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Enoteca is a pair of wine bars where bottles start at around 90RMB- the same price as you pay in a Shanghainese supermarket.
The low profit margins don't mean that corners are cut though, as the service is spot on, French-style bar food (Croque Monsieur, creme brulee) is delicious and the XinTianDi branch has great live music on Wednesday nights.
Classy on the cheap with a loyal following.
Enoteca 1
53-57 Anfu Lu, near Changshu Lu
Tel: 5404 0050
Enoteca XinTianDi
58 Taicang Lu, near Jinan Lu
Tel: 5306 3400
Windows Scoreboard- the best of the three Windows around town, Scoreboard serves up a steak dinner for 30RMB, and 10RMB beers to a crowd of expat college kids and credit crunchees.
The music is a lot better than the service, and there are screens showing random TV channels everywhere you look, but it's hard to argue when Fish and Chips cost 10RMB a plate.
3F, 681 Huaihai Zhong Lu
near Sinan Lu
Tel: 5382 7757
C's Bar
Open until the last person leaves, students and expats rolling dice together over classic Hip-Hop, occasional left-field club nights (check out Antidote or Brown Nylon Suit), 10RMB beer, 20RMB whiskey.
685 Dingxi Lu,
near Fahuazhen Lu
6294-0547
On clear days, it's hard to beat the view from the Nanpu river in the South of Shanghai.
Tickets cost 68RMB to go up the elevator to the start of the bridge's arch. From there it's some 360 steps to the observatory deck at the top.
From this point you can see the Expo site (opens in June 2010), and the city laid out like a map as far as the eye can see: The Pearl Tower, the Financial Centre, People's Square, and miles of skyscrapers in every direction.
Ticket office at the very end of Lujiabang Lu (near Xietu Lu).
farm2.static.flickr.com/1292/543456092_f3b2854f9b.jpg
ispyshanghai.com
Most visitors to Hong Kong would be forgiven for thinking that this "Special Administrative Region" of China is entirely urbanised. The New Territories actually make up the majority of the land area, of which vast areas are lush woodlands.
Sai Kung Town is located in the east of the region. It is famous for its seafood, which is impressively displayed outside the harbourside restaurants and on the small fishing boats, some of which offer paid fishing trips. The town has a much more laid-back feel than its urban cousin and is a welcome retreat.
Sai Kung region, New Territories
I would like to share my best tips for train journeys for people who don't plan ahead. These were shaped from my travel experience riding seat-less in China with three friends as we criss-crossed our way down through the country using the busy train network. We travelled on a shoestring budget, and with no fixed agenda we often arrived at stations with only a loose idea of where we were heading. However, demand for seats and beds on these trains is huge and when there are literally millions of citizens using the network at anyone time, these spaces are booked days in advance... Surprisingly, my tip isn't to plan ahead, be sensible and book in advance - but top tips for surviving and enjoying an overnight train journey with no seat or bed to speak off. Following these tips allows you to get closer to the fascinating Chinese character and fully involve yourself to feel like a true and accepted local which is lost in 1st and 2nd class travel.
My first tip is to play the Chinese at their own game in order to get the best floor positions for your overnight journey. Your competing 3rd class companions will be travelling with half their kitchen larders strapped to their backs, which can include two or three 'cash and carry' style bags of rice or even sacks of chicken feet! So i would advise teaming up with a friend or fellow westerner, which combined with your likely height advantage and 20kg backpacks, you'll find yourselves with some kind of purchase on the crowds of surging travellers to get to your carriage first.
The second tip is on boarding and locating your floor space. With competition fierce, and the odds stacking against you, you will need to prepare for your mini sprint. Try and establish from platform gates, which end of the train your carriage is in; you don't want to find your self running in the opposite direction as you are then likely to be stood beside the toilet for the next 15 to 20 hours. So, once at the carriage doors, I would recommend boarding at the same time as your friend, guarding yourselves from the beating crowds to give you the opportunity to seek the best position, ideally not near the toilet or wash basin, but next to a guards door, which is likely to leave you some good leg room and uninterrupted sleep from people getting on and off through the night.
The third and final tip is spread yourself out, as selfish as it might sound, conceding early on or showing weakness will leave you sharing your pillow another guy who likes to chain smoke and cough up loosening flem from his lungs. This early initiative also gives you the flexibility of lying down and sitting up to read throughout your journey, as fidgeting to get comfortable will become your new best friend. Once you have your little enclave, you can pick and choose who you share your space with, and observe the fascinating culture and characters on board your train as people pass through and squat to chat to the unlikely westerners slumming it on floor.
These light-hearted tips are really just great memories and a product of clashing national psyches, for which I believe brings so much colour, character and adventure to a train journey and gets you right under the skin of a nation which is quite literally on the move.
Many thanks for reading my top tips for character rich 3rd class train travel in China.
Shanghai's Maglev airport train shoots you across 30km at over 500 kph - the world's fastest. Take it for an experience rather than ease, unfortunately it doesn't take you right into the city centre but the station is well connected by taxis which wait around the station.
A one-way ticket is just around GBP5 so well worth the experience.
An Asian restaurant that serves great food at a reasonable 'Western' price.
Situated on the top floor of a shopping complex in the embassy district of Beijing this was a real find. The aubergine curry was sublime, the chicken in the balti was tasty if not immediately recognisable. Friendly service and a welcome change from the local cuisine.
In September 2008 58 of us cycled the above route to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. It was a fantastic experience and I have a DVD copy chronicling the twelve days we spent in China with various photos. We saw some main tourist attractions but it was the unexpected sights along the way which delighted us. However nothing compared with the contact we made with the Chinese. We stayed in hotels in Beijing and Xian but felt more at home when we camped with locals who lived in primitive houses and caves for seven fascinating nights.
Through the newspaper?
This hotel is in Shatin. An ideal place to relax and collect your thoughts. It is a long bus journey from the airport but one that is both direct and I believe cheapest to reach, unless you can afford the Regal airport hotel. If you book online and in advance, the early bird promotion is a good deal. You can take a healthy stroll by the river or visit the wide array of shopping centres networked together just over the bridge.
Regal Riverside Hotel
Tai Chung Kiu Road
Shatin
Hong Kong (A41 bus from Airport)
Regalhotel.com
Whether you're in Hong Kong for business or you're doing a stopover en route to Australia, a great way to soak up the Hong Kong vibe is to take a beginners Tai Chi class on the waterfront.
The class is in English and assumes no previous knowledge of Tai Chi. There are a few demonstrations first followed by lessons on how to do the most basic tai chi routines. All this in front of Victoria Harbour with the skyscrapers in full view. It captures the whole East-West fusion that Hong Kong is all about.
Best of all - the lessons are free.
The lessons take place in front of the Museum of Art on Salisbury Road by the waterfront. It is a five minute walk from the Star Ferry terminus on Kowloon. They start at 8am and run on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Ring the Hong Kong Tourist board on +852 2508 1234 to ckeck days before going.
This is a chain which has a range of restaurants across the far East. In a city where you can get cheap and plentiful food this is a restaurant that produces quality food in smaller quantities. More pricey but worth it. An eight-course sampler of signature dishes is 228 yuan.
Wangfujing shopping mall
The Grand Hyatt is within easy reach of the Shanghai Stock Exchange and World Financial Centre, and is the highest hotel in the world. It occupies the 53rd to 87th floors of the Jin Mao Tower and has good desks in its rooms, as well as high-speed internet access and a 24-hour concierge. There is also secretarial support and a translation service available from the communications centre.
If you get some down-time, go to the Huxington Tea House in the Yu Yuan Garden. This is apparently Shanghai’s oldest tea house and they perform a traditional tea ceremony every evening from 8.30pm to 10pm. Be sure to get a table on the top floor looking out over the lake. And for something livelier to do in the evening, The House of Blues and Jazz gets a good range of international acts and is an intimate venue with a music-loving crowd.
The Glamour bar on Shanghai’s bund is an amazing place. Very chi-chi with pink lighting and huge Chinese print panels, it has three huge windows that look out on the city. They sometimes have live cabaret events and the best martinis in town.
Not so much a recommendation but more of a warning... The airport Maglev train is great for the experience but please be warned that it doesn't go straight into the city. This may come as a surprise to newcomers to the city. You will have to transfer to a taxi once you arrive at the station and therefore make sure you know where you want to go (ie have your hotel's address in Chinese) once you get off.
At the airport
I've pulled together some of my top tips for Shanghai - I've categorised each tip into time periods so that you can pick and choose depending on how much free time you've got.
0-2 hours: Avoid! Bund Tourist Tunnel - 10 minutes
Crossing the Bund can be done by boat, car or underground, but don't waste your time on the rather retro (read tacky) Bund Tourist Tunnel. The name is apt as only tourists would be crazy enough to spend their money on a underground fair ride that is more likely to cause an epileptic shock than any degree of amusement. It is however, the quickest way to cross the river if you are on the banks on the Bund (and it's rush hour so the tunnel is blocked). Give a try... if you really must.
Xian dan di - 1-2 hours
Ironically housed in the former offices of the Communist party, this beautiful refurbished part of town could be accused of being rather faux in terms of its connection with real China life... but it's there and it exists and it is part of Shanghai ex-pat life. The clean streets, the trendy restaurants and the outrageous prices probably tell you that you are in a place for tourists and expats, however, it's worth a look around and for a pitstop.
Go to Starbucks - 30 mins to 1 hour
I kid you not, some would accuse me of sacrilege but there is a reason... please bear with me. A lot of the Starbucks in the city benefit from sitting in the most prestigious and ideally located positions in the city for great panoramic views. My personal recommendation would be the Starbucks situated on the East bank of the river overlooking the Bund just opposite the Shangri-La hotel. Grab yourself a Chinese tea and watch the sunset over the river. The glowing fuzz of the city ahead will warm you before you retreat to your hotel.
Enjoy drinks over the Bund - 1-2 hours
A visit to Shanghai will not be complete without a visit to the historic 'Bund' district, the colonial waterside developed on the west bank of the Huangpu River. Many of the bars/restaurants (I recommend 'M on the Bund' - www.m-restaurantgroup.com/) offer expansive views over the Bund and the tall skyscrapers in the Pudong district. The food's not bad either! English and Chinese menus are available. Other nearby highlights include the old HSBC building (no longer housing HSBC) and Huangpu Park.
Stroll along Nanjing Road (to buy the other half a gift) -
2-4 hours
Home to Shanghai's main shopping street so be prepared to be greeted by tens of thousands of people. The shops range from the local to international with department stores dotted along the way. Be sure to stop by one of the many snack stores to take on board some of the delicious buns or dumplings that make China famous. Be sure you check the custom regulations for transporting goods though, be particularly careful with any foodstuffs.
Enjoy a river cruise along Huangpu River - 1-3 hours
One observation you will undoubtedly make whilst travelling in Shanghai is that the river is bustling with life. Container ships, tankers, passenger boats all zip up and down the river at a hectic speed. Board a river cruise boat from the ferry terminal at the south of the Bund district. Here you will be able to enjoy a one, two or even three hour river cruise. Take care though... Shanghai like many other Chinese cities is prone to a spot of smog. Try and pick a clear day. Try Huangpu River Cruise (239 Second Eastern Zhong Shan Road, Shanghai - tel +86 21 6374 4461). Nearest station - Wai Tan
Sleep in the clouds - 8 hours
Nope, I'm not talking about your business class flat bed on the way back home, I'm talking about the ever impressive Grand Hyatt Shanghai. Based in Pudong it's close to the financial centre and closer to the airport. Ask for a room overlooking the Pearl TV tower or over the park.
When in Shanghai, why not live the high life. Try out the Sky bar from the top of the Grand Hyatt Shanghai Pudong, located some 90 floors up. You can get views of all of Shanghai... just make sure it's clear on the day!
Guilin Park provides a haven of tranquility in this busy city, ideal for spending a quiet hour between business meetings and experiencing an authentic tourist-free Chinese park. It's a beautiful place where you can walk in peace, sit sipping green tea, or watch people practice tai chi in the mornings. It's located in a suburb about 20 minutes by taxi from the Bund.
Address: No. 128 Guilin Road (E), Shanghai, Zipcode: 200233
Use this mobile phone translation service whilst in China and connect to a team of operators who will be able to translate for you when you pass your mobile phone to the Chinese person with whom you need to communicate. So useful in lots of situations in a country where so few people speak English. The service can be used for business communication, travel around the country, hotel reservations and so much more.
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