Sheshan National Forest Park

Typical Shanghainese always have a special relationship with the Sheshan Hill, 35 kilometers from the downtown area in west suburban Songjiang District.

Since Shanghai's average altitude is only 4 meters above sea level, Sheshan Hill, with its highest point at 97 meters, is often jokingly termed a "mountain."

So if any Shanghainese says he/she is going to climb a mountain in Shanghai, the destination will definitely be Sheshan National Forest Park.

As one of the earliest forest parks in Shanghai, Sheshan is a good place to free oneself from the hustle and bustle of the concrete forest.

There are two main hills among the 12 hills inside the forest park: the West Sheshan Hill and the East Sheshan Hill.

The East Hill is 74 meters high and famous for its bamboo shoots. In spring, there is a bamboo shoot festival. The park will provide tourists with tools to dig out the shoots and, if you like, you can take them home to cook a typical Shanghai dish - bamboo shoots stewed with pork.

The West Hill is the geographical top point of Shanghai, and maybe it's also the reason that the biggest Marian Basilica in the Far East and the Astronomical Observatory were built on top of the hill.

Address: Sheshan, Songjiang District

Admission: West Hill, 30 yuan (including the Astronomical Observatory and the Maria Basilica); East Hill, 45 yuan (including sand sculptures, the Birds' Heaven and Butterfly Garden)

Tel: 5765-1666, 5765-3235

(Shanghai Daily September 18, 2009)