Moganshan may be an obvious choice for a Shanghai escape, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any less relaxing. Head to the Zhejiang mountain retreat this month and you’ll also experience tea picking season.
While you’ll find a range of cheap Moganshan guesthouses on our website (see the link at the bottom of this message), if you’re looking for a luxe getaway Le Passage Mohkan Shan fits the bill. You’ll feel a world away from the city’s constant and luring buzz at this gorgeously restored French-style country house set among an eight-hectare organic tea plantation.
When you arrive, reception can advise you on available activities, including the likes of bike riding, bird watching, golfing and hiking. However, for the month of April, tea picking is the go-to favourite. For an additional 280RMB per person, you’ll get a private session with a skilled tea hand where you can wander through green and yellow tea plantations, participate in the annual harvest and learn how to pick Moghanshan’s indigenous Camellia Sinensis plant.
When you get back to the hotel, don’t skip a dip in the spring water pool, before hitting the bar for a cocktail and sliding into dinner in the Armand David Restaurant. In 2015, Toyo Koda (formerly at Franck in Shanghai) took over as head chef, and has since been crafting French and organic cuisine that has seen Le Passage earn a reputation as a culinary hub.
Spend any remaining time you have at this peaceful and natural retreat walking the hills of Moganshan or sinking into the leather sofas in the fireside salon with a book. If you’re lucky, the resident dog Tiger might even drop by for some companionship.
Those visiting Moganshan but not staying at Le Passage can also stop by their off-site eatery, The Old Cinema Restaurant Bar & Terrace (369 Moganshan, Yinshan Lu, Moganshan Town). Serving French bistro classics and light snacks such as pizza, rotisserie chicken and homemade sausages and terrines, it’s worth a visit just to sample Chef Toyo’s creations and check out the beautiful restoration of the 1970s stone building.
For full details on how to get there and how to book, and for more getaways from Shanghai, hit the link at the bottom of this message.
