Ni Hao!Shanghai was actually one of the cities that I wanted to go this year because of Shanghai Disneyland and the Pudong Skyline. I fell in love with Shanghai because of Meteor Garden 2018 remake so when my bestfriend, Sky, called me in the middle of my store opening event in Nov 2018 to tell me that there is a promo fare for Shanghai, we booked it without a blink I must say that despite the political, environmental, economic and social issues that we have with China - this city is beautiful. The people were nice and accommodating - even though they only understand a little English and could not speak it (most of the people we encounter), they still helped us whenever we asked for directions. The Shanghai Metro is very easy to navigate and accessible to all the tourist spots. In the 5 days in Shanghai, we did not see any Filipino which was odd but refreshing. We were really lost in translation. Haha :)) Another thing about this trip, we have at least 1-2 hours of spare to get lost everyday. It was fun discovering new places and going to interesting places, just because you don't know which way to go. You can check this Must Have Apps for Shanghai and How to apply for Chinese tourist visa for Philippine passport holders for other blog posts related to my Shanghai trip. AccommodationWe stayed in Rayfront Shanghai Nanpu Hotel which we booked through Agoda. We were there for 4 night and 5 days on a Deluxe Twin Bed room for only P9,043 (that's P2,260.75 per night for two pax). Though it doesn't include breakfast, they have a cafe in the lobby and a convenient store right across the street. The hotel is a bit old but clean and safe. Our bathroom had a bathtub and shower. The bed and pillow were comfy plus the heater was working well. Whenever we/I travel, we always make sure that our accommodation is near a metro station. The 3-star hotel is 10-15 min walk from the metro station within a quiet residential area. You can walk early or late at night without worrying. From the outside, it didn't have an English signage so we had to rely on the photo online (hahaha) and the staff don't speak English so you need to use Google Translate in communicating with them. Transportation: Metro - Line 4 Nanpu Bridge stop (color: deep purple) TransportationYou can go around Shanghai via the Shanghai Metro. It is the largest rapid transit system by route. It has 16 lines and 413 station. On my IT below, I will be including the metro station, for your reference. CurrencyTheir currency is CNY or "yuan", it is equivalent to approx. P7-8 depending on the exchange rate. I suggest you exchange your money here in Manila with local banks or Czarina Foreign Exchange (they offer the best rate). If you want to exchange currency in Shanghai, either you withdraw from an ATM or bring US Dollars. Day 1 - Arrival & Shanghai DisneylandSince we arrived at midnight, we booked a hotel transfer in Klook - Airport Transfer, we did not want to take public transpo that late and especially it was our first time in the city. Our driver was waiting for us at the arrival area with a signage with our name on it. We also booked 4G LTE Sim Card via Klook. I can't find the offer anymore :( I think they already removed it but we got 2 LTE Sim cards with 4gb data. We woke up early and took the metro to Shanghai Disneyland. When you get out of the metro, Disneyland entrance is 10-15 min walk. (Unlike Hongkong, they did not have the Disney train) We got our 1-day passes in Klook - Shanghai Disneyland 1 Day Ticket for only P2,790. It was very easy to use because you can directly present the QR code at the entrance (no need to line up to get a printed ticket). You need to download the Shanghai Disneyland App so you can check show schedules, parades, waiting time for the rides and you can navigate the whole place with the map. You can also get fast pass through the app, you just need to pick the schedule and get in line on time. By the way, all narration, audio and dialogues are in Chinese. You have been warned! :)) Transportation: Metro - Line 11 Disneyland Park stop (color: dark red) WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND 1. It is Disney's second largest Disneyland next to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. (Make sure you're in comfortable weather-appropriate clothes and shoes when you visit) We visited in March and it was so cold, us being island girls froze our ass off because of our light jackets. 2. The Enchanted Storybook Castle is the biggest and tallest Disney castle. It doesn't have a walkway in the middle but there's a stage with performances from its featured Disney Princesses. It also has an attraction inside called "Once Upon an Adventure", you can go inside the castle and go through Snow White's story. 3. The only park with the Tron ride - honestly, people go to Shanghai Disneyland because of this but we didn't have the courage to ride it. Hehe! Maybe next time. 4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle of the Sunken Treasure rider - another talked about attraction in Shanghai Disneyland. YOU CAN'T LEAVE SHANGHAI WITHOUT RIDING THIS ONE. It is a boat ride that will take you to Jack Sparrow's story. The boat will speed up and slow down on certain spots but what made my jaw drop is how they incorporated technology on this ride. After we got off the boat, me and my best friend only kept saying "wow, wow, wowwww" Hahahahaha. 5. Voyage on the Crystal Grotto - If you love Disney Princesses, this one is for you. Another boat ride that takes you to different Disney Princesses stories, each has a grotto and the characters are made of crystal (very chinese!). 6. HELLO, MULAN!!! - I can't explain what I felt when I saw Mulan on the parade. FINALLY, OUR ASIAN PRINCESS! 7. Peter Pan's Flight - you might think that this is a kid's ride but it is one of the must-try attraction in Shanghai Disneyland. It will take you through the story of Peter Pan, again, they used technology for this ride and its amazing! 8. Just because Shanghai Disneyland - there's nothing like it in the world. You can do so many things inside and ride different attractions. They also have really good food. One day is already enough but if you're planning to ride all the attractions better stay at the hotels - Toy Store Hotel or Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. A truly magical place that is both authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese. Day 2 - Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai Old City and Nanjing RoadYuyuan Garden Another tourist attraction is Yuyuan Garden, it's like an oasis in the middle of the city. Seems like the old Shanghai was preserved in this block. From the metro station, you have to walk around 10-15 minutes to get inside. You will enjoy walking in the "Old Chinese section of the city" or "Shanghai Old City" with traditional Chinese architecture and shops. Since tourist flock in this area, there are street signs leading you inside. You can visit City God Temple, go shopping, eat legit Chinese food, enjoy the street food and appreciate the Chinese architecture. The Yuyuan Garden is history itself, there is information at every pavilion and corner (Don't worry, it's English!). It also gives me vibes of Mulan's house in the movie, especially the bridge part and seat under the tree. Hehe! I've read in a couple of travel blogs that restaurants are expensive and they suggested to eat on the 2nd floor (entrance near Starbucks) which is like a food court. Again, the staff don't speak English so you just have to point the food and use the 1 finger sign. After getting the food from the stalls, you will pay at the cashier and then eat. What's good about Chinese food, it's always good for sharing. We bought a couple of street food and had the famous xiaolong mantou at Nanxiang Bun Shop. We tried to get in line for lunch but it was too long so when we passed by a couple of hours later and the line is shorter, we tried it. For me, I still love Din Tai Fung but Nanxiang Bun is also good. You can book your ticket via Klook - Yu Garden Admission. Transportation: Metro - Line 10 Yuyuan Garden stop (color: light purple) Business Hours: 8:30am–5:30pm (Mar–Oct), 8:30am–5pm (Nov–Feb) Entrance fee: CNY 40 (Apr–Jun; Sep–Nov), CNY 30 (Jul–Aug;Dec–Mar) Nanjing Road My love for this place is unexpected. You can start from the side of People's Square and end at The Bund. We walked around People's Square going to Nanjing Road. From afar, you can already see how busy this street is. Nanjing Road is a shopping district with local and traditional Chinese stores to international boutiques and chains. For me, just walking and looking around is enough to appreciate the place. We were so lazy to look for restaurant so we ended up eating Korean food at the mall. Transportation: Metro - Line 12 West Nanjing Rd. (color: dark green) Line 13 West Nanjing Rd. (color: pink) Day 3 - Zhujiajiao Ancient Water Town and The Bund/Pudong SkylineZhujiajiao Ancient Water Town You can book via Klook here Zhujiajiao Water Town Day Trip. Since we're strong independent woman, we decided to DIY and honestly, it was a bit stressful (!!) but worth it. You can take the train or bus. The train has a couple of transfers but it will just take 40 mins but since we took the bus, our trip was around 2-hours long going to Zhujiajiao Town. Transportation From Shanghai Concert Hall (Metro - Line 8 Dashijie, color: steel blue), walk going to Pu'an Road and Yan'an East Road. If you're facing the concert hall, it will be on your left. We got lost in this area and had to walk around the block to find it. I'm paying it forward by telling you where to go so you won't waste time getting lost. Hehe. See map below :) There are Shanghai-Zhujiajiao Express Line Bus departing every 30 mins every day. I don't have an exact photo of the bus from Shanghai, but I have a photo from Zhujiajiao Bus Station (The bus is color pink). Make sure your take the bus line called Hùzhū Gāosù Kuàixiàn (Chinese: 沪朱高速快线) screenshot this and check the digital signage of the bus and match the Chinese characters :) Last bus from Zhujiajiao leaves at 9 PM. Fare: CNY 20 (one way) From the bus stop, the Ancient Water Town is 30-min walk, around 2.1 km (tiring but good thing it was cold so we didn't sweat under the heat of the sun). I would suggest that you take a taxi and it would cost around CNY 20-25 = P187 (Taxi starts at CNY 14 = P150) This town tagged as Venice of the East is located in Qingpu District of Shanghai and is said to be 1700 years old. You think you have seen enough of "Old Shanghai" but wait until you explore this place. At the entrance, there's a map with the attractions and activities. You will choose between the packages, we paid for the eight scenic spots and cruise boat for CNY 80 = P601. You can walk in North Street, it is said to be the best preserved street in Shanghai. You will enjoy the old establishments, stores, traditional restaurants and scenic bridges in between. In Kezhi Garden, you can rent a traditional Chinese clothing - Hanfu and walk around the garden. The staff will let you pick your Hanfu and fix your hair, too! I was aiming for a warrior slash Mulan-ish outfit but I ended up looking like a royalty. Here, you can also cross the Fangsheng Bridge, the largest stone arch bridge in Shanghai. The short boat ride gives you a full view of the water town crossing to Jingting Street and under the small canals. There are a lot of interesting food, usually the ones with the long lines are the good ones. The restaurants offer the same thing so you just need to find one with English translation or photos of food in the menu because mostly, the menu is in Chinese characters without translation. You can also buy a souvenirs and traditional Chinese products/food. Business Hours: 8:30am–4:30 pm Entrance fee: 1. CNY 30 for four scenic spots (including Tongtianhe Medicine Shop, Qing Dynasty Post Office, Y-Art Gallery, and Kezhi Garden); 2. CNY 60 for eight scenic spots (including Y-Art Gallery, Tongtianhe Medicine Shop, Qing Dynasty Post Office, City God Temple, Yuanjin Meditation Room, Handwork Exhibition Hall, Quanhua Art Hall and Kezhi Garden); 3. CNY 80 for cruise boat and eight scenic spots metioned above. Pudong Skyline I have been waiting for this moment!!! We actually wanted to when we were in Nanjing Road but we were so tired so we decided to head home then. Now, we walked along Nanjing Road and shopped for a bit. I bought two classic polos from Giordano, I was so happy when I saw it the other day so I promised myself to come back and buy it. When I say classic polos, they have the bear logo which they discontinued already. Just walk towards the cityscape view and you'll find yourself in awe of Pudong skyline. There were a lot of people but you will find a spot to just marvel or take photos. Those are kind of moments where you have to experience it because seeing it on photos and videos is not enough. It has its own charm that draws you to it. Transportation: Metro - Line 2 East or West Nanjing Road (color: light green) Day 4 - Tianzifang, Meteor Garden 2018 Filming Location and DepartureGoing to Tianzifang took a while - train ride, 30-min walk and a cab ride. We were actually looking for a restaurant and when we got there, it was closed already. We didn't walk back to the train station so we took a cab going to the French Concession. The trees did not have trees so it looks bare compared to the photos online. It is filled with cafes, bars, local shops, craft stores and boutiques with major hipster vibes. The architecture has a French touch. You will get lost in it, going from corner to another and reaching a dead end. You just have to keep going and you'll be entertained with the variety of shops and boutiques in it. Transportation: Metro - Line 9 Dapuqiao (color: sky blue) Meteor Garden 2018 Filming Location We were only able to go to the Milktea shop where Shancai worked which was sadly closed already :( and the entrance of the university that was actually in between establishments. TALENT'S TEA SHOP First Floor, Greenland Being Funny Shopping Mall Transportation: Metro - Line 7 or 12 LongHua Road (color: orange) MING DE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE Jin Xiu Fang 329 Jinyan Road, New Pudong Transportation: Metro - Line 2 Shanghai Science & Technology Museum (color: light green) Departure Since we have an evening flight, we decided to take the Shanghai Maglev Train going to the airport. From Longyang Rd. (Line 2, color: light green) going to Pudong International Airport takes 8 minutes in 30km with a speed of 430 km/h. The train leaves every 20 mins. and there are two kinds of ticket - standard and VIP. I think you won't need a VIP ticket since it will be just a quick train ride. You can also present your plane ticket on the ticket booth to get discount on your train ticket! :) Over all, I loved Shanghai! ❤❤❤ I am already planning on going back to China, maybe in Beijing and Xi'an to see the Great Wall and Terracotta Army. There are so many cities to explore in China and I can't wait to see them. If China is not on your list, I hope I was able to convince you on this blog post :) xoxo, M
2 Comments
Louie
10/30/2019 02:42:23 am
Omg!! How did you know hiw to find talent's teashop??!!
Reply
Monica
10/30/2019 06:23:36 am
It was a struggle! Haha I was looking for it before we even got there. I had to translate several chinese posts about it so I can find the exact location :)
Reply
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She wonders and wandersMonica writes about her life, what she eats, what she reads and where she goes. This space is where her thoughts, experiences, memories and feelings turn into words. She's glad that she can share with you. Archives
August 2021
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