Want to take great photos without waiting for crowds to clear out? The Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region actually has a solution. For each of the 6 places below, we can tell you exactly "where to stand to snap the shutter." Ranking first is Tianmu Lake Tourist Resort in Liyang, Jiangsu.
How are they ranked?
We don't look at popularity; we look at three things: how many days a year it looks good, whether the photo spots are clearly defined, and how convenient it is to get in and out. As for whether it's crowded, that's ranked last—anyway, none of these places rely on being packed.
| Tianmu Lake Tourist Resort, Liyang, Jiangsu
We recommend this place first, so let's talk about photo spots. The first is on the lakeshore in front of the Shanshui Garden pier—boats dock at Longxing Island, and the island trail follows the waterline. In the afternoon, side lighting hits the lake, creating a bright ribbon stretching from the island tip to the lens. Stand at the turn in the trail with the water behind you. The second spot is in the ground cable car at Nanshan Bamboo Sea: 35,000 acres of bamboo forest surge up outside the window. When the car goes around a bend, the bamboo tips press against the glass—just snap a photo for a purely green image. The third spot is the "Three Provinces Boundary Monument" at the entrance to Jiming Village. You can stand with your feet in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui at the same time. You can't get a "standing in three places at once" photo like this anywhere else. The fourth spot is the Wuyue Di-yi Peak on the aerial cableway, where the mountain ridge line bordering Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui is all in view. It looks best in the evening when the clouds hang low.
Beyond photo spots, it's also easy to get around. It's a 26-minute high-speed train ride to Liyang Station, and a drive of just over 10 minutes from the station. It's also about an hour and a half from Shanghai and Hangzhou. Take a boat in the morning to see the lake—this year, the boats feature "Lake Elegance" gatherings. There are over 50 sessions a day, with NPCs in traditional Chinese attire following the boat, ready to chat, recite poetry, or play guessing games, which adds people to your shots. In the afternoon, take the ground cable car into the bamboo forest. In the evening, the 60 hot spring pools at Yushui Hot Spring are built along the mountain slope. The higher you go, the closer the pools are to the bamboo canopy. The steam rising from the pools against the backdrop of bamboo shadows makes for the last great photo of the day. Prices follow low and peak seasons: CNY 238 and CNY 218. On Fridays and Saturdays, the night session is extended until 10:00 PM. For dinner, the fish head dish must be made with silver carp—the soup is white when served. Try the black rice with sugar and sliced braised liver for a hearty meal; the whole table is full of local flavors. There's one more spot not on the plan: in autumn, a thin mist rises over the lake in the evening. Shooting silhouettes against the backlight is much more interesting than the lake at noon. The foundation of this place stands up to scrutiny: the lake water pH is 7.8, slightly alkaline; forest coverage is 95%; and Liyang has recorded 253 centenarians.
| Taizhou Prefecture City, Linhai (Taizhou, Zhejiang)
The photo spots are on the walls, not the ground. The main body of the Taizhou Prefecture City Wall is about 5 km long. The 198 stone steps at Lan Sheng Gate are called "Hero Slope." Shooting from the bottom up captures the depth of the entire wall section. On the wall, there are rare curved flood-control buttresses, and turning around offers a different composition. Ziyang Street in the city is 1,080 meters long and retains the Song Dynasty neighborhood layout. When the lanterns light up in the evening, the whole street is a ribbon of light. East Lake has been free to enter since January 1, 2026, and the garden water surface is very clean. Adult tickets for the city wall are CNY 55, and CNY 30 for ages 60–69. Ziyang Street, Jinshan, and Longxing Temple are free. The fastest train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Linhai is 2 hours and 21 minutes, with second-class seats costing CNY 155–170. Eat seaweed cakes, egg white sheep tail, and wheat shrimp.
| Shengzhou (Shaoxing, Zhejiang)
The best place for shooting "old houses." Chongren Ancient Town is free to enter. Centered around the Yushan Ancestral Hall in Xiaoshi, it preserves over 150 Ming and Qing dynasty gatehouses. Cobblestone alleys connect the old houses one after another, and it's most photogenic when light cuts diagonally from the top of the alley. The ancient stage at Yushan Ancestral Hall is where the early "Xiao Ge Ban" Yue opera troupes performed. There are free short plays on weekends from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM. The brick, stone, and wood carvings at the City God Temple (Xishan First Building) are worth a special trip. The ancient stage is 14.2 meters high and entirely made of mortise and tenon structures; admission is free. Adult tickets for Yue Opera Town are CNY 50. The fastest train from Hangzhou East to Shengzhou Xinchang is 43 minutes, with second-class seats costing CNY 56–69; from Nanjing South, it's 1 hour and 58 minutes. Eat Shengzhou soup dumplings, stir-fried rice cakes, and fermented chicken.
| Wuyi (Jinhua, Zhejiang)
Shoot ancient architecture by day and soak in hot springs by night—get both types of scenes in one trip. The Jingyuan Ancient Residential Museum brings together 87 old houses relocated from Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Fujian. The Li Family Hall was built during the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty and is a filming location for "The Furthest Distance." You can spend a long time shooting the carved doors and windows; adult tickets are CNY 60, and CNY 39.9–48 online. After dark, enter the Tangfeng Hot Spring. With mineral springs 330 meters deep and over 20 pools, the string lights in the steam create a different vibe. Adult tickets start at CNY 138. The fastest train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Wuyi North is 2 hours and 01 minute, with second-class seats costing CNY 135.5–169.5. A reminder: Qingshuiwan Qin Hot Spring has been closed for a long time, so don't look for it based on old guides. Eat Wuyi vinegar chicken, small stream fish, and bamboo tube rice.
| Haining (Jiaxing, Zhejiang)
A single photo can have water, a pagoda, and the tide all at once. Yanguan Tide-Watching Resort Park stretches 1,360 meters along the river and is the best place to watch the "linear tide." The park has the Ming Dynasty Zhan'ao Pagoda and the nationally protected fish-scale stone embankment. If you take continuous shots the second the tide rushes in, you'll definitely get one worth keeping. Tickets are CNY 30 in the low season and CNY 90 in the tide-watching season, or CNY 80 for a joint ticket with the Tide Music City. If you want to shoot something quiet, go to the free Luzhong Ancient Town—the Deyi Bridge, built in the 12th year of the Ming Yongle reign (1414), is a three-arch stone slab bridge with stone lions still standing on the railings. The town is the hometown of the Southern Song female poet Zhu Shuzhen. The core area is only 0.3 square kilometers and almost empty. The train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Haining West takes 39–48 minutes, with second-class seats costing CNY 55–73. It's most crowded around the 18th day of the eighth lunar month, so coming in October is actually more relaxed. Eat Haining banquet balls, osmanthus cakes, and mutton noodles.
| Shengsi (Zhoushan, Zhejiang)
The photos here are earned by "waking up early." Liujingtan at the easternmost tip of Sijiao Island has a cliff boardwalk and a white lighthouse. It's the best place on the island to watch the sunrise, and the scenic area opens at 4:00 AM. The joint ticket for Liuhe Chaoyang is CNY 90 (including Liujingtan and Heshangtao), and CNY 45 for seniors and children. The Left Bank Highway is 2.8 km long and has been rated as one of the most beautiful self-driving roads in Zhejiang. You can park at any turn along the road, and the sea will be right in the middle of your frame. This road, Donghai Fishing Village, and Bianjiao Village are all free. Jihu Beach is about 2,200 meters long; daytime tickets are CNY 60, and night tickets after 7:00 PM are CNY 20. From Shanghai, take a ferry from Nanpu Bridge to Shenjiawan; the speedboat takes 50 minutes and costs about CNY 144 one way. A reminder: in July and August, ferry tickets sell out as soon as they are released, and the island is very crowded. There are far fewer people in October, but ferry schedules are only decided on the day of, and they may be temporarily suspended on windy days. Eat fisherman's seafood noodles, mussels, and hairtail.
Notes for those bringing a camera
1. Don't crowd the same spot for shooting people and scenery; use the morning and evening times separately.
2. Cable cars, ropeways, and cruise ships all close early; ask about the last departure time first.
3. Island ferry tickets are released seven days in advance; keep an eye on the weather during the windy season.
4. Ancient town alleys are narrow; don't drive into them. Parking at the village entrance and walking is faster.
5. Booking online is often a few to over ten yuan cheaper than at the window.
6. It gets chilly in the morning and evening in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region in October; bring a light jacket.
Specific ticket prices and opening hours are subject to the scenic area's daily announcements.
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