Chongming Dongtan Wetland

Chongming Dongtan Wetland sits at the very eastern tip of Chongming Island (the third-largest island in China, at the mouth of the Yangtze). It is a Ramsar-listed wetland and key stopover for migrating shorebirds along the East Asian–Australasian flyway — late autumn and early spring bring spectacular bird counts. The visitor area has boardwalks through reed marshes, observation towers, and a small interpretation center. Sunrise here is famous (the wetland faces due east into the Yangtze estuary). Plan a half-day minimum from downtown Shanghai — it's ~2 hours by tunnel + bridge + local bus, easier with a private car. Closed-toe shoes and bug spray essential.