SHANGHAI
Home to 24 million people and on China’s eastern coast, Shanghai is famed for its vibrancy, and rich history. Iconic skyscrapers ignite the views in a city that has preserved its colonial-era architecture blending Eastern and Western influences, evidenced by the modern districts of Nanjing Road and Xintiandi.
Aside from being the epicentre of cuisine and shopping, Shanghai is also a global powerhouse in innovation and tech, evidenced by its various art activations. Old-world charm meets futuristic glamour in a city where hidden dumpling haunts and Michelin-starred dining ignite the city of sophistication.
THINGS TO DO
The Bund
A walk along the waterfront promenade offering views of Shanghai’s skyline (including the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower) is essential, where the historic colonial buildings offer a striking contrast to the modern skyscrapers across the Haungpu River.
Yu Garden
Xintiandi & Huahai Road
The chic and style-centred districts are stockpiled with local and designer boutiques, department stores, and aesthetic cafes, fit for the sophisticated traveller. When the night falls, Xintiandi is alight with trendy bars, restaurants, and a lively atmosphere.
Nanjing Road
The famed shopping street in Shanghai stretches beyond 5 km. This bustling street is packed with department stores, luxury boutiques, restaurants, pop-up exhibitions, five-star hotels, and entertainment.
Yu Garden
Yu Garden is quintessential Eastern charm, with traditional pavilions, koi ponds, a classical Chinese garden, and a bustling Shanghai food and shopping scene.
RESTAURANTS
Located in the Park Hyatt near the Bund, Dining Room specialises in Michelin-starred Jiangnan dishes and various dim sum offerings. The restaurant is also known as Yue Xuan (悦轩) when searching on map apps, for a modern Shanghainese meal amongst high ceilings and panoramic river views.
Jia Jia Tang Bao
For the xiaolongbao enthusiasts willing to wait for a spot to feast. Ensure that the Alipay app is downloaded, to scan for a number on the waitlist.
Din Tai Fung
To minimise the overwhelming selection of Chinese eateries, Din Tai Fung is a classic never-miss restaurant with multiple branches across Shanghai for a dumpling fix (from Nanjing Road to the Shanghai World Financial Center).
Nudake
BARS/CAFES
Metal Hands
In a city of more than 8, 000 coffee shops, Metal Hands is a cosy pit stop behind Huahai Road for a Vienna-style coffee with cream or cinnamon latte (finished with poached egg art on top). They do not have an Instagram account, and can also be listed as “Mietal Hands” when searching.
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In a sci-fi-designed space, the famed Chinese pastry store has elaborate displays of cakes, cookies and candies. The trending intergalactic store can be found on the second floor of the Super Brand Mall, adjacent to the Oriental Pearl Tower.
NUDAKE Haus Nowhere Shanghai
Housed in an art activation, croissants disguised as gym equipment are playfully displayed adjacent to the cafe offering coffees and pastries on Huahai Road. A shared space with the new-age designs of Gentle Monster adds to the experimental theme.
The bar on level 36 of the Shangri-La Pudong boasts 180 degree views of the Bund, and is best enjoyed after sunset. An extensive drink list, moody feels, and a non-negotiable window seat is required.
At the Banyan Tree hotel, Tops is a rooftop bar creating a tropical oasis atop the concrete jungle. A challenging choice of a view of the Bund or Huangpu River awaits, for afternoon tea or pre-dinner cocktails and tapas.
STAY
Five star, by The Bund. Centrally located and spread across two opulent buildings, the alluring Waldorf Astoria Shanghai has three illustrious restaurants, marble bathrooms, a grand breakfast buffet, and an indoor pool. A hotel stay embedded in luxury from the service, detailing, and Personal Concierge on hand.
Shangri-La Pudong
Overlooking the Huangpu River in the financial district, the rooms offer river or city views to enjoy the Shanghai lights from all angles. There are 7 restaurants, 3 bars, 2 indoor pools, a spa, a tennis court, a sprawling breakfast area, and VIP lounge access. All the essentials.
THINGS TO KNOW
Navigating
As Google Maps will not work for navigating in Shanghai, it is recommended to pin locations on the app to visit before departure, as these will remain accessible. For navigation, Apple Maps or Baidu will work, however, be mindful that many location names may not appear (or are listed in the Mandarin translation), so copy and paste an address where possible.
Payments
Most restaurants and shops will only accept Alipay (similar to PayPal) for payments, so downloading the app is key ahead of a visit to Shanghai. Alipay also has a scanning feature to scan for restaurant sittings/view the menu/make payments, connect DiDi travel, translate, and purchase an eSim.
Communicating
WeChat (not WhatsApp) is the main app for communications in China, particularly when communicating with drivers, restaurants, hotels, etc. This is also a social media platform in China, which has a Reels feature for endless doom scrolling.
Technology
For Westerners, popular apps like TikTok, Instagram, Google/various search engines, Apple Pay, WhatsApp and Uber will not work in China. It is possible to purchase a VPN, however, it is recommended to download the above-mentioned apps to navigate during a stay. In lieu of using Uber, the Chinese DiDi is recommended and can be linked to AliPay.
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Shanghai creates a dazzling cosmopolitan backdrop for the stylish traveller. A city blending East and West from Michelin-starred dining to sizzling street food, with an effortless mix of culture, luxury, and adventure.
As the vibrant financial capital of China, Shanghai boasts world-class shopping and dining, with heavy cultural influences from the historic French Concession.