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!