Having experienced New York recently for the first time, I found Shanghai to be it's Asian equivalent. It is an extremely large city, with marvellous big buildings and a pretty good atmosphere.
Reading the other reviews, which were written in 2000 and found Shanghai to be difficult for tourists, I didn't really find that. Shanghai was adapting to tourism and western cultures throughout the last few years and I didn't really encounter that many problems. Many western companies have settled in Shanghai, as it's China's main export centre and there's plenty of business going in. This has led to an influx of westerners who are working out there and there is a niche developing.
The people are very friendly. Most speak very little English, but it wasn't to difficult to develop an understanding with people you needed contact with, like taxi drivers, hotel staff etc. The younger generations in China are embracing our cultures as the country is relaxing from its communist past. This means you may find you are approached by people looking for conversation etc and generally being very welcoming.
The nightlife and entertainment in Shanghai was quite good. There are a few western bars, a couple of Irish pubs etc, where you are guaranteed a taste of home if you are feeling overwhelmed. Beware of the cost of drinking in the foreign pubs as the beer such as miller or Guinness is normally imported and can cost a few quid a pint. Although beers like bud and tiger are made in China and are much cheaper. I would recommend a Chinese beer called Tsing Tao, which for well under a £1 a pint is a very nice lager. I’ve since found it in the UK and it goes for a bout £2.50 over here!
It's generally quite cost effect to travel in a taxi in Shanghai. There are plenty of them and they are cheap, costing only the equivalent of a couple of pounds for a 40 min ride, if you are unlucky to get caught in rush hour traffic. I wouldn’t recommend travelling by bus etc as they appear to be very busy it will be harder to be understood.
Unfortunately I can't comment on hotels as I was staying with family who are currently living out there. I do know that many large hotel companies are based there and will offer the normal services you would expect.
There are many markets and shopping areas to explore, where you can get into some good old fashioned bargaining with the traders. I took in an acrobat/circus show at the American centre which was terrific entertainment with some amazing performances. The American centre has a collection of American companies and facilities. Banks, dentists, supermarkets, starbucks etc can all be found here. Beware of the taxi queue at night though, can be a long wait!
The food was pretty good, with many western fast food outlets available or traditional Chinese food, as well as better restaurants and bars who sell steaks etc. It was quite cheap when eating in fast food places or from Chinese places. Meals in the Irish or American pubs were more expensive as a lot of the stuff is imported
The culture is very different, the roads and driving are very different to our organised system and can require a bit of extra care when crossing. Although I found this wasn't as bad in Shanghai, as it was in smaller cities that I visited.
Travelling to China requires a Visa, jabs etc like many unusual and long haul holiday destinations. The weather is generally fine, the summers are quite hot, and the winters are mildly cold. I would strongly advise doing your homework before you go!
Many airlines fly into Shanghai from Heathrow or other major European airports Virgin, BA, Air France, KLM etc. People living away from these major airports will require connecting flights. I went through Paris with Air France from Glasgow. It took 13 hours and isn’t very pleasant, but it’s worth it in the end!
All in all it was a very good trip with plenty to see and do and many stories to tell once i got home.
More details
Sightseeing
Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
very helpful
helpful
somewhat helpful
very helpful
very helpful
