Zhoushan's Island Beaches
Zhoushan, Zhejiang
Sand beaches scattered across the archipelago's many islands, including well-known stretches on Putuo Island itself, offering a quieter coastal alternative to mainland China's more developed beach resorts.
Why visit Zhoushan's Island Beaches?
With well over a thousand islands, Zhoushan's coastline is unusually varied for a single Chinese prefecture, ranging from developed harbor towns to quiet, sparsely populated outer islands — it's one of the few places in eastern China where genuinely undeveloped coastline is still easy to reach. The archipelago setting also means beach time is often combined naturally with island-hopping by ferry rather than staying in one resort area.
How to experience it
Beaches closer to the main port towns and Putuo Island are easiest to reach and busier, while the outer islands require more ferry time but offer a quieter, less developed coastal experience. Because the islands are spread across open water, weather and ferry schedules matter more here than at a typical mainland beach destination, so it's worth checking conditions before committing to an outer-island day trip.
Tip
If time is limited, the beaches on Putuo Island itself can be combined with a temple visit in the same day rather than needing a separate trip to an outer island.