🔥 Shanghai Tourist Trap Guide: 20 to AVOID (Paid for in Blood & Tears!)

[Kendra Howe]

Absolutely, no problem at all! Shanghai offers plenty of enjoyable spots beyond the overcrowded tourist attractions seen in those glamorous photos. Follow my advice, and you'll have a great time and discover some hidden gems that not many know about!

• Avoiding Pitfalls in Shanghai: Is Tazifang truly as charming as its photo representations, or merely a trap?

  • Oh, so many tourists these days are “fooled” by the beautiful Tazifang photos floating on social media!

  • Be cautious! Avoid stepping into this trap!

    • Inside those so-called "stone gate houses" (these are distinctively featured old stone door frame buildings) , many shops now sell goods imported from Yiwu, which are far less than what makes it an authentic Shanghainese experience. They may even sell coffee more expensive than Starbucks!
    • Tazifang used to be an attractive spot for artists’ studios, unique specialty shops, and local street food but it has sadly transformed into a "Yiwu sub-market" in Shanghai.
    • Now you find a ton of popular "Bai Cai bowl”, “Changsha Smelly Tofu” (which is not Shanghainese street food at all!), and trinkets available everywhere online, with only a few truly unique and worth visiting stores.
    • This excessive commercial development has stripped away the original charm and flavor inherent in the narrow lanes of Shanghainese neighborhoods.

  • Local folks shake their heads: Is this really Shanghai?

    • Tazifang touts itself as the most congested lane in Shanghai, attracting upwards of 100 thousand people a day during holidays!
    • Can you imagine such a narrow “stone gate” alley filled with holiday groups swarmed around selfie sticks? Those scenic spots now resemble a mass-produced tourist snapshot factory.
    • Some tourists even complained: "The photos taken here capture crowds, not scenery."

  • Especially beware these pitfalls:

    • Steep pricing: Small decorative items available online and cost just a fraction of what they sell for at Tazifang (almost 200 RMB)! That famous "coconut rice bowl" sells at three times its price in Sanya (a coconut's home!)!
    • Such heavy human traffic: Over 100,000 visitors converge here during holidays, making it quite a struggle to move through the sea of selfie sticks.
    • Cultural flavor lost: Original local artists have moved out and ancient stone gate buildings have been converted into stalls selling trendy street food.
    • Safety concerns may rise: Some houses here reportedly have load-bearer walls torn down, and original old tenants moved out.

  • The real treasures lie here (only a ten-minute drive away): Zhang Garden and Fushengli!

    • In Zhang garden, there is this spectacular “Gucci Art Wall” which changes its look every quarter, offering great scenery.
    • At Fushengli, there is a shop named "%Arabica Coffee" located on such a lovely platform to capture those three iconic skyscrapers of Lujiazui (including Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and Jin Mao Tower, which locals nickname as "Kitchen Utensils").
    • This old stone doorhouse harbors some aged specialty stores. A cup of coffee might cost only 20 RMB here.
    • It’s where local folks hang out. On weekends, grab afternoon tea, enjoy the art gallery, and an entire day just costs around 150 RMB!