Shanghai city is one of the interesting, lively, and exotic destinations you can visit. Thousands of tourists flock to this city each year, armed with a hefty guidebook, a sense of adventure, and extensive plans, to witness its exquisite cultural symphony.
While the city is teeming with modern culture, expat communities, and new life, there is also an abundance of delectable traditional eats, serene natural beauty, and Chinese history to learn. If you’re looking for the next destination, Shanghai can be a perfect place to get your fix and start learning Mandarin. Whether you have been to this city before or it’s your first time to travel, here are great tips to help you:
1. Know the Best Time to Travel
A perfect time to travel to Shanghai is during autumn, a period between September and November. The moderate climate and cool weather make it the top season to travel. However, autumn can also be the busiest time to travel. To avoid the crowd, you should not travel during festivals, like Middle Autumn Festival and National Holiday.
Though if you cannot make it to take a trip in autumn, late spring, between the month of April and May, can also be a great period to travel.
2. Be Familiar with the Food
Shanghai has collected food ideas from home and abroad, making it a paradise of cuisine for visitors and tourists. Traditional food is a must-try dish to tourists, especially those who want to be fans of it by accident. Some of the Shanghai dishes include steamed crab, Babao duck, sautéed shrimp, and white cut chicken, just to name a few.
You can also enjoy Shanghai snacks, like baozi, tangyuan, and xiaolongbao. Baozi can be prepared in different forms, including:
- Fried
- Steamed
- Stuffed with soup
3. Book a Flight
Many travelers enjoy fast-paced travel of domestic flights as opposed to a slower option in bullet trains. Avoiding national holidays and arriving early is the best way to ensure you make it to the airport on time.
In addition, examine flight restrictions online to make sure you only carry what is allowed at the airport. Things such as pets, lighters, liquids, and some technological gadgets are banned on flights in China. If you are flexible, you can also click here to check the flight routes and arrange for the trip to Shanghai on your own.
4. Tour with Kids
Although Shanghai is a cosmopolitan business city flocked with east-meets-west, there are many things kids can do and have fun. Traveling with your kids to the city can be educational, fun, and entertaining. For example, the great history, profound culture, and amazing natural landscape make this city a great destination for family travel. After all, it’s easy and safe to take a trip with kids because most of the places in the city are accessible by bus or train.
Moreover, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium is another destination with the longest underwater tunnel in the world and is dedicated to Chinese marine life. Fish in the aquarium are more exotic-looking and bigger. Apart from the aquarium, your kids can also visit the Shanghai Natural Wildlife Insect Kingdom. Other than insects, the kingdom also has goats, turtles, and other types of animals.
5. Decide on Your Travel Length
A trip to this city may be as short as a day tour or long as a panoramic itinerary of months. Basically, there are many sites in Shanghai that deserve your energy and time. This means it may be necessary to decide on the trip length. To reasonably organize your trip, you at least require six or seven days of going around.
Within this period, you can be able to explore the must-see and most attractive highlights. You should also arrange the trip at a leisure pace so as to have more time to experience every highlight in the city without getting exhausted.
6. Go Shopping
Shanghai has a market for almost everything you can buy. Most markets are open-air or indoor shopping hubs where many vendors of every type gather to sell their wares. If you are a fashion fanatic, you may go to the South Bund Fabric Market, where there are vendors and tailors who may make almost everything from cashmere coats to couture gowns.
Bargaining is also normal in Shanghai markets, so you should feel free to haggle. Some vendors can also be willing to send personalized goods to your hotel room and replicate any piece in your wardrobe.
7. Come up with a List of Things to See
It’s important to know what to do and see in Shanghai. If you are planning to adventure the city on your own, having a detailed travel plan is necessary. The plan should include a list of places, like the Huangpu River. Cruising in the Huangpu River is a great way to explore the city.
You may also visit Disneyland Park in Shanghai. Being the biggest part of Asia, you will re-live your childhood dreams and have a great time. Apart from the park and river, you can also visit other places, like:
- The Bund
- Nanjing Road
- Zhujiajia Water Town
- Yu Garden
8. Put Every Document Ready
Before going to this city, you have to put a visa and passport ready in advance. Shanghai has released visa-free policies, though it only allows visitors to stay for less than three days, and there are many complicated steps you may go through.
If you don’t have a visa yet, it would be best to apply six months earlier before taking your trip. Multiple entry visas are recommended to allow you to go to China a couple of times. It may also be important to have a valid passport. Like a visa, you must also apply earlier before booking your flight to Shanghai.
Concluding Remarks!
Shanghai, an economic center, is a super metropolis, happy in crowds, and boisterous in business areas. Planning your trip to Shanghai may seem daunting, especially when you have a lot to worry about, including flights, hotels, and foods.
However, by taking things easy, your trip can be easier. Whether you intend to go alone or with your family, tips like booking a flight early and putting your traveling documents together will be in handy.
