Shanghai is the most populous city in China with 24 million people. Yangtze River, the longest river(6,380 km) in China, whose river basin is home to one-third of the population, empties out to the East China Sea in Shanghai. This geography is the central factor in the development of the city throughout history. It’s been the center of international trade since the 1800’s, and Britain, France, and America all got in to have a piece of the action.
I think the Bund, pictured above and below, is a good place to start a tour of Shanghai to witness these geopolitical factors.
If you have one day in Shanghai, stay near the People’s Square. Then grab a cab or walk (1.7 km or 1 mile) to the Bund to have a $30 lunch at M on the Bund. Sit on the terrace (weather permitting) and take in the view of the River, colonial-style buildings, and the mega highrises on Pudong New Development area across the river. Remember that you are paying for this view. Actually, you are having a fine dining experience on the cheap in international standard.
After lunch, take a cab to Yu Garden shopping area 5-10 minutes south to see a traditional garden. There are lots of shops in this area that is connected to a huge local market zone selling everything one can imagine.
Then you can head back to the hotel area. If you want to visit one museum in town, the Shanghai Museum(free) is a must. If you don’t feel like doing a museum, go to their store. You will find a huge selection of refined goods at reasonable prices. Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center next door is a good place to stop in if you are curious about the development of a mega city.
Dinner can be at a Shanghai-style Yang’s Dumpling House nearby or at a more refined Chinese restaurant in the trendy Xintiandi area. Cab drivers know how to get there. If you can’t say it, ask your hotel people to write it out in Chinese characters to show to the driver. It shouldn’t take more than 5-10 minutes to get there. Crystal Jade and Din Tai Fung are our favorites.
After dinner, you will want to stroll up and down Nanjing-lu, the main drag right outside of your hotel. Go west on this road, and you will see glitzy shopping malls filled with designer stores. Go east, and you will be among the millions of people just strolling in the pedestrian-only section of the road decorated with crazy neon signs.
If you have 2 days in Shanghai, you may want to add a ferry ride(2 Yuan = almost free) on the River when you are in the Bund and go to the bar or the cafe at Park Hyatt Hotel Shanghai and get the view without visiting one of the observation decks.
You can also add another eclectic shopping and dining area called Tianzi Fang, pictured below. This is an area of older residences converted to trendy stores and eateries. You can do a stroll or a walking tour of French Concession, including Fuxing Park, before or after.
If you like art, 50 Moganshan Road is an interesting place. There are 120 galleries mostly dealing with modern art in converted warehouses.
Inbetween the old and the trendy lies the dreary Shanghai. The real shambles that used to be there right next to super tall buildings are mostly gone, but the not-too-old-to-be-torn-down part remains all over the city.
More information on Shanghai travel: click!
If you have 3 or 4 days in Shanghai, you might consider going to one of the water towns or Hangzhou for a day. You can get to Hangzhou on the high-speed train in 45 minutes.
