AS the May Day holiday approaches, Baoshan District promises to be one of the best destinations for a spring outing. Here are some recommendations for the hottest holiday scenic spots in Baoshan. Fei Lai reports.

Gucun Park

Gucun Park is the largest suburban forest park in Shanghai. Featuring themed zones, such as a forest barbecue zone, an exotic zone and a carnival zone for children, it provides an ideal place for urban dwellers to relax, entertain and get closer to nature.

The park is fully covered with different species of plants, creating beautiful displays all year round. Visitors can appreciate cherry blossom in spring, lotuses in summer, osmanthus in autumn and plum blossom in winter.

Now is the time to enjoy late cherry blossoms, as many varieties of cherry blossom are showing their full, cloud-like glory and charming grace, leaving blossom watchers enchanted as the gentlest breeze sends the delicate blooms falling in a "petal rain."

In flower on the trees, the blooms beam with radiance; when disturbed by wind and rain, their petals cover the ground in a pink carpet. So why don't you and your partner hire a tandem bicycle and cycle round the park. Nothing could be more poetic than romantic date among the spring cherry blossom.

Address: 4788 Hutai Rd

Tel: 5604-5010



Luodian Old Town

With a history of more than 700 hundred years, Luodian was built in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). It reaches Jiading on the west, Liuhe River on the north, Dachang on the south, and Wusong on the east, forming highly developed water and land transportation system, creating a prosperous economy, and thus earning the title "Golden Luodian."

Datong Bridge, Fengde Bridge and Lailong Bridge in the town are all stone bridges with about 300 to 500 years of history.

The Brahma Palace and Buchang Street built during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties are still completely preserved.

Wendao Garden is a particular highlight, where tea tasting and studying Taoism are very popular.

The Hui-style old house of the Taoism Garden is far away from the noisy clamor of the city, quiet and beautiful. More than 20 ancient resident houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties are located here - including Chin-shihdi, Martial Arts Scholar Mansion, Official Hall and Diaohua Mansion.

More than 600 pieces of rare stone and more than 120 ancient stone inscriptions dating from the Song Dynasty (960-1276) are on display at the Stone Museum - their variety surprising many visitors.

Tasting tea and appreciating stones in such an old house help people understand the simple nature of the tea ceremony and experience's rich history and culture.

Meanwhile, visitors can listen to Brahma music at Baoshan Temple. The temple was once the Tang family's Villa, before being converted into a Buddhist temple.

It was originally built during the Zhengde period in the Ming Dynasty and was moved and rebuilt in 2005.

Covering an area of more than 1.33 hectares, the core area is composed of dozens of individual buildings, including the Hall of Heavenly King, the Mahavira Hall and the Scriptorium, which can hold more than 20,000 people.

The temple is built in the style of late Tang Dynasty (618–907): pillars and roof beams are made of African rose wood, with the diameter of the pillars in the Hall of Heavenly King exceeding 60 centimeters.

At the east of the core area, a temple park of over two hectares is being planned. Then, a 37-meter high wooden pagoda will be built for people to meditate and listen to Brahma music.

Taoism Garden

Address: No. 2888 Panjing Rd

Tel: 6686-6777



Baoshan Temple

Address: by Lianqihe River, Tangxi Street, Luodian Town

Tel: 5686-2411

Wusong Fort Bay Wetland Forest Park

Wusong Fort Bay Wetland Forest Park combines the distinctive wild charm of the wetland landscape of Yangtze River mudflats with man-made gardens, parkland and visitor attractions.

In addition to primary ecological wetland, the park boasts facilities such as a fort, a commemorative square, tumbling waterfalls and splashing creeks, a children's amusement park, Shanghai Yangtze River Estuary Science and Technology Museum, the Seashell Theater, a dock and a gym.

By integrating scientific education, recreation and sightseeing, Wusong Fort Bay Wetland Forest Park has become a distinctive tourist attraction in the city.

Cruise watching is one of the more unusual tourist activities to be found taking place at the forest park.

From the vantage point of the wooden walkway around the park, visitors can watch many well-known luxury cruise ships from all over the world anchor at Wusongkou International Cruise Harbor.

And, in addition to the luxury ships, the rest of the view is also pretty impressive.

Golden reeds near the shoreline stretch as far as the eye can see, waving in the wind, while birds forage and play among them.

Visitors keen to learn more about the area need look no further than the Yangtze River Estuary Science and Technology Museum in the park.

Exhibits there are based on the evolution of the Yangtze River estuary and combine the estuary history with a cultural perspective, scientific research, environmental protection and science and technology activities for schoolchildren.

Wusong Fort Bay Wetland Forest Park is the only professional exhibition hall in China that takes estuaries as its theme.

The Yangtze River Estuary Science and Technology Museum contains estuary landscapes from all over the world, dynamic 4D movies and complete and accurate pictures and texts, enabling tourists to learn about the estuary in an interactive way.

Cruise watching at Wusong Fort Bay Wetland Forest Park

Address: 206 Tanghou Rd

Tel: 5657-9007



Yangtze River Estuary Science and Technology Museum

Address: 1 Baoyang Rd

Tel:3127-5999

Shanghai Museum of Glass

The Shanghai Museum of Glass was in the past the old glass furnace workshop of the Shanghai Light Industry Glass Co Ltd.

Following a revamp by a famous French engineer, it was transformed into an artistic environment showcasing the development of modern technology and techniques.

The museum is divided into five exhibition areas: What Is Glass?; The Development of Technology and Techniques; From Daily Life to the Forefront of Science and Technology; Demonstration of Art Creation; and The Hot Glass Workshop.

It also includes various interactive activities, such as a multimedia lab, a cold/hot glass workshop and on-site processing show and the opportunity for visitors to make their own glass products.

These activities can help tourists learn about the history and processing techniques of glass and appreciate the unique glamor of creating "crystal colored" glass.

Visitors can witness this magnificent show taking place in the hot glass demonstration hall.

In the furnace with temperatures reaching more than 1100 degrees Celsius, the glass raw material goes through a fantastic transformation with each step of softening, soft processing, burnishing and pressing, before finally emerging as sparkling crystal glass art pieces.

Visitors can enjoy a close-up view of the processes involved in creating glass artworks, and get an appreciation of the many possible uses that glass can be put to.

The performances are held at 2:30pm Tuesday to Friday; 11am and 2:30pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Visitors keen to try their hands at making glass objects should head to the hot glass DIY project in the museum's hot glass workshop.

There they will have the opportunity to try to create personal glass products, under one-on-one instruction from professionals.

Shanghai Museum of Glass Admission: 20 yuan

Hot glass DIY price: 300 yuan for 30 minutes/person, 500 yuan for 60 minutes/person

(please make an appointment in advance)

Address: 685 Changjiang Rd W.

Tel: 6618-1971

Meilanhu Lake Scenic Area

It was once renowned as a "famous small town in China" and a "new city landscape ecological town in Shanghai." Now, Meilanhu Lake Scenic Area can also claim to be the only small town in the area with a decidedly Nordic flavor.

Meilanhu Lake is vast and shimmering, its waters seeming to merge with the sky. Cafes, boutiques, home decoration shops, handicraft shops and art galleries are scattered along the Nordic Street.

In addition, there is a shopping mall, a 36-hole golf court, an international conference center, restaurants and other facilities to meet visitor needs, whether it be for leisure, a holiday, a conference or shopping.

In spring, the area is green and full of vitality. Newlyweds smile to the camera at Meilanhu Lake; a family walk their dog on the grass; and couples relax in roadside cafes, all adding to the quaintness of this fairytale-like Nordic town.

So if you want to escape the clamor of the city to become reacquainted with nature or if you just want to experience a little Nordic charm without traveling to Scandinavia, then look no further than Meilanhu Lake Scenic Area.

Meilanhu Lake Scenic Area

Address: 6655 Hutai Rd

Tel: 5659-1267