Shanghai

For anyone who enjoys the fast paced city life, loves to shop and ready to take the language challenge, Shanghai is the city to visit.

Shanghai 2016

When we decided to visit Shanghai thanks my brother being there on an exchange, all that came to my mind about Shanghai (literally ‘on the sea’) was a populous city with bad traffic jams, a cloud of haze, limited food options and cheap shopping. Apart from cheap shopping I was largely incorrect in my assumption.

Known for being the rebel city of China, and leading China in the journey to modernization, Shanghai has a lot to offer. 

Unfortunately, there is not enough good sources on the internet to help you plan the trip and some information is dated as well.

Recommend to go through Trip advisor reviews to decide where all to visit, along with inputs from China Highlights which does talk about most places. 

Google Maps don’t work (neither does Facebook or Google) unless you buy a VPN connection. The data plan available at the airport is slightly expensive; hence you can buy from the city (would recommend China Unicorn). 

You will certainly have to use some 'Translation' apps and use sign language to find your way around the city, but it is not as tough as you would imagine it to be. 

Here are some reasons why you should visit Shanghai and what you should to the make the most of your time there.

The Bund

An iconic stretch for colonial buildings along Huangpu River is a stark contrast from the city high rises (Shanghai ranks in the top 5 cities with maximum sky scrapers).

The row of European buildings once housed banks and trading houses, rekindled back to glory only in the past 15 years and it now the destination for high end hotels, designer brands and classiest hotels.

There are many bars and restaurants overlooking the Huangpu river and the Pudong skyline. Three on Bund is a fairly popular lifestyle destination with three floors of restaurants. (A great place for photos on a clear day)

We had brunch followed by Hi-Tea at POP American and loved it. The service and food both were impeccable. One of the best and beautiful cold soups I have ever had. The brunch was reasonably priced with option for both set meal and ala-carte.

A must visit building here is the HSBC building .With an imposing façade which can’t be missed it has a marvellous mosaic ceiling.

Bund is a good visit both during day when it is less crowded and evenings for a spectacular skyline view. 

Shopping Streets

Heading west from Bund you will cross the Nanjing street, one of the many shopping areas in Shanghai.

The neon sign boards, European and American shopping brands, plush malls hardly give you a feel of being in a communist country.

We were staying in Nanjing area had the chance to witness it all through the day. A busy shopping street by night, mornings at East Nanjing are laid back when several locals are practising local arts, taichi etc.

There is a metro station here, which connects to People's Square (National Museum Shanghai) and also West Nanjing (some more shopping).

Right outside the West Nanjing MRT there are many bakeries and eat-outs. If you are looking to purchase some high end brands walk a little further down to see the glitzy showrooms.

Another popular and a more artsy area is  Tianzifang. This area has a very European in feel with criss-cross alleyways. (which can be attributed to is link with French Concession, the area has not been reconstructed to commercialise).

The alleyways are lined by small boutiques selling everything from silk, designer cheongsam, bags and tea sets. There are many tea houses and cafes where you can spend a quaint evening looking at the street outside.

It is a great place to pick up souvenirs as well. The prices are slightly higher but you can bargain at most shops.

Some of the interesting items to pick from this area:

1.     Ceramic tiles, trays, clocks etc.

2.     Silk Scrafs – you will find the same scarf everywhere in the city but certain shops house more designer scarfs which are slightly expensive but a worth purchase

3.     Sunglasses with a funky cover at 99RMB. They don’t allow you to try but at the price not a bad buy

4.     The Chinese Yoghurt Ice Cream

5.     Art Pieces - there are many art and photo galleries and also some street artists who do various city scapes

History and Culture

From early on, Shanghai was a leading business town and history and culture was left to Beijing. But the Shanghai National Museum houses some masterpieces from the various Chinese dynasties.

The Museum is spread over four floors. You can spend anywhere from an hour to a day based on your interest. The two which I liked the most are Bronze Gallery on Level 1 and Ceramics Gallery on Level 2, which has much more than the blue pottery. The bronze gallery has a massive, 10^th century ding, a food vessel used for cooking and serving (the museum building is also shaped like a ding).

Some of the other galleries are Jade Gallery, Calligraphy gallery, Furniture gallery, Minority Nationalities.

Yu Gardens

Away from the busy city life, these are the only Chinese gardens is Shanghai. The area is very popular amongst tourists and you will cross many souvenir shops (Yuyuan Bazaar) on your way to the main complex. The entrance to the garden is paid but is worth a visit. You can buy fake antiques, Chinese silk, pearls and taste some local snacks.

This area also has a Taoist temple, Temple of the Town God, this was my first visit to a Taoist temple.

Jingan Temple

From Taoism to Buddism, this temple is located above a metro station, between the skyscrapers. Inside there is a golden status of Laughing Buddha and figures of eighteen arhats (saints).

The other things on your checklist when you visit Shanghai should include getting tailor made clothes at the many Fabric Markets. Trip Advisor recommends the South Bund Fabric Market, but you can also explore other like the Shiliupu Fabric Market. The turnaround time is 2 to 3 days and you can get well-fitted shirts, suits and even dresses.

Eat the famous Hotpot, Xiaolongbao (you can try that at Din Tai Fung), hairy crab, sweetened yoghurt and fresh fruit juice from the local grocery stores.

Bring back the renowned Chinese tea and blue ceramic cups to along.

Travel Essentials

Most international flights go to Pudong Airport.

From Pudong airport you can reach the city by Maglev (an exciting way to get to the city in 10mins. The bullet train accelerates to 300km), the metro which is relatively cheaper. Both of them stop by 10PM.

If you are reaching late in the night, there is a night bus to the city. You can also take a taxi or shuttles which directly drop you at the hotel.

Flights which have a domestic connection usually go to Hongqiao. The airport is more central and you can get metro or bus till 11pm.

Getting Around

Metro is the cheapest way to get around the city and the city is well connected. Buying a travel card will save you the hassle of buying a ticket each time although it costs the same.

Taxis are certainly more convenient and cheap for shorter routes. The fare is based on meter reading and we found them safe.