Travel Guide to Shanghai

Location

Shanghai lies on the mouth of the Yangtze River on the country’s coast with the East China Sea with a latitude of 31 degrees north of the equator. The city is roughly equidistant from the capital Beijing to the north and the former British colony of Hong Kong to the south.

Shopping

Shanghai is an excellent destination for shopping addicts with everything from plush chrome shopping malls to local dingy state-run stores, inundating the consumer with both foreign name brands and domestic goods. Two of Shanghai’s main roads, Nanjing Lu and Huaihai Lu, have become the city’s shopping meccas. Traditional treasures, Chinese arts and crafts, and such special exports as silk and linen are available and a visit to one of the many outdoor markets offers a good view of Shanghai’s bustling street life. Bird and flower markets sell everything from bonsai plants to songbirds. Of more interest however are the antiques markets, where local hawkers sell their pieces of Chinese history - some real, some not.

Geography

Except in the south west part, the province of Shanghai is relatively free of mountains and hills. Most of the surrounding region lies in the broad and even alluvial low-altitude plain of the Yangtze Delta. Da Jinshan mountain is the highest in the territory of Shanghai, 104 m above sea level.

Central Shanghai city is divided into two areas: Pudong (east of the Huangpu River) and Puxi (west of the Huangpu River). For visitors, most attractions are in Puxi, including the Bund. West of the Bund is the former International Settlement and main shopping streets of Nanjing Lu. South of the Bund is the Chinese city, a maze of narrow lanes. West of the old town and hidden in the backstreets north and south of Huaihai Lu is the former French Concession, with tree-lined streets, 1930s architecture, and cafes and bars.

History

The area that is now Shanghai was a near un-developed marsh until the 17 th Century. In the second half of the 19 th Century, after the first of the Opium Wars, the British, French and later Japanese developed a series of international settlements in the area, all autonomous from Chinese law. The world’s financial and commercial community descended on Shanghai in the 1930s constructing the tallest buildings in Asia, and introducing more motor vehicles to the city streets than the rest of the country put together. Western dominance of the region was finally put to a stop in 1949 when the Chinese Communist Party took control of the area and began trying to eradicate the slums and opium dens that had grown up in the city.

However with the liberalisation of the Chinese economy in the 1990s capitalism returned to Shanghai and skyscrapers shot up at a phenomenal pace. Today the city continues to grow at a rapid rate, with new underground stations, crisscrossing highways, the most modern stock exchange in the world, a swish new airport, two giant bridges and a whole new city in Pudong. Perhaps no city in the world is as futuristic, and Shanghai has become the very symbol of China’s rise to economic powerhouse status.

Climate

J F M A M J J A S O N D
Av Temp (F) 46 46 55 66 77 82 90 >90 82 73 63 54
Av Temp (C) 8 8 13 19 25 28 32 32 28 23 17 12
Sunshine Hours 4 4 4 5 5 5 7 7 5 6 5 5
Rain (inches) 2 2 3 4 4 7 6 6 5 3 2 1


Shanghai enjoys four distinct seasons of the year with annual temperatures averaging 16 degrees Celsius. Spring and autumn, with their moderate temperatures, are probably the most climatically comfortable times to visit the city. Summers are hot and muggy but this is also the season with the highest average rainfall which can be a welcome refreshment from the heat. Night time temperatures can be cold at any time of the year and suitable clothing is recommended.

Basic Information

Language

Mandarin is the official language of China but a local dialect is also widely-spoken.

Currency

The Chinese Yuan, normally known as the Renminbi (RMB) is the basic unit of currency in China. One Yuan can be divided into 10 Jiao and 100 Fen.

Electricity

220-240V, AC 50 Hertz

Banks

The Bank of China’s business hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00am to noon and 1:30pm to 4:30pm, and Saturday from 9:00am to noon. The most convenient place to exchange currency is normally your hotel, where the rates are similar to those at the Bank of China and exchange desks are often open 24 hours.

Driving

Driving is on the right-hand side

Time difference

GMT +8 hours.

Tipping and local customs

Tourist guides and bus drivers accept tipping. Hotel porters will usually happily accept a tip. Tipping is still not accepted in most restaurants and hotels, although it is common in the more upper-class ones. It is also normal practice for any gift or tip be refused the first time it is offered.

Water

Bottled mineral water, is widely available in all stores and street kiosks and sometimes provided free by hotels. Potable water is available only at a few of the better hotels. Visitors should always ask to make sure. Water in thermos bottles in rooms is non-potable tap water.

Visas

Visas are required for all foreigners. Application for a tourist visa requires travel information including return airline tickets, hotel booking and an itinerary.

What makes it so special ?

Shanghai is arguably the world’s most modern city and offers an accessible gateway into the exotic mysteries of China. Visitors can enjoy a unique insight into the culture and fast-paced way of life in a city where awe-inspiring futuristic skyscrapers meet centuries-old Buddhist temples and bustling old-fashioned outdoor street markets, selling everything from the exquisite to the downright bizarre. Culinary delights abound, Shanghai is also a shoppers paradise offering unbeatable prices on products such as consumer electronics and designer fashion brands. Things don’t stop at night with Shanghai enjoying as much of a vibrant ‘scene’ as any of its Western counterparts.

Where to visit?

Nanjing Lu, China’s ‘golden mile’ of shopping

The Shanghai Museum with its countless works of art and inspiring narrative of Chinese history

The Bund and its many monuments to Western colonisation

Frenchtown with its unique colonial architecture and excellent eateries

Most Popular Tours

City sight-seeing tour

Shanghai Museum