China's Toilets: Prepare for an Adventure You Didn't Ask For ๐ฝ #SquatGoalsOrNightmares
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Yo, friend, you're heading to Shanghai on May 3rd and 4th, right? I should let you know that it will just be around the Labor Day holiday (or right after), which means there will be a lot of people โ so many that you'll doubt your ability to cope! But don't worry, I'm here for you!
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Crowd Alert! Prepare yourself mentally!
- The time you've chosen means that at Shanghai's major tourist attractions like the Bund (which features a bunch of beautifully old buildings along the Huangpu River) and Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street (a bustling shopping street), people will flood in. Imagine taking a photo without seeing anybody โ you'll find that pretty hard!
- For popular restaurants, you might need to queue for one or two hours just to get a table.
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Caution: Travel Warnings & How to Fix Them:
- Metro will be packed: Although it's your best bet for traveling around the city due to its lack of traffic, the subway trains' inside will be incredibly crowded. Prepare yourself for "sardine can" like conditions.
Tip: Avoid peak hours (8-9 am & 5-7 pm) as much as possible. Buy a 3-day pass to save time on queuing up at each station.
- Taxis/ride-hailing services: During peak times and near popular sights, it may be difficult to get a ride and prices might soar.
- Tip: Try multiple ride-hailing apps, or move to slightly less congested places before calling for a ride.
- Ticket purchases: Bookings are best made through official App or website for major tourist sites such as the Oriental TV Tower or Disney Resort if you plan on visiting.
- Tip: Snatch up tickets as soon as they become available online; line-ups atๅฎ็ฅจ็ชๅฃไผ่ฎฉไฝ ๅดฉๆบใ
- Metro will be packed: Although it's your best bet for traveling around the city due to its lack of traffic, the subway trains' inside will be incredibly crowded. Prepare yourself for "sardine can" like conditions.
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Watch out for these "traps":
- The 'enthusiastic' guides on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street: Some may try pulling you into shops that sell overpriced teas, silk, or local goods with poor quality.
- Tip: Smile and politely turn them down if uninterested. Purchase souvenirs from licensed and price-marked stores instead.
- Free tea art/art viewing shows: Beware of strangers inviting you to experience such shows for free; it could be a high-price trap hidden behind this offer.
- Tip: There's no free lunch in this world. Politely decline.
- Ticket scalpers: Steer clear of those selling tickets to tourist attractions or trains at inflated prices โ purchasing here would risk your purchasing fake or overpriced tickets.
- Tip: Buy directly from official or authorized sellers.
- The 'enthusiastic' guides on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street: Some may try pulling you into shops that sell overpriced teas, silk, or local goods with poor quality.
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Some small tips:
- Consider going to less frequented but lovely spots, like the streets (Wukang Road, Anfu Road, etc.) in the former French Concession to explore specialty shops and sip some coffee. While people might still be many, your experience may slightly better.
- Shanghai Museum is a good option, free of admission and has some waiting in line.
- Don't forget to stop at some old-established restaurants for Xiao Long Bao (a type of steamed bun), but expect a wait.
All in all, approach the situation with ease, don't overload your trip with too much activity, and enjoy the urban hustle and bustle. Have fun!
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I'm already here. So far, no major disappointments, but I did something pretty epic: clocked 35,000 steps right after landing, hitting a ton of popular spots. The local Shanghainese food is delicious!
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Wow, 35,000 steps!
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Promise me, you absolutely have to visit the iconic Bund, and definitely experience the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, okay?
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Where do you buy tickets? Is it fun?
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1: City God Temple (Chenghuang Miao), Yu Garden, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, The Bund, Jinling East Road Ferry Terminal, Lujiazui, Oriental Pearl Tower. 2: Jing'an Temple, Moller Villa, Xujiahui Cathedral, Anfu Road, Yuyuan Road, Wukang Road. 3: Shanghai Postal Museum, Suzhou Creek Riverside Walk, Zhapu Road Bridge, Bund Origin, Waibaidu Bridge, North Bund Raffles City.
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That's so many places!
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As a Shanghai local, I'm seriously reading through the comments section.
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Will it be crowded from June 4th to 7th?
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Avoid Nanjing East Road, Disneyland, Joy City, The Bund, and Lujiazui. Anywhere else should be fine.
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Definitely don't go to People's Square or The Bund โ they're insanely crowded. If you want to experience having no phone signal, then sure, head over.
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Took this tonight.
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Shanghai has so many great spots perfect for a 'city walk' โ just strolling, shopping, eating, drinking, and snapping photos. It gets super crowded during the May Day holiday, so I made all my reservations in advance โ things like a facial or enjoying the hotel buffet. The elevated highways are super congested tonight. So, May Day is incredibly busy; it's best to plan ahead.
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Thanks for sharing!
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Don't go to Yu Garden! Don't go to Yu Garden! Don't go to Yu Garden!
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Could you explain why? I was actually planning to go tomorrow.
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The Bund.
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Then maybe check out the North Bund? I hear it's less crowded over there.
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If you're heading to Nanjing East Road, brace yourself. It's incredibly crowded; you can barely move. They often implement crowd control, sometimes even blocking off roads completely. And when it's packed, they might close the Nanjing East Road subway station, forcing you to use People's Square station instead. Anyway, I got stuck on the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street for over an hour today just trying to get out. It feels like being in a human traffic jam โ you can't go anywhere, just shuffle along with the flow of people. I waited through three red light cycles just to cross one intersection, and all the while, a kid on his dad's back kept kicking me, and I had no space to move away.
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So crowded, and you had to deal with a bratty kid too! Hugs, sis! Thanks for the heads-up!