Shanghai: My Utterly Useless 'P-Type' Travel Guide
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Alright, no problem! I will help you revise this Shanghai travelogue to better suit foreign readers while maintaining the charm of your straightforward and adorable style.
Let me be honest: if you're planning to visit Shanghai and you're someone who doesn't like to make plans in advance (just follow your mood), then you need to have more money on hand; if you want to save a bit, then you must do your research well! For such a place, you get what you pay for. I treated Shanghai as a transit point and arrived unprepared which resulted in some problems with accommodations.
I was only going to stay in Shanghai for two days as my trip has already been long, so I feel somewhat tired. Many famous scenic spots were abandoned directly, only choosing to visit a few that I could easily reach.
1️⃣ What to eat:
- There are quite a few delicious places in Shanghai, it's not necessary to spend a lot of money, but high-end restaurants do offer more options. My hotel was located in an old residential area in Jing'an District, with options such as noodle bowls priced at roughly RMB 43 or RMB 13; there were also small-stuffed baozi (steamed buns filled with soup) for RMB 28 each and pancakes for RMB 7 each.
- There's a local flavor dish called 'Benbang cuisine' but unfortunately, I did not get to enjoy it this time, so I can't evaluate it well. When dining alone, either ordering too much risks waste or loss, while too little results in inadequacy. With limited time and late mornings (combining breakfast and lunch), proper opportunities for dinner were few, hence minimal cost here.
2️⃣ Where to stay:
️ A caution about accommodations: please take note!
- To sleep in longer, I chose lodging near the train station. The experience really highlighted Shanghai's 'money talks, trash walks' idiom.
- For solo travelers: If you seek value, chain hotels reign supreme! Preferably those costing RMB 400 per night and above.
- Why? Shanghai isn't just known as ‘Macao’ (a pet name for Shanghai indicating its urban charm), with incredibly expensive real estate – "land is worth its weight in gold", essentially. Hence, rooms of the same size in chain hotels here cost twice as much as those elsewhere. The cheaper options may prove... well, you know how it goes.
3️⃣ How to get around:
- Subway + 'Didi' (a major Chinese ride-hailing app) is the best combo!
- Although crowded, I didn't experience extreme congestion, people maintained order boarding alights. It felt like only short-distance subway rides so turnarounds were quick.
- ️ A little tip about the subway:
* Metro car displays may not light up, with voices during stop announcements being somewhat muffled, covered by train sound. Be alert or check your phone map, or you might miss your station!
4️⃣ What to do:
- I really didn't visit many attractions this time.
- The Bund: Visited, but experienced strong wind that night with too thin clothing, plus no boat ride, took a few photos then left quickly. This place offers a view of Huangpu River on both banks – one side holds old European-style buildings while the other houses modern skyscrapers.
- Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street: A bustling shopping street with great traffic management, police officers even direct pedestrian flow at night (whisperily, the police brothers there are quite tall and have good figures! Possibly an illusion, people seem taller than in southern China.) The stores feature luxury items we couldn't afford; most retail is similar to other cities. Tried out Blbox toys at a store named 'POP Mart' (one of the famous blind box chain stores), hoping to find a hidden item for my friends, haha.
- North Bund Stroll: Very anticipated, would have been a fine viewpoint for observing the Bund scenery from different angles. However, overslept and it was missed.
- Museum of Shanghai (East Extension): Went there in the afternoon, amazed by the scale, planned to take a walk along the riverside post-exhibition but was exhausted, skipping a floor, some galleries and exhibits (this seems unfortunate). Shanghai doesn't just showcase its own history and artifacts, but also possesses rich collections from across China (thought there wouldn't be local antique treasures, assumed it'd be small, lesson learned). The East section is truly worth visiting!
Shanghai, indeed, becomes enjoyable with sufficient funds to play! Once I'm financially available, will revisit Shanghai to indulge.
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Thanks for sharing your real experience! I spent the whole day planning my trip today and I'm completely exhausted. From booking flights to finding suitable hotels, it took hours of research to finally get everything settled. Now I'm just collapsed on the sofa, unable to move. It's so tiring! Why can't I just be rich?
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Could you share your itinerary?
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Excuse me, can you make reservations on-site for the East Pavilion? I'm planning to go during the May Day holiday.
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I remember the East Pavilion doesn't require reservations, you can just walk in.
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And here's another downside of not having a perfect plan: I'm a big fan of Hajime Sorayama, I even went to the East Pavilion, and I still managed to miss his exhibition!
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I'm not making any plans for my next Shanghai trip; I'm just going to be spontaneous.
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I saw that Home Inn is only around 200-something a night.
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Let me add one more: It's totally unnecessary to go to the Wukang Mansion just for a 'check-in' photo.