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Overview
Overview
intro mini:Shanghai has thrown on its Armani to strut on the global stage.
intro short:
Shanghai is a scintillating city swirling with rapid cultural change. Since market restrictions were lifted, Shanghai has embraced the forces of business and design and rewritten its rule book shaping a fresh, new city that is sophisticated, innovative and living a life it has never lived before.
At a Glance
Fast Facts
area sqkm: 6340population: 17000000
timezones: +8 Standard Time
daylight savings start: not in use
daylight savings end: not in use
currency name: Yuan Renminbi
currency symbol: Y
electricity voltage: 220V
electricity hz: 50Hz
electrical plugs: elec_2 Japanese-style plug with two parallel flat blades elec_1 Australian-style plug with two flat angled blades and one vertical grounding blade elec_4 British-style plug with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade elec_6 South African/Indian-style plug with two circular metal pins above a large circular grounding pin
mobile network: GSM900
country dialing code:
areacodes:
021
language spokens: Mandarin official Shanghainese other
when to go:
Above all, the rule for Shanghai is to lay low during, or altogether avoid the Chinese New Year; the city grinds to a halt and public transport is flooded. The rest of winter offers good hotel discounts and few tourists. Summer is peak season and gets a bit muggy, while from September to November the temperate weather brings out several interesting arts festivals and fairs. These are probably the best months to visit but trade fairs and conventions do little to bring the prices down from peak season.
When to Go
when to go:Above all, the rule for Shanghai is to lay low during, or altogether avoid the Chinese New Year; the city grinds to a halt and public transport is flooded. The rest of winter offers good hotel discounts and few tourists. Summer is peak season and gets a bit muggy, while from September to November the temperate weather brings out several interesting arts festivals and fairs. These are probably the best months to visit but trade fairs and conventions do little to bring the prices down from peak season.
Weather
Climate
weather overview:Shanghai starts the year shivering in mid winter, when temperatures can drop below freezing and the vistas are grey and misty. Spring brings warmth; April to mid-May is probably one of the best times to visit weather-wise, along with autumn (late September to mid-November). In summer the hot and humid weather makes conditions outside uncomfortable, with temperatures sometimes as high as 40°C (104°F) in July and August. In short, you'll need silk long johns and down jackets for winter, an ice block for each armpit in summer and an umbrella wouldn't go astray in either of these seasons.
Getting Around
Transport
destination transport topics: getting around overviewShanghai isn't exactly a walker's paradise. There are some fascinating areas to stroll around, but new road developments, building sites and shocking traffic conditions conspire to make walking an exhausting, stressful and sometimes dangerous experience.
Travelling on buses can also be hard work; the routes, and particularly the stops, are not easy to figure out and buses are packed at rush hour. The metro and light railway system, on the other hand, work like a dream.
Taxis are cheap and hassle-free as long as you avoid the rush hours. As private cars become increasingly affordable to the new middle class, traffic is becoming noticeably heavier, a trend that will only worsen. The city took a big swipe at traffic congestion in 1999, investing more than a billion dollars in transport - building overpasses, a second metro line and a light railway within a year.
Unfortunately there is still not enough space for everyone at rush hour and from around 07:00 to 09:30 and 16:00 to 18:30 it's every frail old man for himself. Cool aggression and elusive speed, along with a friendly smile, keep things from getting ugly.
While there are some fascinating places to stroll through in Shanghai, new road developments, building sites, jam-packed walkways and shocking traffic conditions conspire to make walking in most areas an exhausting experience.
getting around busLocal buses are hard work. During the rush hour and the weekends they are packed to the hilt and virtually impossible to board. Stops can also be unpredictable: you may be helplessly carried past your destination. Pickpockets are another drawback.
getting around underground railShanghai's subway system is a dream, and probably the best way to get around town. Trains are fast, cheap, clean and easy, although they can be crowded at peak hour. The new Mag Lev (Magnetic Levitation) line has started regular services between the city and Pudong airport. The 30km (19mi) trip will take just eight minutes.
getting around carOnly residents can hire a car in Shanghai; besides, it's really not worth the hassle unless you're familiar with the nightmare one-way system and the appalling conditions on the roads.
getting around taxiShanghai's Volkswagen taxis are reasonably cheap and easy to flag down, except during rush hour. Only a few take credit cards. Most taxi drivers are surpisingly honest, but you should always go by the meter.
Things to Do
Highlights
eat:A thousand taste surprises await you in Shanghai.
Shanghai offers a dazzling array of food and provides an exciting opportunity for cuisine exploration that should be seized with both chopsticks. Eating out in Shanghai is about more than just food. It is a social lubricant, a time when families get together and a major pastime of Shanghai's chic.
night:
The reawakened Shanghai never wants to sleep.
Shanghai's entertainment scene, the nation's most exciting, reveals a hedonism that most people never dreamed existed in communist China. Over the last couple of years there's been an explosion of nightlife options, offering everything from the incredibly sleazy to the marginally chic.
see:
Shanghai's fascinating streets reveal its history.
In many ways, Shanghai is a Western invention. The Bund, its riverside area, and Frenchtown are the best places to see the remnants of its decadent colonial past. Move on to temples, gardens, bazaars and the striking architecture of the new Shanghai.
shop:
The new destination for the serious shopper.
Shanghai is well known among the Chinese as the place to shop in China. Ever since the 1930s the city has been home to the cream of China's department stores and today Shanghai is fast rivalling Hong Kong as a shopper's heaven. Bring some extra spending money - you'll need it.
Event Calendar
key events: New Year's Day 1 Jan Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) Feb Spring Festival Feb Lantern Festival Feb International Working Women's Day 8 Mar Temple Fair 3rd lunar month (usually Apr) Shanghai International Tea Culture Festival late Apr Tomb Sweeping Day Apr International Labour Day 1 May Youth Day 4 May Children's Day 1 Jun Dragon Boat Festival Jun Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party 1 Jul Shanghai Beer Festival late Jul Anniversary of the Founding of the PLA 1 Aug National Day 1 Oct Moon Festival Sep Shanghai Tourism Festival late Sep International Arts Festival Nov/DecActivities
activities: cycling The French Concession offers some charming areas for cycling, and the ambitious can head out of the city to Sheshan or even Suzhou. swimming For swimming, the Shanghai Swimming Pool opens to the public on weekends only, but there are hotel pools, or you could try the Ocean World water park. tennis There are public tennis courts at the Shanghai Stadium, or you can have a game at the Xianxia Tennis Centre. badminton The Chinese excel at accuracy sports. Test your eye at the public badminton courts at the well-equipped Shanghai Stadium.Useful Links
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