Ten Unique and Unforgettable Shanghai Experiences

Everybody knows about the amazing sights and sounds one can encounter on a trip to Shanghai. But beyond the obvious attractions in Shanghai, there are plenty of other reasons why a visit to the Paris of the East should be on top of any traveler’s agenda. Here are the Top Ten less obvious charms of the Paris of the East.

The most glamorous way to get into town from Pudong is on the world's only commercial Maglev train in Seven Minutes.

• Maglev Train

It seems a little extravagant, but why not. This high tech fast train, which relies on magnetic levitation and is one of the first in the world, takes you on the 30km journey from downtown Shanghai to the Pudong Internationl airport in seven minutes. Yup, some would say it is almost too fast. But there is great fun to be had in watching the speedometer, which is handily and proudly installed at the front and back of each carriage. Within two minutes it was cruising at over 350/km/h and briefly ticked over 400km/h before having to slow down for that pesky thing called a station. It costs 50 yuan ($7) though discounted to 40 yuan ($6.00) if you are hold a same day boarding pass.

• Feel like a millionaire

Sitting on the 42nd floor of the Shanghai Hilton (250 Huashan Road, 021-6248-0000, www.hilton.com), enjoying a stunning view of the city some sumptuous snacks and brilliant Blues band it was easy to feel like you had made it. Think Gordon Gecko in ‘Wall Street’ or Ferris Bueller on his Day Off. It was all a temporary illusion but the impeccable service and non-exorbitant prices made it possible. Paying $6.00 for a Heineken at a dingy London pub? Annoying. Handing over 40 yuan ($6.00) for that same green bottle at the Shanghai Hilton? Priceless.

• Cheapest thrill rides in the world

Forget about Disneyland, Dream world, or even Rainbows End, if you fancy an instant adrenalin shot simply grab a taxi in Shanghai. Watch as your driver weaves in and out of densely packed lanes. Thrill as he cuts across six lanes, in the space of 30 meters, to make a particular exit. Marvel as he avoids scrapes and swipes by literally millimeters. Be amazed as just when you think there is no more room on the road, there is suddenly space. It is always very safe, and the only thing in danger is the driver’s insurance policy, but for much less than the price of a coffee in New York you get one hell of a jolt to the senses. Plus of course, delivery to your exact destination and in double quick time.

• Healthy times

Whether it is a weekend Yoga retreat , a three-step course in teeth whitening, or an incredible spa treatment, there can be a healthy bonus to your visit to the Paris of the East at not particularly Western prices.

Vue Bar - This sophisticated and intimate lounge in Hyatt on the Bund has amazing views of both the Bund and Pudong

• Loving the nightlife

Shanghai was one of the places to party way back in the 1930′s and it seemed to have regained its reputation. There is all number of clubs and bars, catering to foreigners, locals, or a mix. Names like ‘Not Me’, ‘Face’, ‘Judy’s Too’, ‘Glamour Bar’, ‘Vue Bar’, ‘Sin Lounge, Time Passage and Tango Bang hint at just what is available. There were plenty of places offering 100 Yuan all you can drink and some that even dished out free alcohol for the ladies.

• Weird and wonderful tourists

There is something about Shanghai that attracts the weird and the wonderful in terms of travelers. Two young ladies, of Australian and American descent respectively, seemed to be struggling in the immense metropolis. “It is so nice here not being able to eat” one remarked, presumably alluding to the fact that the food was so different and therefore intolerable. “Yeah, the slightly hefty friend concurred, “not having to eat is great. At home you have to eat five meals a day”. Later the subject switched to guidebooks, as our would be MENSA candidates discussed the merits of various ones. “You know, I would never buy a Lonely Planet again after all the shit I have been through with them” was the personal highlight for this writer.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport

• Get me out of here

Leaving Shanghai is particularly easy. Not that you will necessarily want to, but if visiting other parts of China is on your agenda then leaving is easy. Booking domestic flights is extremely simple and hassle free through a variety of websites or a plethora of travel agents, while air travel is cheap, plentiful and efficient. And you can even buy air insurance at the airport.

Ode to Xiao Long Bao(small steamed meat bun), Shanghai's Signature Dish

• Dine like a swine

Other parts of China will tend to poke fun at the Shanghai school of cuisine and it is valid that it tends to be a melting pot for all different types of style of Chinese food. But you would have to go a long way to find better dumplings than can be encountered on Yunnan Rd, a central city area that is called ‘food street’ by locals. These were sensational. When I eventually got to the front of what had been a 50 person queue – yes forget what you hear, the Chinese will assemble in orderly lines for important things like Sunday dumplings – they were sensational and more than more the wait. Slighty crispy on the outside, a combination of pork and vegetables on the inside and dripping with flavor.

A man riding his motorbike in pyjamas in Shanghai

• Snazzy Pyjamas

Shanghai is not so much the city that never sleeps as a place that never takes off its pyjamas. Imagine Saturday lunchtime with the usual bustle of activity – workers, shoppers, wanderers and a man riding his motorbike in pyjamas. And this was not your classic ‘getting caught at the letterbox in the dressing gown scenario’ – this was downtown Shanghai. It wasn’t a one off – the next day we saw another dude, perhaps in his forties, strolling the sidewalk in the latest bed wear fashion. The icing on the cake was standing beside a woman on a four lane highway, who was hailing a taxi in the clothing she had slept in.

Apparently over time the citizens of Shanghai have been used to living in very communal situations with a lot of people at close quarters. Then having been accustomed to seeing each other in their nightwear, the suburb then just becomes an extension of these accommodation arrangements. It is slightly different though, one would have thought, when your neighborhood is downtown Shanghai.

• Finding Zen

It was quite rare to see public display of anger in this city of 20 million people. Drivers duck in and out of lanes with barely a honk, never a v sign and all the usual transactions of daily life pass by with a distinct lack of visible aggravation. While it is difficult to debate the merits of this cultural necessity, it is interesting that you find it very hard to explode into anger yourself when no one else around you is, bringing a whole genuine calmness to the experience.

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Top Ten Shanghai Attractions