If you are a visitor to Shanghai and there is nothing to do for one night, I suggest you to spend the night in a bar or restaurant on the riverside, along the Huangpu River. It is opposite to the Bund.
Location
The Bund is symbolic scene for Shanghai. Most visitors view the Bund on the Bund side. To see the Bund from the other side is as excite, if more, than to see it in Puxi.
The area is called Fucheng Road Riverside (浦东滨江富城路段). From the Bund, you can clearly identify the area by looking for Starbucks logo. There are also two McDonald’s ice cream shops there.
Walking Route
This walking route include a ferry ride, when you can view both side of the river on the ferry, and a short walk to see all the bars and restaurants, so you can choose your favorite bar and sit down.
1. Start from the Ferry Station at the East Jinling Road (金陵东路). Take the ferry (2 RMB for the air-conditioned one) to the other side. It takes about 10 minutes (1 km long)
2. Walking out of the Ferry station in Pudong, and turn left to the Fucheng Road (富城路), heading north for a short walk. On immediate right hand are the Tomson Riviera (汤臣一品), a residential building clusters famous for both great view (as you can see it when you walk by), and high price (13,750 USD per sq. meter). The smallest apartment in the building costs 6 million USD, and many is more than 10 million USD.
3. Then after the CitiGroup building, you arrive at the Shangri-La hotel. On the left, there is a small gate with “Red Dot” advertisement. That is the place you should enter the riverside.
Choices of Bars
My favorite are Starbucks and Haagen-Daze. The key reason is, they are maybe the cheapest place and have the best view.
A cup of coffee in Starbucks is the same as others in the city, even similar with stores around the world – 22 – 26 RMB. If it is too crowded for the Starbucks (a seat is not easy after 8:00 PM), you may try Haagen-Daze. Spend 25 RMB to get a cup of “English Breakfast” (it is the name of the tea), and you can stay with the nice beautiful scene for hours.
If you want to have dinner, I highly recommend Paulaner. The beer is German genuine (according to Wendy who enjoyed German beer very much), and they have plenty of seats outside along the river.
Others to Consider
All the lights were turned off at 10:30 PM sharp. Schedule your stay according to the lights. Without lights, the Bund seems mysterious, and is no longer splendid, magnificent, wonderful, breathtaking… (the words people use to describe it).
Hi, I am strongly recommended.
I had been there 2 years ago and enjoyed drinking at Paulaner.
The night view at the Bund was fantastic!
I am looking forward to going there again on my next trip.
I think I was right there in that Starbuck last time and looking for the Bund. Very nice view and I certainly share your recommendation about it. Last time it was raining all day long but it was still worth it. I hope I will be there again soon.
The last time I was there looking at the Bund, two guys with dog hides mugged me and took all my money. :>(((
Thanks for the suggestion. Is there anything along the Suchow creek that worth exploring. How far is Jiang on Temple from the Bund.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’m going to the Bund this week.
Hi Jian Shuo,
I have been reading your blog for a few years now, I found your blog while planning a trip to China in 2004, and your post on the Shanghai Beijing train time table really helped me. Keep up the good work.
I have always wanted to seek your opinion on an issue that troubles me – about the attitude people have, towards beggars and the homeless in big cities like Shanghai.
If I can’t finish the food in a restaurant, I tend to pack them up and give them to homeless people I met. On rare occasions, if the person is particularly venerable, such as an elderly woman, I will also give out some money. I have done this while I traveled in China, but I have been told by Chinese friends to not do this as ‘all those beggars are faking it’.
One particularly memorable example was when I traveled in the An’Hui province. I saw this elderly lady collecting plastic drink bottles, to exchange for a little cash at a recycle point I guess, was teased upon by some youth. She was literally begging the kids (in their teens) to give her the empty bottle they have just finished, but instead of doing the decent thing, they kicked the empty bottle into a lake so she can’t reach it. I had to pull her away from the side of the lake when she tried to get to that bottle to prevent her from falling in. I was furious about this incident for a long time.
In my view she is doing everyone a favor by collecting these bottles and takes them to recycle. It helps keep the environment clean and free from plastic that’ll never be bio-degraded. I have respect for people like these – who are down in their life but still struggles on, doing what little they can (and must) do to survive. Which is the total opposite of a bunch of rich and spoilt kids who probably haven’t worked a single day and only knows how to spend mom and dad’s money. The attitude of people who tease those who are less fortunate than themselves are sickening.
I wonder if you can tell me if this is a common problem / view (that the homeless deserves it) in China. Do you, or have you done anything personally to give them a little help?
All these thoughts came up when I read your comments in today’s post about how Starbucks is the ‘cheapest’ place to enjoy the view of the Bund, and that a cup of coffee cost merely 25RMB (which I’m sure can buy a homeless person a few meals). This reminded me the gap between the well off and the poor are getting increasingly wider in China. I wonder if it will one day become an incurable problem?
Anyway, it’s a long rant, I hope you can give me your thoughts on these issues. Cheers.
My favourite ghetto in Pudong side was actually not by the Bund, but in Jade on 36 at the new Shangri-La tower. I always thing the Pearl Tower is a rip off, with the same price, I can visit Cloudy 9 at the Grand Hyatt for free before 8PM and enjoy a glass of bubby.
Also I enjoy wine and dine quite much and the latest place I will definately enjoy is The Kitchen where italian food is served with an open kitchen. Quite tough for to fine tho, you can walk on the road right next to the Pearl Tower and walk till the end where you see Haiou Fang (?) and then turn left.
I will walk this route tonight:) Thanks for Jian Shuo’s recommandation.
The area changed a lot after I posted this article – now the whole bund area is under construction.