Finding a Shanghai experience for you

I still remember the first time I was driven into Shanghai… flashing neon lights, soaring skyscrapers, horns beeping – slightly overwhelming! This post aims to find an activity suited to you, so that you soon find your way around this lively city.

If you are…

… A Train Fanatic Maglev Train There’s no better entrance to Shanghai than by a 431 kph (268 mph) Maglev train journey, running from Pudong airport directly into the city centre. It is a breath-taking experience - quite literally. These magnetic trains contain screens at the end of each carriage to tell you how fast you’re moving.

TOP TIP: If travelling around China, make sure to use the high-speed rail network (HSR) which can be less stressful and cheaper than flying. What would be a 2h20 plane journey from Beijing to Shanghai, can be a 5h30 journey by train, cost less and has completely transformed the way that the Chinese can travel around their country.

… A Party Animal

M1nt One of the classiest clubs in Shanghai attracting lots of tourists located on the 24th Floor of the M1nt tower with knockout views. Famous for its dance floor surrounded by tanks with (mini and, dare I say, slightly disappointing) sharks. Although it can get very busy, it’s certainly a place not to be missed for those looking for a fun night. TOP TIP: Make sure you dress to impress and be wary of the free bottles of ‘alcohol’ left on tables for tourists. It can be difficult in clubs like these to tell which is real alcohol and which is a concoction of alcohol-like substances. Shanghai World Financial Centre (SWFC) Ladies, if you’re free on a Wednesday Night and the 24th floor of M1nt isn’t high enough for you, get yourself to the 92nd floor of one of China’s tallest skyscrapers - the Bottle Opener. With Ladies Night on a Wednesday (sorry boys), you can enjoy free sparkling wine until 22:30. The Music Room is much less crowded here and you will literally be dancing on top of the world.

… A Party Pooper Xintiandi If you’re not up for a crazy night out (because most in China can be), Xintiandi offers plenty of spots for memorable meals and sophisticated bars for drinks.

TOP TIP: Make sure that you have some cash to splash!

… A Culture Vulture Ancient Culture Yuyuan Gardens Otherwise known as 南市, this is the most traditional and oldest part of Shanghai. Here you can take a tranquil refuge among traditional Ming-dynasty architecture, shaded gardens and glittering pools to get a glimpse of ancient China, and step away from the modern Shanghai hustle and bustle! TOP TIP: Arrive early in the morning to beat the crowds.

The Bazaar Located next to the gardens lies the Mid-Lake Pavilion Teahouse and a surrounding bazaar area, where you can practice your haggling skills (as well as crowd-pushing) to find souvenir ideas from silk scarves to panda hats to clay teapots and Mao statues. TOP TIP: If wanting to escape the busy crowds and discover ancient Shanghai without so many other tourists, some of the small and darker alleyways leading away from this area can be a better way to explore. People’s Park Located south of Shanghai’s main shopping street, Nanjing Road, this is one of the top tourist destinations in the city. The Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art is nearby, as well as the old British racecourse club building. The park becomes a real-life version of the Tinder app at weekends with the ‘marriage market’ taking place, where parents advertise their single daughters and sons in the hope of trying to find them a life partner.

Jing’an Temple One of the most eye-catching places in Shanghai is among West Nanjing Road’s 120-storey high skyscrapers where you’ll find this Buddhist temple. Jing'an Temple has had over a decade’s worth of restoration in recent years. TOP TIP: A great place to capture photos containing ancient Shanghai architecture with modern Shanghai skyscrapers in the background.

Modern Culture

French Concession Once designated to the French, today this is one of the classiest and coolest areas in Shanghai boasting leafy shaded streets, local stone-gate house architecture and endless shops and artsy boutiques. TOP TIP: Wukang Lu, Fuxing Lu, Tai'an Lu are some of the most beautiful streets to walk down. Xintiandi and Tianzifang are the hotspots for shopping and dining.

The Bund

Featuring some of the world’s tallest buildings (including the second tallest - Shanghai Tower at 632m), the Bund is forever providing a hypnotising view for tourists with its iconic skyline. Originally a place where fortunes were made and lost during colonial Shanghai, glitzy restaurants and bars located near the skyline nearby attract tourists today.

TOP TIP: During early morning, many locals practise taichi next to the Bund, and late evenings see the Bund double in size as it lights up and reflects its neon lights onto the river.

… Daring

Pudong Depending on how daring you feel, you can:

1. Walk among giants by crossing over to Pudong, then go to the top of one of these towers if you have a head for heights and see breath-taking views across the city. This is available in Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Centre, Jinmao Tower or Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

TOP TIP: The Shanghai Tower offers a ride to the 121st floor in the world’s fastest elevator or the Jinmao Tower allows visitors to look down the middle of the tower from the top, which is probably worth the price of the ticket alone!

2. Take part in the Jinmao Tower Glass Skywalk. The glass skywalk along the side of the Jinmao Tower offers a new thrill for daredevils. The 88-Storey building offers a 60m skywalk which you can be harnessed to and walk alongside (with no handrails) for up to 30 minutes. … Disney Mad Shanghai Disneyland Opened in June 2016, mainland China’s first Disney attraction provides the perfect day out for family or friends seeking some Disney magic, although the epic rides are unfortunately accompanied by epic queues. TOP TIP: If you want to embarrass your friends singing along to the firework display at the end, prepare yourself, as you’ll have to learn them in Mandarin!

… A Broke Student Make the most of free entry into Shanghai Museum, Power Station of Art, People’s Park, Ladies Nights (see Party Animal section) and walking tours around the Bund, French Concession and Jing’an so you can explore Shanghai without feeling too sorry for yourself. TOP TIP: Make sure to haggle to the best of your ability when buying souvenirs to save a few yuan! … A Vegetarian Many vegetarians are often quite sceptical about remaining vegetarian whilst in China, but all in all, I survived quite well. Seeing as Shanghai serves food that most resembles Western food compared to other regions of China, there is no need to worry about going hungry here. (I am planning to expand on being vegetarian in China in a later post!) Gongdelin This was one vegetarian restaurant I tried with my veggie friend whilst in Shanghai. Gongdelin offers many dishes containing tofu made to resemble meat dishes (no matter how convincing it may be with crispy “duck” and sesame seed “chicken” rolls) all served at a very reasonable price.

… A Shopper

Nanjing Road Nanjing Road is comprised of two sections: East Nanjing Road and West Nanjing Road. East Nanjing Road links the Bund with People’s Square and is one of the most famous streets of China due to being the most popular shopping street in East Asia in the 1920’s. Today the largest Apple Store in China is found here, as well as H&M, many other department stores, bright colourful signs and people selling copy watches and purses.

TOP TIP: This street can come in handy when buying clothes or shoes, as many foreign tourists will find that Chinese sizes (and fashion) can be quite different from European clothes.