The Shanghai I Found
What I wore and a first-time visitor's itinerary for shopping, eating, and sightseeing
[This post is as usual, image-heavy and too long for email. Please click through to read in its entirety]
After decades of dreaming, I finally made it to China.
I've always felt a strong connection to the country. I grew up attending a Chinese-vernacular school, with all subjects taught entirely in Mandarin. That makes me practically half-Chinese! Yet I had not yet visited.
It wasn’t quite so easy until recently, especially when you hold a non-Asian passport. While only 4-5 hours away, the country had always felt just out of reach - bureaucratic visa applications, border restrictions, heavy pollution. Then when we moved to Asia, I was having babies and along came the pandemic, sigh. China has eased its border restrictions since, and people like me can now get in visa-free. So I booked the flights and let the anticipation get to fever pitch.
I knew the country would be impressive, but I wasn't prepared for just how much it would surprise me. People said Shanghai was modern; what I found was a city already in the future.
China gets a bad rap. News headlines, political rhetoric, and online chatter paint a picture of a country that is difficult to navigate - how polluted it is, its harsh censorship laws, and a general lack of freedom, which undeniably is tough to get comfortable with. My experience couldn't have been more different, though caveat that my time there was brief.
If you have your ear to the ground, China has been transforming and modernising at an incredible pace - and I arrived to a city that is extremely clean, orderly, and forward-thinking. The streets were bustling yet quiet, because they were filled with a silent ballet of electric vehicles. Every single one of them. Cue #jawdrop.
China seems like it has it all figured out - another example: the country operates on a digital-first model, with everything from payments to daily transactions handled seamlessly through WeChat and Alipay. All to say is, Shanghai, like other Tier 1 cities in China, completely defies stereotypes - and serves as yet another reminder that there is a huge difference between what you read and reality.
On request, I also put together a detailed guide to my opinion of a grand time in Shanghai (please humour me and save this for your next visit). I would suggest a leisurely week to get the best of the city.
See
• The Bund for the classic skyline and historic buildings. Sunset is magical. Some recommend Northern Bund for less crowds but but that statement is relative in a city as densely populated as Shanghai.
• Former French Concession for stunning tree-lined boulevards, tudor homes, and chic boutiques. I would start walking from Wu Kang Mansion, along Wu Kang Lu , stopping at anything that strikes your fancy, and head towards An Fu Lu. Places of note: Subdued, Akari + Lim, Chloe Chen, Anta Sneakerverse ZuoPinJi, LookNow, Harmay, and Hidemi, and Urban Tribe.
• Tianzifang, an organised maze of alleyways with cool souvenir shops, art galleries, and cafes. It is a bit touristy but is a great place to find souvenir qipaos. Also look for the shop which sells exquisite china teacups (pictured below).
• M50 Art District and the Rockbund for contemporary art. I didn’t get to visit but have prioritised for next time.
• Yu Yuan is a beautiful garden compound in the heart of the city. If you can’t get out to the countryside, this is a perfect stop. There are also shops and food stalls on the outer periphery to wander through. Eat at Nanxiang dumplings whilst you’re here.
• Shanghai Museum in People's Square for a cool insight into Chinese history and pieces you simply can not see anywhere else in the world - vintage rhino-horn crockery sits alongside Ming and Qing Dynasty furniture. There are two locations and the People’s Sq one does not require pre-registration.
• Natural History Museum is expansive and perhaps marketed more towards kids. But I recommend visiting anyway - there is a hilarious taxidermied lion that is worth the inexpensive entry.
Eat
• Ren He Guan for Shanghainese food - order everything, in particular the crab rice and roast pork. There is a noodle offshoot by the Jing An branch which has delish sesame noodles that I still dream about.
• Nan Xiang at Yu Yuan for delish soup dumplings (see above).
• Lost Heaven for refined Yunnan cuisine. Push past the touristy vibe as it is a long-standing institution.
• Jing Mei Wu Xi for Wuxi food. I dream of the piping hot cheese and truffle bao.
• Cheng Long Hang for exquisite, upscale crab. The crab roe rice dish is divine.
• Quan Ju De and Da Dong for Peking duck.
(Note: if you have a local phone number, the Dian Ping 点评 app is like Yelp for restaurants, only better - with offers and rankings for best dishes for almost every restaurant in the city)
Shop
• Xintiandi Style for unique local and indie Chinese brands. There are plenty of European brands, including Arket!
• Huaihai Road for luxury and high-street fashion. Must visits include: Songmont, Nice Rice, Niko and.., Gentle Monster, Hai550, and the state-owned vintage shop that has an incredible selection of vintage Chanel jewellery.
• The Jing An mall trifecta - Kerry Centre, Jiu Guang, and Reel have a great mix of local and international mid range to luxury labels
• KKV for knick knacks and skincare. Great for souvenirs.
Additional pointers:
• Set up and complete a passport verification for Alipay and WeChat in advance - these are your superApps - including payments, cars, chat, and public transport. AMap is the preferred map option though I hear Apple maps work decently. China is cash-free so leave it behind. You’ll find it challenging to use cash anywhere but at the hotel and large merchants.
• Premium cars on Didi are an inexpensive but luxe experience.
• Download a VPN to get around internet restrictions. Better yet, get an Asian e-sim which connects via Singapore (find these on Trip.com) and you won’t even need a separate VPN.
• An ID/passport is mandatory for entry into museums and larger sights.
• Importantly, Check the national and school holiday calendar before you go. China has a massive domestic travel economy, and cities can become extremely crowded during these busy periods.
I hope you enjoyed this little write-up. Shanghai is crazy awesome. I can’t wait to return.
Your support means the world, and I truly love hearing from you. If you’d like to see more, feel free to subscribe, like, leave a comment, and restack. Thank you for all your support❤️