Shanghai

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Shanghai's fascinating atmosphere stems from its long history. 

It was a trading centre as early as 960 AD. It was here that the European trading powers of the 19^th century established themselves in the East. And if was here that the Communist Party was founded in 1921 and here that the Cultural Revolution began in 1960. 

There is much to see, much to discover and much to eat in Shanghai. Make sure you don’t miss these.

Pudong is new Shanghai’s commercial and financial hub. Here you can conquer some of the world’s tallest towers: Oriental Pearl Tower; Jin Mao Tower; and the Shanghai World Financial Centre. The area has a population of five million.

Jade Buddha Temple houses two jade Buddha statues, brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The original 1882 temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. A new temple was built on the present site in 1928.

The Bund, or more correctly, Zhongshan Dong Lu Road, parallels the western bank of the Juangpu Jiang River. It was here that the European, American and Japanese built banks, trading houses, consulates and hotels. The bund is now a tourist attraction, brightly lit at night, and spectacular when viewed from the promenade adjacent to the river. Here you are close to the shopping paradise of Pedestrian Street.

Huangpu River cruise. The Huangpu River is a symbol of Shanghai. It originates in Dianshan Lake and empties into the Yangtze River at Wusongkou. At Wusongkou you can see 'three-layer waters' formed by the convergence of Huangpu River (gray-white), the Yangtze River (yellow) and the East Sea (green) during high tide.

Peoples Park and Square is a great spot to see real life in Shanghai: parents matchmaking their kids; elderly folk performing tai chi and playing mahjong; and children playing with kites. Check out the city planning museum where you can see the change in the skyline!

Text: Linda Ross