A man’s travel guide: Shanghai
“The SKYLINE is the LIMIT in SHANGHAI”
What do you know about Shanghai? That it’s the biggest city in China? That it’s a global financial hub? That’s all I knew about Shanghai before visiting it. But I have to admit that I was lucky enough to discover that it’s far more than this.
Shanghai is one of the most exciting places I’ve been to, it has a fast-paced life and you always feel that the time goes by very quickly. I know that it isn’t going to be easy to convince you to go all the way to China, especially if you live in a distant country. But speaking from a person who had traveled from Egypt to Shanghai, I can tell you it’s definitely worth it.
Shanghai is one of the most exciting places I’ve been to, it has a fast-paced life and you always feel that the time goes by very quickly. I know that it isn’t going to be easy to convince you to go all the way to China, especially if you live in a distant country. But speaking from a person who had traveled from Egypt to Shanghai, I can tell you it’s definitely worth it.
The Nightlife
I know, it’s pretty unusual to start with the nightlife, right? But I can’t help but do that, Shanghai is a night city, and obviously, the nightlife is the best thing about it. I went to a nightclub called “Fusion” on one of my last days in Shanghai, and I wish I knew about it earlier, it was an absolute party blaster!
And there’s more; The colorful city lights, the tall shiny skyscrapers, the pubs, the nightclubs, the bund, Oh I didn’t tell you about the bund?
The Bund
It’s basically the landmark of the city, it’s a huge pier-like road where you can stroll in the morning or evening and feel amazing. You get to watch the Huangpu River and the Shanghai Tower along with the most dazzling skyscrapers in China. My favorite time to go there is at sunset, so you can catch a little bit of the afternoon and a little bit of the evening.
Shanghai’s People
Maybe one of the things that I enjoyed the most were the friendships I made during my journey. I discovered that the residents of Shanghai are very helpful and they will always do their best when you ask for help. A couple of students came and asked to take a photo with me and asked me if we can be friends, they’re absolutely adorable and they get really excited when they see a tourist. And despite the fact that their English may be a little difficult to understand and they don’t always know how to express themselves in it (I’m talking about most of them), they always find creative ways to communicate with you.
The Temples
Of course, you can’t go to China without visiting at least one temple, it’s the core of Chinese culture. Some of the best temples I visited are Jing’An Temple, Longhua Temple, and my favorite one, the Confucius Temple.
What I liked the most about Confucius Temple wasn’t the temple itself, it was the pedestrian street right next to it. It’s a fabulous place to visit and it’s one of the best touristic areas that you must visit in Shanghai.
The Shopping
Of course, I can tell you about all the fancy malls that have the most popular brands shops, but what’s so special about that? Have you traveled all the way to China so you can shop at H&M?
What I preferred were the street markets, they have got pretty much everything you’ll ever need for a cheap price. Of course, don’t expect high-quality stuff, but it’s great for buying souvenirs, home gadgets, accessories, etc.
Thanks to Google, I found the Hongqiao Pearl Market, which was really cheap and you could even bargain until you get the price that you like. I once dropped the price of a shirt from 400 to 40 RMB! Maybe I’ll write a tutorial later on how to bargain like a pro.
The Weather
I haven’t been to Shanghai in Winter, but I know that it can get very cold (3°C) especially during December. If you’re planning on going in the Summer like I did, you’ll enjoy the weather more than when it’s cold, but do bear in mind that it can get hot (35°C), so only take your summer clothes with you, and a jacket or two for places with air conditioning as it can get a little cold inside malls and indoor museums. And don’t forget to take an umbrella with you, it can rain at any time during your holiday even on the hottest days.
The Food
I’m not going to lie to you, it almost took me a week until I started getting used to it. I mean I’ve eaten Chinese food many times in my life, but the real Chinese food is nothing you have ever experienced. Half of my friends loved it and the other half hated it, but for me, I just needed time to get used to the taste, and then I loved some of it.
My favorite food was the steamed meat dumplings, you can almost find them at every corner and they're pretty cheap, super juicy and tasty, and loved by almost every tourist. As for the street food, I didn't really like the smell of it which made me stay away, but maybe that’s because I'm not that into sea food.
And don’t worry, just in case that it doesn’t work for you, Shanghai has got many international cuisines that you can eat at, and of course, you still have McDonald's as your friend if you still can’t find anything.
This is your essential guide to Shanghai, I’ve tried to include everything that you may need, but just some extra tips:
• Most people don’t speak English, so you must learn how to use your phone for navigation and translation.
• You must download a VPN app on your phone before traveling because the most popular websites like Google and Facebook are blocked in China.
• Download an app called WeChat, it will help you as a payment method with anything you buy.
• There’s no Uber in China, but there’s an alternative app called DiDi and it works great, some of the drivers speak English too.
Have you packed up yet? Shanghai’s waiting! And let me know everything about your trip when you come back in the comments below.
Have a safe flight!
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Ahmed is a content creator who loves working on exotic topics and adding his own perspective and view on it. He loves film-making and dreams about going to Hollywood one day. Traveling is an essential part of his life and he's up for any adventure that comes in his way. Whether it's writing scripts, shooting a film or composing a soundtrack, Ahmed is able to visualize his thoughts through these three talents.