Xiaokunshan weekend escapes: From river-crab feasts to rice-culture retreats

Xiaokunshan town in Shanghai's Songjiang district is emerging as a weekend escape for international visitors, blending riverside cuisine, immersive rice-culture experiences, and pet-friendly resorts that showcase local heritage and leisure, as well as weekend cultural events.

At Dangwanli Crab Restaurant, part of the Kunxiu aquaculture base and famed for Huangpu River hairy crabs, the seasonal harvest runs from September to December, and advanced farming gives each crab a traceable laser ID to build buyer confidence.

Huangpu River hairy crabs. [Photo/WeChat ID: sh_songjiang]

Songjiang's first drone-assisted crab farming base. [Photo/WeChat ID: sh_songjiang]

Rice pavilion. [Photo/WeChat ID: sh_songjiang]

At the rice pavilion and Baobao Rice cultural space, a 15-meter rice-shaped viewing tower, local rice drinks, creative souvenirs, and workshops offer hands-on learning for families and young entrepreneurs, along with interactive demos.

Beverages brewed from Songjiang rice. [Photo/WeChat ID: sh_songjiang]

Rice processing plant of the Xiaokunshan town. [Photo/WeChat ID: sh_songjiang]

Nearby, Xiaokunshan rice mill offers visitors a transparent production line, a rice-culture museum, a ground-floor shop, and Mi Coffee bar, which offers new taste combinations of rice milk and espresso, along with seasonal tastings.

Mi Coffee. [Photo/WeChat ID: sh_songjiang]

At Buddy Run pet resort, set beside the Jiangnan Rice Art Sightseeing Park, expansive lawns, seasonal scenery, and nearby cultural landscapes combine with pet boarding and leisure facilities to offer a relaxed countryside weekend ideal for families, pet owners, and photo enthusiasts.

Buddy Run pet resort. [Photo/WeChat ID: sh_songjiang]

Jiangnan Rice Art Sightseeing Park. [Photo/WeChat ID: sh_songjiang]