Shanghai Tourist Attractions

Xintiandi is….erm….well…rather difficult to describe, but I will give it my best shot. Xintiandi is located downtown nestled between the towering skyscrapers. It is without question, one of the busiest urban tourist attractions in Shanghai. Covering an area of 60,000 square meters, Xintiandi contains a plethora of specialist outlets ranging from retail, entertainment, cultural, recreational, commercial and residential facilities…

Okay bugger it. Xintiandi is basically a big area of old Shanghai style houses called “Shikumen” that house shops, museums, restaurants, offices, hairdressers, etc. The shops here stock high quality knick knacks, gifts and things for the home but they come at a High Quality price. That was so much easier!! Phew…

Xintiandi is also home to Kabb, one of my favorite restaurants. There is also a Toni & Guy hair salon for those in need of a trim (a bit pricey, but well worth it). Xintiandi is basically the Harrods of Shanghai; great if it is to your taste. If not, give it a miss.

One certain plus for Xintiandi is a mall with a large screen cinema showing movies in English on the back side of the complex.

Some notable locales at Xintiandi:

Kabb (see review in restaurant section)
Simply Thai (see review in restaurant section)
Starbucks - Need I say more? For a great alternative check out The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf which plays host to expat coffee meetings every Sunday at noon.
Toni & Guy Hair Salon
CJW Xintiandi - A smaller venue of their jazz franchise, Tel: 6385 6677
Rendevous - Bar & restaurant, Tel: 6336 5383
La Maison - Restaurant, dance hall, and bar
ARK livehouse - Live music venue, Tel: 6326 8008

UME international Complex, Tel: 6384-1122, ext 807 for English

One last note: If you are feeling peckish, but just want to snack, go into the basement of the mall (the metro station is in the basement of a mall). Then look for Kawasaki, a fabulous bread and desert shop, but don’t dare leaving without trying their strawberry Danish or coconut and raisin cake.

The complex is located on Huang Pi Nan Lu (near Huaihai Zhong Lu) and Xingye Lu, but have no fear... all taxi drivers know Xintiandi! Alternatively take metro line 1 to Huang Pi Nan Lu station and follow the English signs from there. If you do get lost, it is basically behind the metro station.

Shanghai Nanxiang Old Town

Nanxiang old town is located in the northwest part of shanghai. which is the south gate of jiading district and an important town of culture and business in south jiading. And there is very famous nanxiang steamed bun. Welcome to nanxiang old town in shanghai.

Jing'an Temple

Jing’an Temple with its gold decoration and ornate roofs seems to fit quite well amongst the shopping centers boasting the likes of Gucci, Mont Blanc and Tiffany in Shanghai’s bustling Jing’an district. This is an expensive area to rent, buy or shop and the crème-de-la-crème of foreigners and Chinese reside here with rented apartments commanding 12,000RMB per month. This is also the last geographical area before hitting Gubei, the expat housing village that resembles New York’s Park Avenue. Jing’an, with its sauciness and glitter, attracts more singles than families, preferring it to the almost “Truman Show-esque” Gubei.

The temple dates back to 247AD making it 1757 years old and counting. The year 247AD actually predates the birth of Shanghai. The temple is held in much higher esteem by the locals than the tourists’ favorite Jade Buddha Temple. However, here at the Jing’an temple, the ambiance is unfortunately disappointing. From the outside the temple appears enchanting, but inside the soul has almost completely escaped, a recent restoration has robbed it of any character. There is nowhere to really sit and just observe your surroundings, and instead a quick tour is heeded by an even quicker exit. It appears that this temple is mostly kept and run as a tourist attraction. You can even see a monk arrive in his car!!

The most fascinating thing about the temple is watching visitors pray and make sacrifices. There is a saying in China that the “God of Chinese people is money,” and sad to say, it is true to an extent. Here at the temple, it is astounding to see people with faith in another God (or indeed Gods), and actually be willing to prostrate themselves to that entity. Of course the irony being that they are praying for prosperity.

If in the area, Jing’an temple is worth a visit, but it won’t require much time unless of course you are a Buddhist. When in the temple, common sense rules apply. No walkmans, mp3 players, no loud chatter, no cell phones, etc. Even if it isn’t consistent with your particular flavor, please be respectful of theirs’. Speaking of flavors, Burger King and Haagan Dazs are located right around the corner.

1686 Nanjing Xi Lu, Jing’an area
Take metro line 2 to Jing’an temple stop
Open 7am-5pm entrance fee is 10 RMB

Commemoration Exhibition of Shanghai Expo

The Commemoration Exhibition of Expo 2010 Shanghai takes place in the former Cisco Pavilion of the Expo Site. Now that the former Expo Site has largely been flattened are being redeveloped, a number of exhibits left from other pavilions are on display here. This brand new museum contains three floors. The first floor details the buildup, management and running of the Expo; the second floor is laid out as a collection show of the previous China provincial pavilions, with the famous Chinese scroll painting, "Along the River During Qingming Festival" being the dominant one; the third floor showcases items of over 100 national pavilions.

Longhua Memorial Park and Museum

For those who are legitimately interested in learning about China’s history and culture, Longhua Park and Mausoleum is well worth a look. It is admittedly a bit of a hike from downtown Shanghai, but can be easily reached by taxi or metro nonetheless.

The park opens at 6:30am and is ...

The park opens at 6:30am and is quite popular amongst the local Chinese. In fact I have NEVER seen a foreigner there, other than myself of course. Entrance to the park is only 2RMB, and for that you can enjoy my favorite Chinese sport of people watching. It’s amazing what you see when you sit on a random Chinese park bench and just take in the surroundings.

For a true glimpse into Chinese culture, pay 5RMB to gain entrance into the pyramid shaped mausoleum. This building pays homage to the “people’s heroes” who were slain in the building of a New Communist China. The museum is a quieter and much more humble offering than its downtown neighbors, and feels a somewhat more authentic.

In addition, Longhua temple is next door to a park of the same name as well as close to the Shanghai Botanical Gardens, so you may wish to make a day of visiting this area of Shanghai.

The Longhua Park and Mausoleum area includes a McDonalds, KFC and a wonderful selection of Chinese restaurants. Come out of the park ’s main entrance and turn right. Across the road is a ‘Be for time’ teahouse which is a popular chain in Shanghai. They have the best bubble tea, and the locale is perfect for the British tourist craving PG Tips. Ask for milk tea (奶茶，Nai Cha). A small tea costs 3RMB and a large one 5RMB. If you continue heading right along that road you come to a crossroads, take another right to reach a popular restaurant road. I recommend the Xinjiang noodle places easily spotted by their music and the performance they give when cooking the noodles. Just 5RMB a bowl of noodles and a show.

Take Metro Line 1 to Caobao Lu station. Come out of Exit 1 and turn left. Keep walking till you reach a footbridge, cross over and keep going. At this point start looking for the highly visible brown tourist signs. Alternatively take Metro Line 3 to Longcao Lu. The subway’s exit leaves you at the footbridge; follow the tourist signs from there.

Luxun Park and Museum

Luxun Park was created out of a shooting range in 1896. Over one hundred years later, many ch...

Luxun Park was created out of a shooting range in 1896. Over one hundred years later, many changes have been made including the addition of a lake, a “mountain”, and in 1999 , Hongkou Football Stadium. Covering 22 hectares of land it is a taste of traditional China.

Much busier and bigger than Longhua Memorial Park and Museum, Luxun Park really begins bustling with activity in the morning around 10am when the park is truly a feast for the senses. First witness a old Chinese woman, decked out in silk, gliding through the air as she leads a “class” in Tai Chi. Members of the older generation always enjoy the badminton courts, jungle gym and organized activities in the club house. Hordes of couples gather to dance ballroom style to Panpipe versions of Whitney Houston. Still more bring their instruments and voices to jam together with reckless abandon! The music rises though the air with laughter and a sense of real community. The park is a social event for the Chinese, but if that isn’t enough to keep you entertained, there are more attractions. The park is, after all, named after a famous writer.

Lu Xun wrote at the time of the May 4^th cultural movement. The goal of his work was to educate and he pulled no punches with a realistic and somewhat sarcastic style. I have always been a fan of Lu Xun since he had a similar writing style and indeed similar interests to myself. Not that I am putting myself into his league, I wouldn’t even dream of it! Lu Xun was a radical who loved young people. He encouraged these young minds to develop their own writing styles and to write from their heart. He was also an advocator for better international relations. The park is a mausoleum and his remains were moved there from another location. To learn more about his life I recommend visiting the museum which only costs 8RMB to enter. All information is offered in English.

There is also a stunning plum tree garden that is well worth a look. The admission fee is 12RMB, and the ticket is a bookmark written in both Chinese and Korean. At the bottom of the pavilion is a Korean gift store. The shop is also well worth a visit just to speak to the owner, a delightful man with some English who, when it is cold, offers complimentary Chinese tea.

There is a Sunflower English cottage which has a rooftop beer garden, an amusement park for the kids, and a lake with a variety of boats. If you are feeling peckish, the surrounding area has all manner of fast food, Chinese restaurants and wonderful street side with food stalls. Across the road is Shanghai International Studies University which boasts the best public swimming pool in Shanghai, so bring your swimsuit and make a day of it.

Those growing tired of the glitter of downtown Shanghai should come along to Luxun Park and truly discover the gold. Situated on Dalian Xi Lu, the park can be accessed by metro line 3 Hongkou Football Stadium station.