Okay. (I'm ready for the Chinese title.)
-
When I talk about my last trip to Shanghai, it was basically an okay experience overall. However, there is one place that's hard to explain:
-
Shanghai Experience
- Originally, I was pretty excited about it. Big city! Tall buildings! Various delicious foods! There wasn't any problem with these.
-
But, naming one place: Oriental Pearl Television Tower
- Yes, that tower in many pictures of the Shanghai bund, which looks like a string of candied haws.
- Many first-time visitors to Shanghai might put this landmark at the top of their list, right?
- All I can say is, don't have too high expectations before going, or you'll feel the same as me: "Oh, is that all?"
-
Why am I describing this place as a disappointment? (personal experience, not representative of everyone!)
- Queue, Queue, and More Queue! Good heavens, the line is so long, it feels like it can circle the earth. It took up most of the time just waiting in line.
- If you do visit, prepare yourself mentally, or check whether it's possible to go early in the morning or late in evening to dodge the peak crowds.
- Feeling like the price is too high for what you get. The ticket is quite expensive, but when you actually get up there, the view... well, it's just another city panorama from above.
- To be honest, besides the Oriental Pearl Tower, there are other spots in Shanghai where you can see far and wide. There’s the neighboring Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower, or even look from further away on The Bund in Pudong on the opposite bank of Huangpu River and it offers similar or even better scenery without as much crowd.
- It is old-fashioned inside. Built early in Shanghai, the inside may feel more outdated than those new landmarks.
- Queue, Queue, and More Queue! Good heavens, the line is so long, it feels like it can circle the earth. It took up most of the time just waiting in line.
-
️ A reminder for those planning to visit the Oriental Pearl:- Preparation ahead!
- Booking online: Check if tickets are available on official channels or on reliable apps, sometimes it saves you some time as opposed to buying on site.
- Avoid during peak times: Try to avoid weekends and statutory holidays. If there's time off during weekdays, that's best. Go early in the morning or late in the evening, it's possible that people are fewer then.
- Consider your alternatives:
- Shanghai Tower (Shanghai Tower): The tallest building in China currently, good vista and newer facilities.
- Jin Mao Tower (Jin Mao Tower): Near Orienta Pearl, it has special designs; the experience of going up to the lookout deck is also quite good.
- Global Financial Centre (SWFC): Shaped like an open bottle cap, it also offers a great lookout deck.
- The Bund (The Bund): No need to pay to take photos there or visit the lookout deck. The view of the tall buildings in Lujiazui district including the Oriental Pearl on the other side of the Huangpu River is great for taking photos and doing the "check-in".
- Preparation ahead!
Overall, there are lots of interesting spots and food in Shanghai. But, according to my personal experience, Oriental Pearl is just average. Mainly because the long queue was exhausting. Nevertheless, different people have different opinions during their travel. You can use my critique as a reference.
-
-
I'm from Shanghai and I've never actually been, but I'm really itching to go now. I'm thinking of visiting on a weekday – if it's not too crowded, the experience might be pretty good, right?
-
Why didn't you go back during the pandemic? Group deals including a buffet were only about 300 RMB, and it just took half an hour to get up the tower.
-
The Oriental Pearl Tower feels dated. It made sense to visit before all the other modern buildings went up, but now there's really no need.
-
Totally, it feels like it's still being run the same way it was 20 years ago. And honestly, compared to the surrounding buildings, it's quite ugly.
-
Going up the Oriental Pearl is alright, but I really don't get what people go to Wukang Road for.
-
Wukang Road is free.
-
I didn't go [to the Oriental Pearl], but I fell into another tourist trap: taking the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel under the Huangpu River.
-
Another tourist trap is eating pork chop noodles at the underground food court on Nanjing East Road. With so much amazing food in Shanghai, I can't believe I ended up choosing that.
-
You'll regret it for a lifetime if you don't visit the Oriental Pearl Tower, but you'll regret it for eight lifetimes if you do.
-
You're afraid you'll regret not going, but you'll genuinely regret it once you do.
-
Shanghai's biggest tourist trap—the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel! Don't ask why, just don't go.
-
Oh, really? Thank goodness I haven't been to either that or the Oriental Pearl Tower...
-
Most Shanghai locals haven't even been there.
-
Didn't you go during school trips in the spring or autumn when you were a kid?
-
I've never been up the Oriental Pearl Tower, but I have been up the Canton Tower, hahaha. It's so true—tourism is basically just visiting places that other people are tired of living in for a few days.
-
I'd rather visit the Yellow Crane Tower or Leifeng Pagoda. I just have no desire to go up the Oriental Pearl Tower.
-
I'd suggest going when it's less crowded. This is purely one of those 'you won't be satisfied until you've done it, and then you'll be utterly disappointed' kind of attractions.
-
Yep, I knew it wouldn't be fun even before I went. But after going once, I really knew just how un-fun it was.
-
One should be curious about everything. Simply having gone and experienced it makes it worthwhile. Don't always fixate on whether it's 'cost-effective' or feel regretful. If that's your attitude, then don't bother going anywhere—just stay home. You could stroll through a field, pull some weeds, and after a few days, you'd actually have something to show for it.