Four Days in Shanghai

Shanghai is undeniably a beast of a city. Not only is it huge and has a metro system with a mind-fucking amount of lines, but it’s population is one of the biggest in the world for a city, at a hefty 24 million. I can’t even get my head around that number of people. Because of its scale and deep rooted colonial and political history, its a big tourist hub, a must-see on the average traveler’s journey around China. It’s also more foreigner friendly than other tourist stops in China- many locals speak English, there are many more foreigners living there and it is a lot more westernized than other parts of the country.

Located on the East Coast of China, because of its badass size, it functions as an independent municipality. Its place on the sea and Yangtze River has historically made it a successful trading port and flourishing economic city, particularly after European settlement there in the nineteenth century following the Treaty of Nanking. Although the Communists initially messed this up, good old Deng Xiaoping returned it to its former glory in the 1990s.

Now, before I get into this, here’s a fun disclaimer. I hated Shanghai, and had a terrible time there. Of course, this post could easily be an airbrushed travel itinerary of the place, but I think that it’s important to remember that travel isn’t always perfect and, especially when backpacking, there are going to be some places that you simply don’t agree with. However, many people I know love Shanghai, and I feel that I had an unlucky time which definitely effected my experience there. My hostel was shitty, I kept getting lost, galleries I wanted to visit were closed, and, I stupidly traveled there during the Dragon Boat Festival. Top tip for anyone planning travels through China, steer clear of overly large cities on national holidays. Hide in the countryside. It’s not worth it. It was so busy sometimes I could hardly move in the main streets. So many errors. Regardless, I’m posting this itinerary because I did see some cool things and the experience is important regardless, and I still believe that it is possible to enjoy Shanghai. However, if you want my honest advice, skip it, and go and see something more worthwhile!

If I haven’t put you off, Shanghai is one of China’s main travel hubs and getting in is easy. Pudong and Hongqiao are the main airports. Shanghai, Shanghai Hongqiao, Shanghai South and Shanghai West are the main railway stations, Hongqiao is the most well-connected so you’ll probably end up there. There’s also some bus stations, but it’s confusing. I’d recommend just getting the train as it is such a well-connected city.

A note on getting around- the metro and bus systems are great and enough to satisfy. If you’re going to cycle, however, be careful- I totally fucked up. Cycling is easily accessible in China with the extended use of Mobikes, where you can rent bicycles anywhere, and I often go for this when I want to explore a city for cheap. However, in Shanghai there are strict regulations on where you can and cannot cycle. I got confused and pulled over by the police a few times. Just be aware of road signs, or walk, or don’t go to Shanghai, your call.

My Accommodation

I’m not even going to talk about it much, because all I can really stay is don’t stay there. I only did because the festival meant that everything affordable was booked out. I stayed at Blue Mountain Youth Hostel Hongqiao, and its location was sucky, and the quality of the accommodation didn’t justify the price either. Maybe an option if you get to Hongqiao Station late, but even then I’d say go elsewhere. Four nights in a six bed female dorm set me back 280 RMB, which was cheap but didn’t make the long journey time into the center of the city worth it. Oh well, at least it was just a bed for the night.

For a better recommendation on where to stay, check out this post by The Broke Backpacker, which is far more thorough and useful than I am right now!

When you make your choice, go via this link for 10% off at booking.com!

Day One

Travelling in from Nanjing meant that I could arrive relatively early with ample time to explore the city. Starving, I thought I’d start by sampling the vegan scene that the city had to offer and headed to Pure & Whole for my health fix. The food was good, but it was a little expensive for China, I guess Shanghai is a little pricier. It’s also in the French Concession, so visiting lets you have a good old explore of the area! The French Concession is the former colonial part of town, with tree lined streets and full of more high-end shopping, restaurants and bars. It’s pretty and feels like you’re not even in China anymore.

Next I attempted going to Shanghai Gallery of Art. After getting lost and confused on the bike, I found it, and it was closed for an event. It was going so well for me. Regardless, it’s meant to be good so if you are heading to Shanghai and like art, it might be worth putting this on your itinerary.

Luckily the gallery sits right by The Bund, the main tourist spot of the old city. This was one of my favourite places- the hustle and bustle of visitors imposed in front of the Shanghai skyline makes for a perfect place for people watching. I took a seat with a book and waited for sunset.

After I caught the city lights, I rotated and had a stroll around the historical buildings in the Bund. Once again my mind was fucked and confused as to where I was- Europe, China, what is happening?? Then I attempted a stroll down Nanjing Road, the famous shopping street in the center of town. Mistake. This was hard work what with the crowds which came with the national holiday. Not fun, particularly when the majority of locals don’t really understand the concept of personal space. I raced for the nearest station, praying for a luckier day tomorrow.

Day Two

It was time to get the fuck out of the madness that is modern Shanghai during a national holiday and step back in time into the history of the city. First stop, Longhua Temple, Shanghai’s oldest temple built way back in 242. It’s also one of the biggest. Sadly, most of the temple has been reconstructed over the years and it currently maintains its form from the Song dynasty. It’s a pretty spot to explore and relax, whilst witnessing how locals worship and getting to see some traditional Buddhist architecture first hand.

Next, Shanghai Museum, for a nice overview of what was going down in this area of China. The museum itself is well-curated- it operates chronologically, from the literal origins of the land to the Shanghai we know today and everything inbetween. Its a total dump of information and you can learn a lot about the history of Shanghai and China generally. They also have a tonne of sweet objects to look at. It’s important to remember, however, that the information in Chinese museums is often manipulated to favor the government and can dismiss key events. But hey, museums everywhere do that, so just enter with an open mind.

I then attempted to checkout Rockbund Art Museum, which is another of the famed galleries in town. After getting hella lost I found that it was closed for installations. How much bad luck does one get in Shanghai? Regardless, this is another famed gallery and is a recommended stop on the itinerary. I just hope that you have better luck than I.

That night I braved the crowds and headed back to the Bund for the sunset again. This time it was even busier. Do I ever learn?

The crowds made me moody so I decided to treat myself to a massage. If you’re looking for respite from the walking that a city break requires, I recommend Secret Garden Spa on Nanjing Road- it’s affordable and the quality of massage is great. They really rinsed out my crazy backpacking shoulder knots.

Day Three

I was done with the chaos of central Shanghai. No more crowds or getting lost please. The best solution, Zhujiajiao, one of the best-preserved water towns in China. In short, its basically like Venice if China pooped all over it. It’s a pretty spot, full of canals and teahouses, and a perfect day can be spent getting lost in its alleys.

]

Zhujiajiao supposedly dates 1,700 years and exploring it is like stepping back in time. The streets are old-school Chinese style, and the bridges and boats also take on their own Eastern identity. You can rent a gondola if you’ve got the moneys, or stroll, sit and soak it all in for free. There are some pretty gardens and museums too. And lots of cute stores for souvenirs. This was my favourite place in Shanghai, and gave me the authentic experience that I was craving. I would 100% recommend making time for this on a trip.

Day Four

Relieved to only have another day in the overcrowdedness, I resolved to embrace my experience as best as I could. I decided to pray away my bad luck at the Jade Buddha Temple. Compared many temples in Shanghai, it is much younger- built in 1882 its primary purpose is to house two jade Buddha statues brought from Burma. It was destroyed in the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt in 1928- it really is a baby.  Regardless of age, its a good’un. The sculptures and decoration are stunning and worth a look.

The temple is en route to M50 Art District, which is where I headed next, art is definitely a fixer of bad luck and I was determined to catch some of Shanghai’s famed art scene. I failed again. It was a Monday- a rookie error, every art fan should know that most galleries close then. So many mistakes. Regardless, the area was nice to walk around and I managed to catch a few small-scale exhibitions that were open. There’s also some grafitti walls, art shops and cafes. It reminded me a lot of the OCT LOFT area in Shenzhen, and I definitely appreciate the presence of these creative districts in China’s mega cities. I’d appreciate them even more if they were open on Mondays.

Finally my prayers were answered when it was food time. I found this a m a z i n g vegetarian restaurant called Vegetarian Lifestyle, which sells an great array of mostly Chinese-style vegetarian dishes. The food was so good, and I was even more delighted to discover that they’re a chain all around China. This definitely wasn’t the last that they’d see of me. Vegetarians and vegans in China, gogogogo.
So I was super unlucky in Shanghai, but I think it is definitely a city to love if you plan your museum visits, cycle routes and accommodation better (and not go on a national holiday) and the water village is definitely a must do. It also has a Disneyland (I was too scared of holiday crowds to go) and a mental night life scene. Unfortunately I was happy to leave, I was very much ready to get my ass to Chengdu, famed for so many great things including pandas, mountains and food.