Best 5 Spots Shanghai Tourists Don’t Know About
Known as being the largest international city in the world, Shanghai, China has no limited number of tourists. From England, Australia, India, and even the United States of America, Shanghai has several cultures compiled into one, giant city.
However, searching ‘Best places to visit in Shanghai’ is going to take these tourists to the most expensive adventures of their lifetime. Luckily, there are several excursions to take that don’t add up to thousands of American dollars. No need to burn holes in your pockets.
We are going to go through five spots in Shanghai that don’t show up in your internet browser when looking for things to fill your vacation with. The map provided below is interactive, allowing you to click on the pins to gain more information.
Connie Nylander, a United States citizen, is currently living in the Pudong area of Shanghai, pursuing her career as a teacher.
“Most of the places we go in Shanghai are for westerners,” Nylander said. “Shanghai is extremely international and has several businesses that you would see on the streets of New York City.”
First stop lies in the streets of the Pudong area. Dreamer is an easy-going spot to crash after a long day. Their American cuisine is a familiar break after meals and meals of noodles and dumplings. Dreamer provides bar food; including, burgers, fries, chicken wings, and hand-made pizza.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dreamer/290311451586317
“It’s the best place to go on a Friday night right after a long week or work,” Nylander said. “It’s a family owned restaurant and they treat their customers like family. They even have a happy hour that is several hours long every night.”
Bamboo 7 provides several pampering needs. Their experience includes pedicures, manicures, massages, waxing, and even lashes. The employees are able to speak English for foreigners coming in.
In America, saloons tend to be an extremely expensive excursion, one that you only visit right after you get paid. However, Bamboo 7 looks to provide discounts for their customers. For example, all foreign teachers receive 20% off of everything and a free membership to their business.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bamboo-7/2203857436559617
“They have amazing customer service. They give you tea and fruit while you wait for your massage or nails,” Nylander said. “In their massages, they are very conscious of reflexology, meaning they want to help you realign but they also want you to be comfortable.”
Tianze Fang is a traditional hutong, which is Chinese for alleyway. No, it is not a creepy alley with wet walls and no lights. Instead, Tianze Fang is a beautiful series of streets with storefronts and restaurants awaiting new customers. The twinkle-lights above lead you through hundreds of shops of hand-made items, flower shops, and even places you can make your own lipstick.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g308272-d1372928-Reviews-Tian_Zi_Fang-Shanghai.html
Tianze Fang has three entrances from the main roads surrounding. Locals claim that not a lot of tourists are seen there. This is because it is a hidden row of shops that is hard to find from the outside.
Inside the neat shops at Tianze Fang is a cafe known as the Kommune Cafe. This cafe has a relaxed feel and provides several different food options including, sandwiches, salads, unique coffee drinks, brunch food, dessert, drinks, and a special kind of hot chocolate.
https://www.facebook.com/Kommune-Cafe%E7%94%B0%E5%AD%90%E5%9D%8A-220549997986518/
“They give you a humongous mug of hot milk and a solid ball of chocolate on a string, about the size of a bath bomb,” Nylander said. “You have to soak the ball in the hot milk for about 30 seconds in order to begin melting the chocolate.”
According to Nylander, you must then twist the string until it is tight, then pull the chocolate ball about half way out of the milk in order to allow it to spin. The rest of the chocolate then settles into the milk.
“Inside the ball of chocolate is a large homemade marshmallow,” Nylander said. “That is the best part.”
The last location that falls on this list is called A Thousand Islands Lake: Fish Head Soup. Yes, the name seems a bit odd. Fish head soup is their specialty. However, for a foreigner to experience traditional, delicious Chinese food, this high end restaurant provides a unique experience with a mix of modern appeal and comfortable dining.
https://archive.shine.cn/feature/travel/72-hours-in-Thousand-Islands-Lake/shdaily.shtml
You may be asking, “do I need to dress fancy?” The answer is simply no. Most people end up at Thousand Islands Lake after work. Kids are in their school uniforms and parents are wearing their work clothes. It is suggested that you do not wear pajamas or sweatpants, but no need to go all out.
Food that they provide, other than fish head soup, includes pork cutlets, duck, chicken dishes, Koren BBQ wontons, vegetables dishes, and much more.
“My friends and I try to get there a bit earlier due to the crowds,” Nylander said. “But crowds prove that the food is delicious and wonderful for the price.”
These spots you do not see on your internet browser’s ‘Top Places to go in Shanghai.’ However, this large international city has several special places that are hidden from people visiting.
McKenna Nylander Media 