3:30 PM, and return to your Shanghai hotel by 5:00 PM.
Sunset Tour — Afternoon Departure
2:00 PM — Free pick-up from your Shanghai downtown hotel. (Pudong Airport area? Add $30–50 per car.)
3:30 PM — Kezhi Garden. The warm afternoon light paints the garden in rich tones — water reflections ripple across the stone pathways and pavilions, giving the estate a completely different character from the morning hours.
4:30 PM — Fangsheng Bridge & Qing Dynasty Post Office. Take your time on the bridge and browse the artisan shops along the old streets.
6:00 PM — Sunset Scull Boat Ride. As the sun dips lower, board a traditional boat for a cruise through the canals. Watching golden light paint the ancient bridges and tiled rooftops is the kind of moment that stays with you. (Timing adjusted by season to catch the sunset.)
6:30 PM — Riverside dinner. Not included, but your guide can arrange a waterfront meal for $15/person.
8:00 PM — Leave Zhujiajiao.
9:30 PM — Arrive at your Shanghai hotel.
What's Included
- Round-trip transportation from central Shanghai (free downtown pick-up)
- English-speaking guide (driver-guide for 2-3 pax; separate driver + guide for 4+ pax)
- Scull boat ride (max 6 passengers per boat)
- Kezhi Garden entrance ticket
What's Not Included
- Meals (can be arranged at $15/person for local lunch or dinner)
- Optional incense plaque DIY workshop (+$30/person, Day Trip only)
- Pudong Airport area pick-up/drop-off (+$30-50 per car)
- Personal expenses
- Tips for guide and driver
Good to Know
- What to wear: Comfortable walking shoes — the stone paths can be slippery, especially near the water
- Best photo spots: Fangsheng Bridge from the canal level, and the Kezhi Garden lotus pond
- Booking note: Please specify Day Trip or Sunset Tour when booking
- Weather: The tour runs rain or shine; the canals are especially atmospheric in light rain
- Sunset timing: The boat ride is scheduled to catch the sunset and may shift with the season
- Options: Skip the incense workshop? Prefer the metro? Contact us to customize
- Questions: Contact us for more info