Zhoushan City and Archipelago

Zhoushan is the modern Ocean Garden City (population 1 mln) in a subtropical paradise on a sprawling archipelago of mountainous evergreen islands. With 1390 islands and 3306 reefs, this is the largest archipelago in China. The islands were inhabited 6000 years ago and are rich with historical artifacts, Buddhist temples and other places of interest, including the world-famous sacred Putuo Mountain, as well as nature attractions sprinkled over easy-to-hike mountains and along beautiful sandy beaches -- all linked by well-designed trails, so that hiking is safe and the scenery is spectacular. Largest islands, connected by ferries, are perfect destinations for one-day trips. An excellent Wiki article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhoushan is a must read for every visitor. Hungry travelers will enjoy the local cuisine, particularly seafood, since Zhoushan prides itself as the Seafood Capital of China.

Lodging

Zhoushan has numerous world-class hotels. We recommend the fabulous 4-star (8.6 of 10, according to TripAdvisor) Grand Barony Zhoushan Hotel, which is the Conference venue. The hotel is a 5-minute taxi ride from the Zhoushan Bus Terminal. Attendees will enjoy the special rate of 420 yuan/$60 per night, full breakfast included.

Travel

Air: Foreign and domestic travelers arriving at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport (PVG) or Hangzhou’s Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) could take a comfortable coach bus to Zhoushan (140 yuan for a 5-hour ride from PVG; 115 yuan for a 3-hour ride from HGH). During the bus ride you could enjoy the views of the majestic Hangzhou Bay or just relax by having a nap after a long flight. Arriving at the Zhoushan Bus Terminal, take a taxi for a five-minute ride to the Grand Barony Zhoushan Hotel. Instead of the bus ride, you could fly (1 hour, up to 1400 yuan/$200) to Zhoushan’s Putuoshan Airport (HSN) that serves domestic flights. The airport is 18 km (30-minute drive) from the Grand Barony Zhoushan Hotel. Train would take you from either PVG (5 hours) or HGH (3 hours) to Ningbo on the mainland; then coach bus would take you to Zhoushan (100 km, <2 hours).

Weather

Late October and early November is a perfect time to visit Zhoushan. During this time, the air temperature varies between 14°C and 21°C, while precipitation is at minimum. The average duration of daylight is 11.5 hours, and these hours are mostly sunny. The Zhoushan Island boasts a pleasant climate, with fresh, breezy, clean oceanic air, free of industrial pollution, smog, and haze.