I went to visit 2 forest parks in Shanghai, Gongqing Forest Park and Binjiang Forest Park. Each spanning more than 100 hectares, in other words 140 football fields! Both are home to over 300,000 trees belonging to more than 200 species.
The northern section of the Gongqing Forest Park is the largest and hosts the majority of its attractions and activities, including rock climbing, horseback riding, kart racing, toboggan rides, and roller coasters. In contrast, the southern section is characterized by serene mini lakes and ponds. And of course plenty of space to let the kites fly. I also was looking forward to see the Huangpu river and to wander along its shores, soon as I discovered it’s only industrial, I took a picture and went back to the forest
Shanghai Binjiang Forest Park sits at the northernmost edge of the city, where the Huangpu River meets the Yangtze. It offers a convenient escape into nature—though getting there still requires some effort. Meandering walking paths weave through the greenery, making it a great option for those looking to immerse themselves in a tranquil, natural setting without venturing too far from the city.
I was really looking forward to go to the shore as it’s supposed to be one of the biggest river in Asia what I didn’t expect is that it is so vast and although there’s an island in the back, it really felt like being at the ocean. The island was 7 km away and could barely see its shore. What a great place to just sit and think why is it usually that on being in nature among trees with mountains or at the ocean my thoughts just wonder and I begin to think how tiny this life I have is compared to the vastness of our planet and then even our universe.
The other parts of the park were also pretty great. Both parks are ideal for a half-day visit, featuring well-maintained landscapes, diverse ecological zones, gardens, and wetlands. A proper oasis to calm down and escape busy city life.
I preferred Binjiang over Gongqing because it’s more dense, features taller trees and even has little hills with shrines and little paths carved out, surrounded by man made lakes and small rivers. I really enjoyed coming back to nature although it’s man made it feels so nice for my soul to just roam around freely, soak in the fresh air and lush green from the plants. Also during the week, both parks don’t have that many visitors which was quite a relief after our experience in Pearl Tower.
OM shanti
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