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Star gazers flocking to Jinshan beach to witness solar eclipse

NASA says suburban Shanghai will be one of the best spots in the world to catch Wednesday's astronomical phenomenon, reports Tan Weiyun.

Jinshan City Beach may be the best spot in Shanghai to catch the total solar eclipse next Wednesday.

According to a report from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, one of the better places to catch the eclipse is in Shanghai's suburban Jinshan District, which is along the Hangzhou Bay.

So far the beach's management committee has signed deals with more than 45 international travel agencies and astronomy groups, arranging for more than 1,300 people from 12 countries and regions to see the eclipse on Wednesday.

"The number is still growing and it does not include individual astronomy fans from here and abroad who will come to the beach to witness the eclipse," says Jiang Siguan, deputy director of the Jinshan Coastline Development and Management Committee.

On Wednesday, the beach will be divided into two zones, one for the tour groups and the other for individual visitors.

"We are organizing it this way to guarantee everyone's safety," Jiang says.

Many hotels in Jinshan have been booked and the district's eight star-rated hotels have no more rooms available the night before the solar eclipse.

Astronomy experts say beachfront sites can be windy, so they recommend going a few hundred meters inland. Prevailing winds in the area are from the south and southeast, which brings cooler and cleaner air from the South China Sea.

Since hotels are largely booked in Jinshan, many overseas eclipse watchers will go to Zhejiang Province across the Hangzhou Bay. More than 400 travelers in eclipse tour groups have arranged to stay in towns such as Jiaxing and Anji. The towns have signed with more than 10 international travel agencies from Japan, Singapore, the United States and Spain, among others.

To add to the festive feel of the eclipse, various beach parties and carnivals will be held on Wednesday.

Tickets to the beach remain the same price as last year. From Monday to Friday it's 30 yuan (US$4.4) per person and on weekends it costs 50 yuan each. Tickets from 5:30pm to 8pm is 50 yuan every day.

Students, soldiers, people with disabilities, retirees, seniors and children under 1.2 meters will receive a discount.

How to get there

Take the expressway A4 and exit at Tingwei Road. Turn left onto Tingwei Road. Transfer to Jinshan Avenue then Weiling Road. Turn left when seeing the local cultural center. Drive eastward and the beach is there.



 

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