普陀山

Why this place

Mount Putuo is an island off Ningbo and the sacred mountain of Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion — which makes it one of the busiest pilgrimage sites in China, with temples, a 33-metre statue and beaches. It is unusual among the sacred mountains in being an island, reached by ferry.

What to see

• The 33-metre Guanyin statue at the southern shore, and the Zizhulin temple
• The Puji Temple, the largest on the island, and the Fayu Temple
• The Huiji Temple on the hilltop, and the Thousand-Step Sand beach
• The pilgrimage paths, walked by thousands of visitors in the main festival periods

What to eat

• Vegetarian temple food, eaten at the temples
• Zhoushan seafood in the port towns on the way

How to plan

Two days on the island, with a ferry from Ningbo or Zhoushan.

Best time

April–June and September–November; the Guanyin festivals in the second, sixth and ninth lunar months are extremely busy

Practical tips

• It is a pilgrimage island — dress respectfully, and book ferries and accommodation ahead in festival periods