9 Things Every Traveler Should Know When Visiting Shanghai

Nov 14, 2021

Last Updated on: Feb 3, 2025

Adventure

Shanghai is one of the best cities to visit in China for tourism. It has everything to offer a tourist. It’s safe, modern, and cultural with its own heritage, which is everything a traveler can hope for.

China doesn’t really have the best image when seen from the western media, so many people prefer to go to Tokyo in Japan. Tokyo is also a great city that every tourist should visit at least once in his life, but you would regret ignoring Shanghai. You should go to Tokyo and then book a trip for visiting Shanghai.

It is never a bad idea to get to know about your destination before you visit it. This ensures you have a smooth trip without any problems or embarrassing situations. This article is for all excursionists who want to see Shanghai.

You are Watched Every Moment

China is a developed country that is a candidate to become the superpower of the world. This is why it has to be very careful with its security. China deals with all its matters inside the country without letting anything out. They welcome all tourists and pay special attention to their security.

The purpose of the security is to ensure they are safe in the country and the country is safe from them. While you won’t find any people following you around, you will see cameras everywhere. From stations to traffic lights, you will cameras monitoring your every move.

Private Transportation is Cheap

Most travelers tend to avoid private transportation such as Taxis because they are supposed to be very expensive. However, you don’t need to worry about that in Shanghai. Taxis are quite cheap and easily affordable for its residents as well as guests.

You can travel around 50km within the city within $20. This will help you save a lot of time and ensure your experience remains comfortable. However, you will have to watch out for drivers who will deliberately charge you more because they think you don’t know the actual fares.

Don’t Forget to Experience Subway

Don’t Forget to Experience Subway

While you have the luxury of traveling by Taxi for cheap, you should not ignore the Shanghai subway. It’s a mode of public transport so it’s obviously way cheaper. Since you are there to explore the culture and Chinese lifestyle, you should get mixed in the crowd.

Travel around in the subway when you have spare time to kill. However, it is recommended to take a taxi if you have a big bag of luggage with you. It will be difficult to move around in the crowded subway with luggage.

See the Modern Form of China

See the Modern Form of China

Shanghai is one of the most progressive cities in China. You will get to see modern China that is driven by technology. There is everything most people would not expect from China. For example, they are very concerned about the environment. This is why you will not find any motorbikes that run on fuel.

Most motorbikes are environment-friendly and run on electricity. To promote these electric bikes, the government offered subsidies on them and made it very expensive to get a fuel-powered bike.

Find the Best Restaurants in Malls

Find the Best Restaurants in Malls

While food quality in the malls is usually not as great compared to restaurants outside in most countries, the situation is a little different in Shanghai. You will find all types of food of the best quality in malls. When you go to malls for shopping, make sure you don’t anything before it.

Do your shopping while enjoying different types of traditional cuisines. Even if you are in the mood of shopping, you should head to nearby malls for food. There you will see many stalls with a variety of local food options. They will be a bit expensive compared to outside stalls, but the quality and experience are worth it.

Definitely Visit Shanghai’s People’s Park

You will see a lot of colors in public parks in Shanghai. It is recommended that you must visit parks on the weekends to truly experience local culture. You will see people playing games, dancing to Chinese music, and flying kites.

Another interesting thing you will find is matchmaking activities. Parents of single adults visit parks on the weekends to exchange details of their children with each other to find a suitable partner. These parents sit there with a poster next to them that has details of their children. These details include their age, looks, weight, height, and income.

Xiaolongbao for All the Foodies

Even the most open-minded foodies are very skeptical of Chinese food. It’s not that their food is unhygienic, but the things they choose to cook. You should know that it’s not as bad as you might have heard. The stories of eating dogs have been quite exaggerated. While it’s not illegal, it’s also not an everyday practice.

I suggest you keep an open mind and at least try one of the best foods Shanghai has to offer. You should look for a local delicacy called Xiaolongbao. They are like dumplings but filled with meat and soup from the inside. You bite into it to suck out the soup and then start eating.

Watch When Crossing the Road

Just because the traffic light is green, it doesn’t mean you are safe to cross the road in Shanghai. It’s best you look around every time before stepping on the road. Many motorcycle riders don’t follow the law and break the traffic light. You might not even see one coming because electric bikes don’t make noise.

No Social Media Works There

China doesn’t let anyone blackmail or control them. Due to this and many other reasons, none of the big social media websites work there. This means no Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, or even Gmail.

You will have to use a good VPN to access these platforms. However, you will have to install that VPN before you enter China because it would be impossible to download with the restrictions. The internet is not very fast there, so your browsing will become even slower with a VPN.

If you want to catch up with your Instagram or Twitter profiles, there is a simple solution. You can go for the best vpn for chrome to access sites and social media platforms that have been blocked by the Chinese government. They will not be able to identify your IP and you will get a great browsing experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What do I need to know before visiting Shanghai?

 A: There are 7 things you need to know before visiting Shanghai

  • Shanghai isa city of contrast.
  • To visit there you don’t need a visa.
  • There is no tipping.
  • Food is amazingly good.
  • Do not expect english.
  • Tap water is safe to drink.
  • Roaming around is easier than you expect.

Q2: What should I avoid in Shanghai?

A: things to avoid in Shanghai

  • Avoid bringing your credit cards or big notes.
  • Carry toilet papers.
  • Avoid eating at a cheap place.
  • Do not expect that everyone will understand your English language. 

Q3: Is Shanghai a safe tourist spot?

A: China is the safest destination to visit and Shanghai is the safest city to visit in the world. 

Q4: What are the other names of Shanghai?

A: Shanghai is also known as shencheng (city of Shen). The city has various names in English such as “paris of the east”, “pearl of the orient” , “ the whore of asia” etc.

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Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.

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