Sept is Maybe the Best Time to Visit Shanghai

Many people asked me the question: When is the best time to visit Shanghai? I would say, most time is good, but there are only some bad time – like winter – it is really code or summer, when it is really hot. Also avoid national holidays, like Oct 1 to 7, May 1 to 7 and Spring Festival. That is the short version of the answer.

However, these days, when I walked on the Nanjing Road, or visited the Bund at night, I regret that I didn’t tell my friends who is planning his/her visit to Shanghai that “September maybe is the best time to visit Shanghai”. Why? Because the Shanghai Travel Festival started on Sept 16.

The Festival

There are many activities in the Tour Festival. It lasts for about three weeks. There are carnivals (night of Sept 16), Boat Show on the Huang Pu River (night of Sept 28), International Fireworks Show (Sept 30, Oct 3, 6 at 19:30-20:30 in Centuary Park), F1 Race (Sept 29 to Oct 1), Beer Festival (Sept 13 – 23), Germany Week (Sept 22 to Oct 2)… There are tens of international events in the three weeks in Shanghai.

The Lights

I am not a party animal and I don’t enjoy crowded and fancy events, but I do enjoy the lights.

To reduce electricity consumption, many places in Shanghai have turned off lighting, like the Nanpu Bridge, and many land markers in Shanghai. However, during the Tour Festival, all the lights were turned up. Saturday night, when I drove along the Century Ave in Pudong, I said “WOW!” Pudong was completely turned into a place of dream. So was Puxi. I would credit 50% of the beauty of Shanghai to its lights.

Also, it is cooling down, and sunny. The weather is great. The lights are great. Sept should be one of the best time period to visit Shanghai!

17 thoughts on “Sept is Maybe the Best Time to Visit Shanghai

  1. Oh, YES I agree to you JSW…

    I’ve done that the 1st time I visited Shanghai, Year 2004 (when it was the also the 1st F1 race started at Sinopec Grand Prix!!!)… Yes, September is the best month to visit the place, not for anything else, just go along with all the people in the streets, just enjoy every brustles and husstling along the Metro Lines… anyways, it’s really a great long holiday… So enjoy the crowd!!!!

  2. Glad that the weather is cooling down in Shanghai and making for comfortable days and nights. I can even stroll outside in my PJ’s and enjoy the new day.

  3. this remind me of the days i stayed by Century Ave, near the Next Age.from the old balcony,i enjoyed the lights far from the Century Ave and the Orient Phearl TV Tower. so beautiful!

  4. the autumn is good too, the preserved petals of sweet osmanthus is a special flower in shanghai street and guilin park.

    (又闻桂花香)

    shirley

  5. I arrived on 24 august so I’m fair to say that I totally agree.. when I first got here it was so hot.. but a little into september and it’s nice and cool, sun still shines nicely, it’s not too hot outside, especially by riding bycicle it is nice and cool breeze on beautiful day.. :-D

  6. hi anyone has any idea if there is an airport hotel in shanghai? that is, you do not have to exit in order to do a day check in? My parrents have a 7 hour transit before their next flight and we thought they could rest during that time! And does anyone know if there is a post office inside the transit lounge as well! Many thanks!

  7. i will be going to shanghai by mid-october and will be there until december. i was just wondering if it would be cold by then.

  8. Hi Jian Shuo,

    I have been a silent reader of yours quite recently, and your entries are very engaging indeed. I am happy to say that I will visit your city in a couple of weeks, but unfortunately am quite at a loss as I don’t speak the language. I was wondering if you could recommend any agencies or interpreters who can guide me around the city for a day? I am very much looking forward to visiting Shanghai.. and I love springtime!

    Take care and thank you.

  9. Well, unfortunately, I don’t have recommendation on this, since my guideline to write the blog is not to recommend anything I didn’ter personally see (and meanwhile, I am not afraid to recommending something I experienced.)

    Jian Shuo

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