Shanghai’s Sanlin urban forest: a free outdoor escape in Pudong

Shanghai residents looking for a free outdoor break have another option in Pudong: Sanlin Binjiang Urban Forest, south of the Qiantan business district. The city’s 27 October visitor notice lists the 64-hectare site as free to enter and open around the clock.

This is an ongoing public space, not a festival with a closing date. City News Service reported it open on 15 October, so the later city notice should not be mistaken for an exact opening date.

Finding the right place

The forest lies between Middle Ring Road to the north and Outer Ring Road to the south, with Yaolong Road on its western side and Hanlin Road to the east. For navigation, City News Service recommends searching for Sanlin Riverside Urban Forest; the municipal English notice uses Sanlin Binjiang Urban Forest.

Save the location before travelling and choose your route to the part you want to explore. This is a large site, rather than a single small garden beside a shopping centre.

What you can explore

Boardwalks cross a wetland woodland, giving visitors a way to see trees growing in water and watch local waterbirds. Beyond that area, the landscape includes open lawns, bamboo and woodland. City News Service describes Chuntiao Garden in the south, Fengqi Garden in the central section and Hancui Garden at the northern end.

For someone new to Shanghai, the appeal is straightforward: a place to walk or take a break without an admission charge. Check the linked visitor information before setting out. The published 24-hour opening does not establish that every path is lit or every facility is available throughout the night.

Illustrative archive photograph of a Shanghai park, published in June 2024; not Sanlin Binjiang Urban Forest. Photo: Hat Trick / Unsplash, used under the Unsplash License. Cropped and resized.