Glamping in Shanghai

I’ve been meaning to go “camping” in Shanghai for a while, knowing that whatever activity I engaged in would probably be pretty different from what I know as “camping” in the USA. Well, on the October holiday, I finally did it… my first glamping experience. (And yes, they even call it “glamping” here in Shanghai, too… 精致露营 in Chinese.)

Shanghai Morning Glamping

The campgrounds are located within a large park on Changxing Island 长兴岛 (near Chongming Island 崇明岛) called 长兴岛郊野公园 (Changxing Dao Jiaye Gongyuan). You pay for a park ticket (and dogs can get in too, if you buy their tickets), and then you can pay additional fees to rent out a tent for a night (complete with air mattresses), or for a space to pitch your own tent. (Guess which option most people choose?)

Shanghai Morning Glamping
Shanghai Morning Glamping
Shanghai Morning Glamping

You can basically rent or buy anything camping related you might want: pre-lit hibachis to do your cooking, kebabs of food ready to grill, a cookout set that you set up yourself, picnic tables and chairs, etc.

Shanghai Morning Glamping

I’m pretty sure no open fires were allowed, but there was a public bonfire lit by the park employees at night.

Shanghai Morning Glamping
Bonfire, not yet lit

As expected, there weren’t many “experienced campers” there. I overheard one lady who was shocked to discover that there were no showers at the park.

During the day, you see a lot of tents in non-camping areas of the park. In China tents are often used as shelter from the sun during a relaxing day in a park, rather than shelter from the elements for sleeping in at night.

Shanghai Morning Glamping

All in all, it was enjoyable. It just wasn’t the “camping” that I know.

Shanghai Morning Glamping

See also: Bubble Houses in Shanghai’s Space Forest

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John Pasden

John is a Shanghai-based linguist and entrepreneur, founder of AllSet Learning.

Comments

  1. […] bubble houses look cool, though! I think I enjoyed this place more than glamping, for the novelty of […]

  2. hello, do you know how to book this camp site? Do they have a WeChat?

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