Plan at a glance
Location, ticket and opening hours
Tiantong Temple is inside Tiantong National Forest Park in Dongwu Town, Yinzhou District, Ningbo. The temple itself is free to visit, but advance reservation through the official platform is required. Some hiking routes in Tiantong National Forest Park may charge separately, depending on the hiking entrance and the arrangement that day. The temple is open from 6:00–17:00, with entry usually ending around 16:30.
How much time to allow
Allow about 3 hours for the main temple courtyards. The Cold Fragrance Pagoda Court, Central Peak Pagoda Court, Ancient Tiantong and South Mountain Evening Green route is about 6–7.5 km and usually takes 3–4 hours. The hiking loop from Lower Santang Village through the old village and bamboo forest and back is about 10 km and usually takes 4–5 hours.
Visit scope
Consider Tiantong Temple, the forest-park trails, the roads outside the temple and the sightseeing-vehicle arrangements separately. If you only want the temple architecture, choose the shorter courtyard route. If you plan to hike, bring extra water and snacks and leave more time for the return.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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Temple buildings and old trees
Wanggong Pool, the Seven Pagoda Court, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Sutra Library and the Arhat Hall form the main temple visit. More than 200 old ginkgo trees stand in front of the temple gate; the Ming-period Thousand-Buddha Pagoda is about 53 metres high, and the temple also has a Tang-period Chinese juniper estimated to be about 1,200 years old. The buildings and forest look different as the season and weather change.
Seasons and forest trails
November to early December is more suitable for viewing ginkgo, while winter may bring snow scenes and spring has changing flower periods. Seasonal scenery depends on the weather. If ginkgo or flowers are important to your trip, leave room to adjust the schedule and treat the actual view as weather-dependent.
Who should choose this visit
Visitors who enjoy temples, old pagodas and forest surroundings can choose the courtyard route. Hikers who are comfortable on mountain paths and with continuous walking can plan the 6–7.5 km trail. With children or older travellers, assess the distance, steps and return plan before adding the forest section.
Build your day
The approximately 3-hour courtyard route
After entering, follow Wanggong Pool, the Seven Pagoda Court, Hall of Heavenly Kings, Mahavira Hall, Sutra Library, Arhat Hall, the old ginkgo grove and Twin Pools Reflection, then return to the exit. If you hope to eat at the temple, first confirm whether vegetarian food or noodles are served that day and adjust the dwell time; do not make the meal a required link in the route.
The 6–7.5 km advanced hike
Starting from Tiantong Temple, pass the Cold Fragrance Pagoda Court, Central Peak Pagoda Court, Ancient Tiantong and South Mountain Evening Green, then return to Tiantong Temple. The route is about 6–7.5 km and usually takes 3–4 hours. The first section is mainly on concrete roads, while the later section includes bamboo forest and stone steps. This route suits experienced hikers; shorten it according to trail conditions in rain.
The approximately 10 km old-village loop
Start at Lower Santang Village, pass Gongtong Village and Tiantong Temple, then return to Lower Santang Village. The loop is about 10 km and usually takes 4–5 hours. This is a hiking route, and the village can serve as the walking start; parking and access into the forest park must be confirmed separately, and temporary roadside parking in the village is not a dependable plan.
The walk from the gate to the temple
About 1.2 km between the mountain gate and the temple is closed to private cars. You must walk or use a sightseeing vehicle according to the same-day arrangement. If walking, add this section to the total duration; whether the vehicle runs, how to board and whether it charges a fee all follow the on-site arrangement.
Get there
Metro, buses and walking
Take Ningbo Metro Line 1 to Baogong Station, then transfer to Mini Bus 55 or bus 162 towards “Tiantong Temple.” After getting off, you still need to walk about 1.4 km to the entrance. Bus frequency, road conditions and the final stop can affect the actual travel time.
Driving
By car, search for “Tiantong Temple Parking” and follow the on-site signs towards the temple. Parking, fees and vehicle restrictions inside the forest park may be managed separately. If you plan to hike, first confirm how the parking location relates to the trailhead.
Transferring from Ashoka Temple
Tiantong Temple and Ashoka Temple can be two stops on the same day, but you must separately handle reservation, temple entry, forest trails and walking time after the transfer. If combining them, complete the temple that requires earlier entry first, then decide according to your energy whether to add the forest route at the second stop.
Know before you go
Crowds and temple reservations
Weekends and the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month are more likely to be busy. Arrive early if you want a quieter visit. Tiantong Temple is free but still requires advance reservation; reservation details and entry checks follow the reservation platform and on-site requirements.
Hiking gear and supplies
There are relatively few toilets and supply points along the forest-park routes, so carry enough drinking water and snacks before setting out. Wear flat shoes with good grip and slow down on bamboo-forest steps or wet ground after rain. If a trail is closed or access is restricted, adjust the route according to the signs.
Etiquette and food
Keep quiet and dress appropriately inside the temple, and do not take photographs in the halls. Vegetarian food is usually available from 11:00–13:00, with vegetarian noodles also available, but opening, prices and dining locations follow the same-day arrangement. Treat food as an optional stop and plan the return independently.