Key areas
Pu Dong This area, which lies to the east of the Huangpu River, has developed rapidly in the past 10 years. The new high-tech business zone, along with the many apartment complexes and country villas, continue to lure expatriates and locals. Huang Pu One of Shanghai’s most famous sites, the Bund (locally referred to as waitan) lies in this district. Directly across the Huangpu river from Pu Dong, it has been Shanghai’s commercial centre for over 150 years. Also in this area is Nanjing Road, a famous shopping street, as well as tourist sites such as People’s Square, the Shanghai Museum, the Shanghai Grand Theatre and the Shanghai Art Museum.
Lu Wan One of the oldest and most established districts in Shanghai, Lu Wan (along with Xu Hui) is often referred to as the French Concession because the majority of the city’s graceful old mansions are here. Today these buildings house the residents of Shanghai (sometimes up to 10 families) or popular bars and restaurants. Jing An Named for the Jing An Temple, this up-and-coming area contains some of the most expensive storefronts in Shanghai. City Plaza on Nanjing East Road is the city’s newest shopping complex and houses international luxury brands eager to enter the world’s largest market. A number of the city’s four and five-star hotels are located here, along with quite a few multinational companies. This district is great for shopping and a good meal and will give you a real feel for modern Shanghai.
Xu Hui This large district to the south of the city is a mix of the old French Concession, the Shanghai Stadium and the popular retail and commercial area of Xujiahui. A great reminder of the city’s former status as a ‘concession port’ stands here, the Dongjiadu Church. It was the first Catholic church built in China and the surrounding district was once the largest diocese of Catholicism in the country. For a taste of Shanghai’s ‘bright lights, big city’ atmosphere, visit the intersection of Hong Qiao, Heng Shan and North Caoxi Roads in the evening, when it’s glittering with billboards and lasers.
Getting around
The Shanghai Metro system is one of the newest in the world. It has three lines at the moment, with a new line being developed further out to the west. Line 1 travels north to south, Line 2 east to west (across the Huangpu river to Pudong) and the Pearl Line (an elevated railway) travels north beyond the metropolitan area. Although the system is fast and efficient, especially if you’re travelling to or from Pudong, be warned that your ‘foreign’ appearance may attract significant staring. Fares range from 13p to 32p.
It can be difficult to flag down a taxi sometimes, so in bad weather be sure to wait where others are getting out, such as office buildings and hotels. For the most part, Shanghai taxi drivers are a pleasure, but the majority can’t speak English and many aren’t used to foreign accents. It’s best to have your destination address on a card in Chinese, or get a local to explain it to the driver. The starting rate is 65p for the first 2kms, then 13p per kilometre. The night rate (11pm-5am) starts at 84p. The average 10-15 minute ride costs 65p to €1.
Shopping
The variety of goods, along with the potential to bargain down the price, makes Shanghai a shopper’s paradise. The two main shopping areas for visitors are East Nanjing Road and Huai Hai Road. Those interested in labels should visit Maison Mode (1312 Central Huai Hai Road), Paris Spring (939 Central Huai Hai Road), Isetan (527 Central Huai Hai Road), Times Square (93 Central Huai Hai Road), Westgate Mall (1038 East Nanjing Road) or Plaza 66 (1266 East Nanjing Road).
The boutiques of Changle Road (on the corner with Shaanxi Road) and the department stores lining Central Huai Hai Road and East Nanjing Road are also worth a visit, as their sales and stock clearances are sometimes even better than what you bargain for in the markets. For touristy stuff, such as mementos and unusual gifts, check out Yuyuan Gardens Bazaar and Xiang Yang markets (on the corner of Xiang Yang Road and Central Huai Hai Road). Both are extremely crowded and a pickpocket’s dream.
Gifts to buy
Cheap DVDs are easily found in small audiovisual stores throughout the city and a number of backstreet/underground stores. One which is particularly popular with locals and expats is the Ka De Club. Located at 438 Zhen Ning Road (near Wan Han Du Road), all the DVDs are price-fixed (65p) and they have many boxed sets, which make great gifts back home.
For something a bit more Chinese, such as a knock-off antique or exotic silk purses, check out the following markets: Dongtai Road Antique market, the Gubei Flower and Bird Market (1778 Hongqiao Road) and Yuyuan Gardens Bazaar (on Fuyou Lu near Huai Hai East Road).
The Shanghainese are famous for their snacks. You’ll find great nibbles like candied walnuts, dried bacon, floss snacks (unlike anything you’ve ever tasted before), maple-flavoured toffee and White Rabbit milk chews (like old corner-store lollies). Just about every convenience store and supermarket will have these, along with a number of chain stores, the Shanghai No. 1 Department Store on Nanjing East Road and the Shanghai No. 2 Foodstore on Huai Hai Road (near Shaanxi South Road).
Things to do
The most famous sightseeing spot in Shanghai is the Bund (referred to locally at Waitan). Located adjacent to Zhongshan East Road, it’s actually a strip of old colonial-style buildings which are slowly being restored and renovated under the cautious eye of the local government.
As a 24-hour hive of activity, it offers interesting sights at any time. At night wander the walkway and marvel at the floodlit architecture that looks over one of the busiest trade routes in Asia.
Popular with foreign and Chinese tourists, Yuyuan Garden is rarely quiet. Completed by the Pan family in 1577, this traditional Chinese garden is a central meeting point for locals and a great place to people watch. Grab a cuppa at the Huxinting Tea House and you might find yourself sitting at the same table that Queen Elizabeth II used during her visit.
The People’s Park, at the intersection of East Nanjing Road and Central Xizang Road, is a great spot to get a feel for modern-day Shanghai. Walk through the park on a weekend when it’s packed with families and couples.
Xintiandi (www.xintiandi.com), meaning New Heaven and Earth, is a continually expanding shopping complex. In the evening it’s packed with locals and tourists going to the many restaurants and snack shops. Although it sells itself as a restoration of the old shikumen houses, it’s really a prefabricated series of buildings and alleyways financed by Hong Kong developers. The complex houses two interesting museums. The First Communist Party Hall, located in the south block, has been turned into a small museum, as has one of the original shikumen houses. This second museum is particularly interesting and provides real insight into the lifestyle and living arrangements of the former tenants.
Excursions
Suzhou, in the province of Jiangsu, is famous for its magnificent gardens and premium quality silk. Hire a taxi for the day (about €39) as it’s only an hour’s drive north-west of Shanghai. The historic city centre (2,500 years old), which has been protected from modern development, is often referred to as China’s most beautiful city. The delicate web of canals, bridges and old buildings continues to inspire artists and you’ll find many lovely paintings here to take home as souvenirs. The fascinating city of Nanjing is a very Chinese mix of ancient and modern. Although it’s possible to do the return trip in a day (600kms), the distance makes it more suited to an overnight stay. Once the southern capital city of China and home to 10 different dynasties, Nanjing is full of temples, museums and the Sun Yat Sen mausoleum. You can get there by train, bus or taxi (2 hours 40 minutes, €116 oneway or €130 return).
The small fishing village of Zhujiajiao lies just west of Shanghai. Buses run there, or you can hire a taxi for about [00a3]20 (return). It’s a pleasant place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai. Take a trip along the canals with a Chinese gondolier or chuanfu and enjoy the sights that float by—elderly residents taking a nap, tree branches dipping into the river and locals selling handicrafts from their boats.
A visit to the She Shan Catholic Church, 50kms south-west of Shanghai, is a surreal experience. This 100m mound is the closest thing to a hill in Shanghai. It’s bizarre to find a towering Catholic church and active congregation among the local peasants. The church was built in 1920 and incorporates a meteorological station and observatory. The fact that it survived the madness of the Cultural Revolution, when anything Western was smashed to pieces, is incredible. For those who can’t handle the steep walk, there’s a cable car. You can take a bus from the Wenhua Guangchang or Xiqu bus stops, but grabbing a taxi is the better option—the one-hour trip should cost about €6.50.
Tourist traps
Although Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl TV Tower is a famed landmark and popular spot for those seeking panoramic views of the city, the Grand Hyatt hotel provides a better atmosphere and a wider view. Yuyuan Bazaar, while popular with tourists and trinket-seekers, is a once-important historical site which has been renovated and updated beyond recognition. Only for the serious bargain-hunter who’s not put off by immense crowds and noise. Shanghai is a haven for pickpockets and, like any major city, it has its fair share of beggars and street children. Keep your valuables close and where you can keep an eye on them.
Convention centres
Shanghai Exhibition Centre, 1000 Yan’an West Road, Tel: 6247 6776, Fax: 6247 6980. More than 22,000 square metres of space over four halls, with two levels in each. Convenient hotels are the Portman Ritz Carlton and the Hilton Hotel. Shanghai International Convention Centre, 2727 Riverside Avenue, Pudong,
Tel: 5037 0000, Fax: 5037 0999, website: www.shicc.net/en/briefing.htm, email: hotel@shicc.net. The nearest hotel is the Oriental Riverside.
INTEX Shanghai, 88 Loushanguan Road, Tel: 6275 5800, Fax: 6275 7210, website: www.intex-sh.com/english/index.htm, email: intex@public.sta.net.cn. One exhibition hall, but with 12,000 square metres over two levels. A convenient hotel is the Sheraton Grand Tai Ping Yang Hotel. Shanghai Everbright Convention and Exhibition Centre, 6th Floor, Building C 68 Caobao Road, Tel: 6475 3288, Fax: 6436 0000, website: www.secec.com. Built in the form of a triumphal arc and includes a large hotel in one of the towers. Total area available is 34,000 square metres, with two halls and five levels.