Traveling to Dongji Island with kids: play in the sand and ride the sightseeing bus on Miaozihu, stay in a seaside stone house on Qingbang, and watch China's easternmost sunrise on Dongfushan

When traveling to Zhoushan, Dongji Island is unmissable. It's not just a dream destination for artsy travelers but also a great island for a family trip. A roughly two-hour boat ride from Zhujiajian gets you there, and two days is plenty to show your kids the rustic beauty of the deep East China Sea. After arriving at Miaozihu Island, head first to the beach. The sand is fine and soft, and at low tide you can collect shells and dig holes with the kids. Then hop on the island sightseeing bus to see the red-and-white lighthouse and Caibogong Viewing Platform for a panoramic view of the island. In the afternoon, take a speedboat to Qingbang Island and check into a seaside guesthouse converted from stone houses—open the window and there's the ocean. At 5 a.m. on day two, take a boat to Dongfushan Island to wait for the sunrise. This is China's easternmost inhabited island, and when the sun slowly rises above the horizon, golden light floods the East China Sea. After sunrise, stroll along the coastal trail to see the abandoned stone house clusters and the unique Elephant Trunk Peak. Though this Dongji Island 2-day tour is short, the scenery, sea breeze, waves, sunrise and time together will leave your kids with warm memories of mountains and sea.