It’s a bit awkward to admit, but my initial encounter with Ninghai was due to a case of mistaken identity, much like the “Madongmei effect.”
There was a classmate from Ninghai in our class, and for four years, I mistakenly thought he was from Linhai. I kept raving to him about how delicious the wheat cakes and seaweed cakes were…
While Linhai is great, Ninghai, this small county, is also worth exploring!
Ninghai (Ningbo), Linhai (Taizhou), and Haining (Jiaxing)—I bet you’re already confused. Let’s clarify the locations first.
Ninghai is to the south of Ningbo. It’s a 1.5-hour high-speed train ride from Hangzhou and 2.5 hours from Shanghai, making it a perfect choice for a weekend getaway.
Ninghai’s layout is very well-organized, characterized by “mountains within the city, the city within the mountains, mountains connected by water, and the city by the sea.”
This is also the first small town shared in the travel notes of Xu Xiake, the original travel influencer. If we were to draw a parallel, it would be like Xi’an in the route of Xuanzang’s pilgrimage to the west.
The nationwide “May 19 China Tourism Day” with free or half-priced attractions
originated from Ninghai’s “May 19 Xu Xiake Opening Tour Festival.”
Now that it’s not quite the season for the beach, it’s the perfect time to visit Ninghai for some hot springs. Imagine real hot springs with forest springs bubbling out.
Ninghai Anlan, which introduced many people to this place,
is famous for its private hot spring baths.
If a place doesn’t serve good food, I have no interest in going there. Ninghai is close to Taizhou, so there are many similarities in cuisine. (My Taizhou DNA is tingling)
There’s a Ninghai Food Mansion in Ningbo city, which I consider one of the top three seafood restaurants in Ningbo. This also reflects the high dining standards in Ninghai.
After writing this article, there are new cases in Beilun, Ningbo, which is annoying. Ninghai, however, has remained a low-risk area. If you have some time off at the end of the year and don’t know where to go with your family or friends, consider Ninghai!
1
A Place Abundant with Forest Hot Springs
The best places for hot springs in Zhejiang are Wuyi and Ninghai.
Ninghai’s hot springs are concentrated in Tianming Mountain. The official name is Ninghai Forest Hot Springs, but locals still call it Nanxi Hot Springs more often. The name “Tianming Mountain Nanxi Hot Springs” was inscribed by Guo Moruo.
The first to introduce the Nanxi Hot Spring was the Ninghai Nanyi Hot Spring Villa. I heard from my classmate from Ninghai that this place used to be a government sanatorium, with a bit of the flavor of a guesthouse.
Next to the guesthouse is the Nanyuan Hot Spring, which doesn’t have many pools—if I remember correctly, there are 16. But perhaps because not many people know about it, it’s quite tranquil.
The environment at the Nanyi Hot Spring Villa is truly excellent, with forests, streams, and a trail nearby that I walked the entire length of. You can go for a hike and breathe in the fresh air in the morning after waking up.
However, the hotel is quite old, so I don’t particularly recommend staying here.
In recent years, there has been a surge in the construction of hotels and guesthouses on Tianming Mountain, with the best hotel in Ninghai, the Ninghai Anlan, located about a 10-minute drive from the Nanyi Hot Spring Villa.
You are probably familiar with this hotel. It drilled a hot spring well over 2,000 meters deep, offering all villa-style rooms with private hot spring access, allowing guests to soak in the comfort of their rooms.
The public hot spring at the hotel, like in Japan, requires guests to bathe in the nude, with both indoor and outdoor pools. It’s fair to say that it surpasses other hot spring hotels in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region.
Indoor Hot Spring Pool
The room rates at Anlan are quite high, especially during the winter peak season.
There is also a “budget alternative” located on the mountainside of Tianming Mountain, the Ninghai Hanya Kaiyuan Hot Spring Resort Hotel. Don’t bother looking for products, but I do highly recommend it.
What qualifies as a “budget alternative”?
This Kaiyuan hotel opened in 2019 but was renovated for a year, almost as good as new. All rooms come with private hot spring access, including the basic room types, but there are no public pools.
The key point is that the Kaiyuan’s daily room rates are almost 40% of Anlan’s, offering extremely high value for money.
The downside is that the hotel is located within the Yancang Mountain Scenic Area, making dining relatively inconvenient—either you drive out or you have to dine at the hotel.
2
The Most Wild and Fun Destination in Ningbo
In the winter, Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region is cold and frozen, making it hard to speed up the vacation pace. I think spending at least a day at a hotel soaking in hot springs is a worthwhile activity.
Sightseeing is optional, but for completeness, I’ll mention it.
Ninghai’s area is not small among county-level cities, and in terms of, I think it leans towards the wild and outdoor.
For example, Ninghai has the first national-standard hiking and fitness trail in China. This well-known trail in the outdoor community is over 500 kilometers long, with one main route, two auxiliary routes, and numerous branch lines. The trail is very well marked, with numbered signs every 200 to 300 meters, ensuring a high level of safety.
Of course, I wouldn’t be able to complete the entire 500km journey for just 500 yuan. I’d be content with just a segment of it.
A recommended route is starting from Xujia Village, passing through Wayaotou, Wangshe, Dujuan Mountain, and Miaoxiang Temple, with a total length of 15km. It’s a suitable distance, and the scenery along the way includes tea gardens, bamboo forests, and small streams.
Besides hiking, this season is also a great time to visit Ninghai for skiing at the First Peak.
The ski resort at the First Peak is built on a mountain, and it takes half an hour to reach the top by cable car.
Once at the summit, the area is vast, covering 90,000㎡, including the ski area and a “Flying Saucer Hall.” There are three ski slopes equipped with magic carpets, tow ropes, and double chairlifts, all of which are artificially snowed, resulting in a harder snow quality.
When I visited, the ski resort hadn’t opened yet, so I only got a general look. I estimate that the First Peak might not be enough for intermediate to advanced skiers, but it’s perfect for beginners to have some fun.
It’s said that when Ningbo locals go skiing, they either choose Shanglianggang or the First Peak. However, the First Peak has an additional advantage: Ninghai has hot springs. You can ski during the day and enjoy hot springs in the evening, a truly exhilarating experience!
If outdoor activities are too physically demanding, consider a road trip.
Besides the famous Daming Mountain, Ninghai’s Forest Hot Spring Avenue, particularly the “Shenzhen Section,” is also known as “Ningbo’s Most Beautiful Boutique Line.”
This 36.8km driving route passes through the hometown of the renowned Chinese painter Pan Tianshou, Hehong Village, known as Ningbo’s first longevity village, Yancang Mountain Valley, a sacred place for three religions, Shadi Cultural Art Village, and Longgong Village, a famous historical and cultural village in China.
These attractions were copied and pasted from a source, but they are all along the Shenzhen Section, with many guesthouses and well-developed facilities.
Every region in Jiangnan has its own notable ancient town, and Ninghai’s is Qiantong Ancient Town.
Qiantong Ancient Town gained some fame as the filming location for Chen Yifei’s posthumous work “The Barber,” and it has since become one of Ninghai’s most important attractions. The entrance fee is not cheap, at 60 yuan per person.
The town features stone houses, stone walls, and stone paths, giving it a unique charm unlike the more commercialized Wuzhen or Xitang.
The original residents have not left Qiantong, and you often see people carrying vegetables or riding bikes home, creating a lively and authentic scene.
Image credit: @Jia Ming
There are also several popular coastal villages in Ninghai, though they might not be as seasonally appropriate this time of year.
For example, Xiashan Village, located at the tail end of Xiangshan Port, is small but known for its cheap, fresh, and delicious seafood.
Xiashan Village is part of the Qiangjiao Archipelago, dubbed the “Thousand Island Lake of the Sea,” offering beautiful scenery. If you know a local boat captain, you can charter a boat for a seafood feast on the sea.
Another notable village is Luojiakeng, which has embraced the trend of internet fame. Many people come here for camping and gatherings in the summer. After enjoying an afternoon tea that yields 500 photos, you can take a stroll along the coastal boardwalk.
The small villages mentioned above can be connected into a route, and the official guide map is quite clear. Of course, driving yourself would be more convenient.
3
Ningbo seafood + Taizhou snacks = Ninghai deliciousness
Ninghai has both mountains and sea, but in my opinion, it falls into the category of “small and exquisite,” not quite reaching the top but more than sufficient compared to the bottom.
The sea, compared to Xiangshan, still has some distance to go, and the mountains are not as famous as the neighboring Tiantai Mountain, but with such a terrain, Ninghai’s produce is definitely rich and its flavors definitely outstanding.
What are Ninghai’s specialties? There’s a saying: “Changjie’s razor clams, Yuexi’s mudskippers, Chalu’s wheat cakes, Chayuan’s sweet potato noodles, and Yishi’s white loquats.”
How to enjoy them? Let me loosen my belt and tell you.
🕗
8:00 A.M.
A devotee of Taizhou-style breakfasts
Yishi Liu
📍 No. 212, Xinggong Er Road, Taoyuan Street, Ninghai County
Some of the breakfast snacks Ninghai people eat, like wheat pancakes, wheat cakes, wheat shrimp, and steamed rice, make this spiritual Taizhou person feel very much at home!
Yishi Liu is a very representative shop locally in Ninghai. Going through the menu, you can sample a variety of Ninghai snacks all at once.
Image: @
The Yishi Liu in the shop’s name itself is a type of snack, with both savory and sweet versions. The sweet one contains peanuts, dates, raisins, and other dried fruits; the savory one includes dried tofu, bean curd, oysters, and so on, with a texture that is a thicker soup.
Image: @
There is also another shop called Fenlan Liu, which is not as famous as Yishi Liu but also offers a variety of snacks, all with great taste.
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Laoximen Steamed Rice
📍 No. 12, Laoximen Road, Ninghai County
This is a shop that has been around for a long time, and the steamed rice here is very popular. The rice is soft and sticky, and the side dishes are very rich, making it a very satisfying breakfast.
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📍 Near No. 186, West Street, Ninghai County
Yishi Liu is considered a “snack collection shop,” while Old West Gate is more specialized, focusing solely on steamed rice, which has become quite popular online.
Their selection of ingredients for steamed rice is extensive, filling up an entire counter. The first time you go, choosing the ingredients alone can take quite a while.
Image: @Fairy Godmother
The steamed rice here follows the Wenzhou style, with sticky rice as the base, a spoonful of meat broth poured over it, and then topped with your favorite ingredients.
The prices at Old West Gate are very affordable. For 10 yuan, you can get a generously loaded bowl of deluxe steamed rice, which explains why there is often a queue.
Image: @Yoouゅ
🕦
11:30 A.M.
Another Southern city known for its love of noodles
Good Again Seafood Noodles
📍 Southwest of Qiaotouhu Market, Wanshang Road, Qiaotouhu Subdistrict, Ninghai County
Ninghai people have an innate love for noodles. In addition to the common alkaline noodles, Ninghai also has rice noodles, sweet potato noodles, and chui noodles, among many others.
Qiaotouhu Seafood Noodle Restaurant is probably the most famous seafood noodle place in Ninghai, but this one benefits from its location. A local friend recommended Good Again to me.
Image: @Ah Fantuan Fantuan
You can buy affordable seafood from the market and bring it to Good Again for the staff to cook into a pot of noodles, or you can order directly at the restaurant.
Ninghai’s seafood noodles are completely customizable—you can get a bowl of triple-meat and shredded pork noodles for just a dozen yuan, which is generously loaded and tastes great; or you can splurge a hundred yuan and add king crabs and a full bowl of fish, shrimp, and shellfish.
Image: @Leela
Another place known for its seafood is Sanbao Noodle Restaurant. Their signature Sanbao Noodles feature shrimp, clams, and razor clams, topped with a spoonful of shredded pork, making it incredibly savory!
Image: @In Ninghai
**Xiao Li Clay Pot Shop**
📍 No. 16 Dongda Street, Yuelong Subdistrict, Ninghai County
A well-known veteran shop in Ninghai, where fans’ pots are usually eaten during late-night snacks in Jiaxing. However, clay pot shops in Ninghai typically close around 7 or 8 PM, so it’s best to visit during regular meal times.
Image: @_
Xiao Li’s clay pot dishes are slightly sweet due to the addition of bean paste in the broth.
The main dishes include rice noodles, sweet potato noodles, rice cakes, and dried noodles, among others. Many ingredients can be added separately, with prices ranging from ¥18 to ¥30 for a large pot, offering both deliciousness and value.
There is also a sister shop with comparable popularity, so just choose the nearest one to dine at.
Image: @chocodu
🕒
3:00 P.M.
**Even Snacks Can Become Gourmet Icons**
**Lao Wang Chicken Thigh**
📍 Next to the Administration for Industry and Commerce, No. 67 West Renmin Road, Xixiangtang District
In addition to Xiao Li Clay Pot, Lao Wang Chicken Thigh is another iconic snack in Ninghai that everyone knows.
The chicken thigh is as large as a torch, first deep-fried and then grilled on a metal mesh, resulting in a texture quite different from ordinary fried chicken.
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What’s special about Lao Wang’s chicken thigh is the crispy skin, which has a texture somewhat similar to Wenzhou’s lard residue. It’s dry and juicy, requiring strong jaw muscles, but it becomes increasingly fragrant with each chew.
Paired with a seasoning powder that’s hard to replicate, the taste is truly unforgettable.
Image: @_
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🕖
7:00 P.M.
Come to Sanjin Seafood to whet your appetite
Shidianban Restaurant
📍 No. 48 Shanhe Road, Yuelong Street, Ninghai County
Shidianban was recommended by my Ninghai classmate, who said that it’s a place they often go to for family gatherings or when they have friends visiting from out of town. It’s convenient and trustworthy.
Image: @*Flower*
Their specialty is Ninghai local home-style dishes. Whether it’s snacks or stir-fries, the flavors are authentic. The seafood pricing is also quite reasonable. Ordering a few signature dishes can make everyone satisfied for around 70 RMB per person.
Image: @*Flower*
It’s a pity that just as Ningbo managed to remove the travel restrictions, there are new confirmed cases. All one can do is sigh. Fortunately, Ninghai has always been a low-risk area with relatively normal travel conditions.
As the year draws to a close, it’s time to slow down and enjoy quality time with family and friends. If you’re looking for a place to visit together, consider going to Ninghai for hot springs or skiing.
