Shanghai

In Shanghai, you can literally shop till you drop. It's often called a shopping paradise! Many famous roads have lines of stores, shops and boutiques. The Nanjing Road especially is known for it's numerous international stores and brands. You'll also find plenty of shopping malls in the Xujiahui commercial district.

Shanghai is an international city and as such has a host of top notch nightclubs to help you have a memorable night out. Clubs such as the Apartment and the Shelter on Yongfu Lu. The super fancy Monkey Champagne is also popular with the high end crowd for a great hip hop night!

Shanghai is one of China's most historic cities and it has been directly influenced by the rules of various dynasties, despite never being a capital itself. It was upgraded to the status of a town for the first time in 1074. Shanghai saw most of it's development because of it's port and several changes in trade practices between the 16th to 18th century saw Shanghai the primary port of the Yangtze region. Shanghai's port's global usage began when the British realised it's strategic importance. The British gained access to the city and the port after the first Opium Wars of 1939 to 1942. Even after that, Shanghai had a very turbulent time, witnessing many rebellions and revolutions. The first Sino-Japanese war had also seen Japan establish itself as another foreign power in Shanghai. In the first half of the 20th century Shanghai saw a large amount of immigration from nearby European countries and by the 1930s Shanghai was the 5th most populated city in the world and it was upgraded to the status of Municipality in 1927, excluding the parts under foreign control. Japan once again attacked Shanghai and in 1937, occupied areas beyond the International Agreement and the French Concession. Japan took over Shanghai completely before surrendering at the end of WW2. After 4 years of turmoil, the People's Liberation Army took back control of Shanghai. The period after saw great radical leftist ideology in Shanghai, yet considerable industrial growth. Economic reforms were initiated only by 1991, but since then Shanghai has established itself as one of the biggest financial centres of the world.

While the official language of Shanghai is Standard Mandarin, the language spoken by the people of Shanghai is Shanghainese. This dialect of Wu Chinese is actually quite different from Mandarin. Knowing basic words like 'nong ho' (hello) and ng_ xin... (my name is...) and yˆyš (thank you) will come in handy. English is not spoken very widely in Shanghai by the common people, but you will find a good number of English speakers in tourist and business areas and also the international hotels.

The Chinese culture, as compared to the western world, is very different. Though some features are common as well. Meetings are sufficed by a handshake and in a group the social hierarchy always goes from the oldest to the youngest. Chinese people in general avoid conflict, so being too honest might be considered rude at times and so is using fingers to point at someone in public. Avoid using your feet to move things. Shanghai is a global city, so dressing doesn't really conform to any norms since it hosts people from all walks of life. Tipping too is rare in Shanghai, though nobody will ever mind if you leave a little change if you're pleased with the service.

Shanghai is religiously very diverse. A sizable population of Shanghai follows traditional faiths such as Taoism, Counfucianism or worship natural deities. Among organised religions, Buddhism is the most popular.

China in general is not a very expensive country. But since Shanghai is it's largest city and is a major tourist destination, it tends to get a little expensive. A low budget should lie around RMB 250 - 350 per day. A mid range budget can be expected to be in the range of RMB 500 - 1000. This owes a lot to the fact that prices change drastically when you go to decent restaurants for food rather than cheap ones and street food and also if you go out during the night. A high end budget would mean that you're going out at nights, eating at fancy places, and shopping as well, these expenses should start from around RMB 1200 - 1300 per person and higher.

Currency exchange in Shanghai is an easy task. Along with forex companies such as Travelex, you can get your currency exchanged at the banks as well. Currency exchange options are present at the airport as well. Enquire about rates offered by different places before getting it changed as it can make a difference when you're converting a large amount of money.

The top places near to Shanghai are Macau which is 1275 km from Shanghai, Beijing which is located 1067 km from Shanghai, Xian which is located 1221 km from Shanghai, Shenzhen which is located 1213 km from Shanghai, Guangzhou which is located 1212 km from Shanghai

The top things to do in Shanghai are The Bund, People's Square, Yuyuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai World Financial Centre. You can see all the places to visit in Shanghai here

The Chinses cuisine is probably the single most famous cuisine all over the world. The number of dishes on offer globally are extensive, imagine what all you can have in Shanghai! You just have to try the original dumplings here, since you've probably had them every where. Seafood and poultry are also popular. Try the steamed crab and the pepper duck as well. Shanghai has limitless fast food joints, including all international giants like KFC, McDonald's, Domino's, Pizza Hut and so on. Many restaurants all over China and in many of the hotels also serve many international cuisines. So you'll be spoilt for choice in terms of food here.
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Spring months in Shanghai are the best time to visit. This owes a lot to the Chinese weather. ¾Spring time is pleasant, with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees, making for a comfortable and pleasant stay. You will find exploring the city a lot easier during these months, as opposed to the summers and winters which are too hot and too cold. Spring time is also extremely beautiful, with all the flowers budding and making for a lush scenery. Places like the Yuyuan Garden and the People's Square become even more beautiful.
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