Shanghai is among the richest cities in China. In other words, Shanghai is the biggest center of financial and commercial affairs in the country. It’s also a dynamic city, and you may always get something new in it.
The most amazing things about this city are the Skyscrapers that are record-breaking on the scale. For example, Shanghai Tower is the world’s second-biggest building after Dubai’s BurjKhalifa, with 632 meters.
To appreciate Shanghai, you should know that the city is elusive for many tourists and locals alike. Whether you want to reflect the Jade Buddha Temple or Look for a calm spot along the Bund, here are tips to have a successful trip in Shanghai:
- Buy and Set Up a VPN
Google is a great crutch for taking a trip. However, the Chinese firewall has blocked it. To work around Google, you have to run a VPN, and you must ensure that it’s fully paid for and installed before you travel to Shanghai.
While there are many good VPNs out there, not all of them may work in China. Free VPNs don’t work, but you can use paid ones, like Express VPN and NordVPN.
With a good VPN, you may as well communicate to everyone back home through Gmail or Whatsapp and use tools, such as Google Maps, to get around. Though this doesn’t mean that you need access to blocked apps and sites in Shanghai. Having a VPN just gives you an alternative to fall back on simple-to-use resources.
- Know the Food to Try
Shanghai is an absolute melting pot of cultural influences full of a vibrant and diverse selection of restaurants and eateries. From mom-and-pop, food carts lining street corners, and hole-in-the-wall eateries to Michelin star-rated chefs, you may eat your way through this city.
Although you may dine on authentic Argentinean, Turkish, and Russian feats, don’t leave Shanghai without trying China’s regional cuisines. From salty and spicy to sweet dishes, the diversity of the city is reflected in their food. Plus, your trip to the city will not be complete until you try the stinky tofu.
- Book Your Flight
Sites for booking a flight are online marketplaces, which compare different flights to enable you to price for the right flight times and best fares. This will save you more time visiting every airline site, trying to compare prices on your own.
Today, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of flight booking sites. Whether you are traveling from Hong Kong or Seoul to Shanghai, you can book Cathay Pacific airlines through booking sites.
Alternatively, you may join different travel groups on social media forums, like Facebook. You will get surprised by how far crowdsourcing may take you. Facebook is also full of travel groups whose members share scoops, tips, and tricks.
- Determine the Right Time to Tour
Shanghai experiences different seasons, right from snowy winter with a dose of rains thrown into a breathtaking spring, summer, and autumn. The right seasons to visit the city are autumn, starting from September to November, and spring from March to May.
During springtime, the evenings are chilly, and days are sunny and warm. On the other hand, autumn has a unique charm. When the weather starts to cool down, you will enjoy the city even more.
Though if you like traveling in winter, the city looks beautiful from December to February, with endless mulled wine to keep visitors festive and warm.
- Learn How to Shop
Enjoying the reputation of ‘Oriental Pearl’ and ‘Shopping Paradise,’ the city provides a great shopping experience with well-known Four Cities and Four Streets. The Four Cities for shopping in the city are Jiali Sleepless City, Yuyuan Shopping City, New Shanghai Shopping City, and Xujiahui Shopping City, just to name a few.
Other streets and places worth visiting in Shanghai include Xiangyang Road, Dimei Shopping Center, and Hong Kong Famous Shops Street. The street vendors are all over the city, offering some great buys.
- List the Things to Do
Whether you’re a lover of architecture or just a history buff, you can take a trip to Zhujiajiao, which is a water town in Shanghai. You may take a boat ride along the canals, but you may also book a private tour of Zhujiajiao.
You can as well stroll around the Yu Garden that was constructed during the Ming Dynasty. This garden was the largest spot in the city at the time, and the outlay of its upkeep will bankrupt the city.
In addition, the garden consists of beautiful koi ponds, stately pavilions, the Exquisite Jade Rock, and impressive rockeries.
- Be Familiar with the Mandarin Basics
Learning Mandarin is basically not a requirement, but it can help you a lot. By visiting Shanghai, you will only be able to get by with English. Many young generations know the basics of speaking English, and most are more than willing to help when necessary.
Plus, a simple ‘XieXie (thank you) ‘nihao’ (hello) is appreciated. Talking in full sentences and even trying to engage in simple conversations will make you many friends in Shanghai.
- Change the Currency
In general, many 5-star and 4-star hotels offer currency exchange services, specifically for their guests, but with a low exchange rate. Alternatively, you may exchange the currency once you get off the plane at the airport.
However, perfect places for currency exchange are banks, where the rates are far much better. This can be the Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, the China Construction Bank, and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
When converting currencies, you will need to present your passport. For more convenience, you might want to ask your preferred bank to pass on smaller denominations of Chinese Currency. Otherwise, the bank might give you 100-yuan notes.
In a Nutshell!
Shanghai is a city in China with two faces. It houses the world’s luxury goods shops and tallest skyscrapers and has scores of trendy restaurants and bars.
However, if you look beyond the main streets, you shall find alleyways full of conventional lane houses, where local communities and laundry billows are alive. Today, the city has more than 20 million individuals, and the historical buildings continue to avoid the wrecking balls, making the city one of the popular destinations to tour.
