How to Live like a Local in Shanghai
Shanghai; Shutterstock
Shanghai: the biggest, most vibrant and most energetic city in the world’s fastest developing nation. The modern face of China; where East first met West and began a passionate love affair. The city that sets a pace of life so fast the rest of the world is left forever playing catch up. Shanghai has captured the world’s attention and is becoming an increasingly popular travel destination, follow these tips and say nǐhǎo to the local way of living in Shanghai.
Jin’an temple framed by skyscrapers, Shanghai. Image Credit; Dale Haines
Shanghai at night. Image Credit; Li Noormohamed
Wine and dine in Shanghai the local way
Dining in the West usually results in struggling to pick just one dish from the menu, and often leaves you green-eyed with food envy when your dining companion makes a better choice. In Shanghai, food is seen as very important for bringing people together. When it comes to dining, groups of friends and family will sit down at a circular table for hours and order several dishes to be shared by everyone. When it comes to wining, you are more likely to see locals ordering multiple bottles of Tsingtao at the start of the meal to drink throughout the evening as opposed to a bottle of Pinot Noir – warm beer doesn’t seem to faze the Chinese. Traditionally, Shanghai’s cuisine is known for being well seasoned with salt, not like the sticky, sweet representations of Chinese food we get back home. For a local and authentic Shanghai dining experience, head to a Chinese restaurant, brush up on the names of some popular dishes, or at least your pointing skills, and eat and drink long into the night with a group of friends.
Tip: If your Mandarin isn’t quite up to scratch, and you are uneasy ordering dishes from just pictures, head to the Lotus restaurant on Changning Lu, which serves delicious, authentic Chinese food (and international beers for those who don’t find Tsingtao palatable.) With an English owner and a menu in both Mandarin and English, the restaurant is very popular with nationals and expats alike.
A Chinese meal
In Shanghai, brunch is the thing to do at the weekend; the most popular and grand venue perhaps being Le Royal Meridien. Get dressed up and make an occasion of it with a group of friends; feast on exquisite dishes, indulge in French champagne and listen to fresh mixes from the house DJ alongside a cosmopolitan mix of both easterners and westerners.
Shop in Shanghai the local way
China is known for its unrivalled manufacturing capabilities, however, less so for design and innovation. Shanghai is at the forefront of a ‘created in China not made in China’ movement; most evident in the Chinese fashion industry. Forget the fake market and the big designers on Nanjing Lu, check out some of city’s most trendy fashion boutiques by heading to Tianzifang. This quirky little neighbourhood in the old French Concession is full to the brim with independent restaurants and shops.
Tip: Head to Tianzifang at 9am when everything is first opening up to beat the tourists.
Tianzifang
Unwind from Shanghai the local way
Move over New York – Shanghai is the new city that doesn’t sleep. It is not unusual for locals to work seven days a week whilst simultaneously partying until the sun appears over the skyline.
Living in Shanghai can undoubtedly get hectic, Hangzhou is the perfect place to take a step back and unwind. Located about a two hour drive south west of Shanghai this beautiful city is China’s answer to Venice. Hangzhou is said to have 14 trees to each citizen making it a welcoming oasis away from the futuristic, glass jungle. Take a break in this ancient city for a couple of days to recharge your batteries; walk down the leafy streets and alongside lazy canals, visit the West Lake and lunch in a trendy café with a view to die for.
Tip: Beat the midday heat by getting up early and hiring a bike at the West Lake, it’s the perfect way to take in the scenery and burn off that Meridien brunch!
West Lake, Hangzhou. Image Credit; Dale Haines
![]( "Hangzhou's West Lake")
- West Lake, Hangzhou. Image Credit; Anna Chanin
