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I am flying to Shanghai on June 21st.
I am there just for a bit of fun and leaving June 26th by MTR to Hong Kong.
Where should I stay in Shanghai, and are there any good places to stay near to the MTR where I can get onto train T99 headed to Hong Kong on Sat. the 26th?
I am young and not too interested in the ancient culture, just some good fun.
What ideas do you have to do or go to?
Fantasm..........Get a hotel near the Bund area of Shanghai. They have a ton of clubs and outdoor bars/lounges. Also, don't waste your time going to the World Expo which is now in Shanghai. Its boring and there are a million people at it all day and night. About trains, I think your crazy to take a train from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Why don't you just fly? It must be like 15 or 20 hours on a train to HK right? Taxi's are cheap in Shanghai, so just take one from your hotel to the train station. Good luck...
Thanks for the info Jake. I may just fly to HK, I was thinking about the train to see any sights the train might pass by and just to experience the trip via train. I think its around 15 hour train ride.
Do you know if there is a specific train station that houses the T99 train to HK?
BTW, I do not speak or read a lick of Chinese lol
as a shanghainese, l would like to give you some tips.just like new york, shanghai also is a melting pot, there must be something or someplaces you are interested in. now that you are young, Hengshan road, where has many vibrant night clubs, is a place you should not miss, xintiandi, is also a good choice, as to the shanghai expo, its worth a visit.
the traffic in shanghai is very convinient, in downtown area, metro is good choice. metro line one can take you directly to train station(remember,there two stations along the line one, your station is called shanghai railway station, not the south station).
ditto with what Wuyoujun said about Hengshan Road. Shanghai has a lot of good clubs that are very cheap compared to comparable ones in the West. I partied at M2 quite a bit-I believe if you go Thursday nights there is no cover and you can get an unlimited drink bracelet for about $15. Just get one in your group to get it and pass around drinks! The dance floor is pretty limited and gets way too crowded but the patrons are nice mix of Shanghainese and expats. Mint is another good club but more expensive. You can google these to get more info.
If you're looking for a more chill time I'd recommend going to Windows bar. It's a relaxed English-pub themed place. I'd stay away from Windows Too though since it has no idea whether it wants to be a club or a pub and is just awkward.
If you want to at least feel like you are in China while you're there check out the Yu Yuan gardens. Lots of over-priced kitch but it has old-style architecture and some ok street food. Be careful of the beggars though!
Probably a better source of info on SH (well definitely actually) would be Shanghaiexpat.com.
I'd suggest Shelter on a weekend night. It's a pretty nice "underground" club.
I second the notion of flying instead of taking the train. I've ridden the top D-class trains all the way down to the miserable K-class trains all over China, and they're all pretty miserable.
It's not that the D and T trains aren't classy-they are, but don't be surprised to find yourself "seated" in the dining car and faced with another 400 Yuan extortion to get into a bunk or a decent seat or some other scam. If you don't speak any Chinese, you are a prime target for rip-offs. Save yourself the aggravation and fly unless you REALLY want the "adventure" especially if you're going direct. If you're not even getting off the train, you're not going to see anything except a lot of telephone poles.
I'm a secondary teacher wanting to start in shanghai next January. What is a wage that will cover air con ,food and little entertainment (53 but healthy and young attitude). I hear Daves cafe is the best bet. A government job sounds less pay but secure re conditions and hours ,is this right. I know it will be a culture shock for me as I never been to china but I have tried to study mandarin for some time.Is shanghai similar to Queensland weather? (where I'm from) Are there good teaching resources on line or do you make them yourself. I'm thinking heaps of diagramatic type real situations to augment my teaching practise. I guess there's heaps of stuff on line. sorry for my bantering thoughts , love to hear a reply.
I'm a secondary teacher wanting to start in shanghai next January. What is a wage that will cover air con ,food and little entertainment (53 but healthy and young attitude). I hear Daves cafe is the best bet. A government job sounds less pay but secure re conditions and hours ,is this right. I know it will be a culture shock for me as I never been to china but I have tried to study mandarin for some time.Is shanghai similar to Queensland weather? (where I'm from) Are there good teaching resources on line or do you make them yourself. I'm thinking heaps of diagramatic type real situations to augment my teaching practise. I guess there's heaps of stuff on line. sorry for my bantering thoughts , love to hear a reply.
Scott McDermott
Unlike in developed countries, salaries in Shanghai varies much more depending on your position, which can range from $300US a months for cleaning ladies/community security guards to $5million for executives in big corporations. Normal income for a well educated professional with 5-10 years of experience would be about $1000-$3000 a month. $3000 a month is considered pretty good but not extraordinary. Also keep in mind income tax in China is much lower irrespective of your family/dependent.
Be ready to pay $500-600 a month if you want to live alone with a decent one-bedroom flat in a relatively central location. More than $1000 if you need something more upscale catering to the high income owners. Food is inexpensive unless you go to western restaurants. Many families can keep their budget within $300 a month. AC is a must in the summer and you need it for months not days but electricity price is not too bad. Shanghai is a very large city with more people than the entire Australia, so entertainment is plenty. It can be dirt cheap or very expensive depending on where you go. A pint of beer in a fancy bar can easily cost more than $15. Just remember this: anything related to a western lifestyle in Shanghai is likely more expensive than a western country, while traditional lifestyle tends to be very affordable.
Shanghai is very cosmopolitan much not that multiracial. You don't see many non-Asian people but it is on the rise. Most young people speak some English.
As to weather, I don't know what Queensland is like, but Shanghai has a very long (mid May to end of Sept) summer which can be brutal especially in July-Aug. When I say brutal, it means 30-40 consecutive days over 35C with high humidity. Winter is not that cold, may hit -5C because because of the high humidity it feels a lot colder so layers are necessary. However winter is rather short between Jan-Feb. By March, it is already all spring most of the time. The months of October and November, possible April have the most ideal weather.
Fantasm..........Get a hotel near the Bund area of Shanghai. They have a ton of clubs and outdoor bars/lounges. Also, don't waste your time going to the World Expo which is now in Shanghai. Its boring and there are a million people at it all day and night. About trains, I think your crazy to take a train from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Why don't you just fly? It must be like 15 or 20 hours on a train to HK right? Taxi's are cheap in Shanghai, so just take one from your hotel to the train station. Good luck...
I agree for a young person visiting the Bund Area which has clubs and outdoor bars/lounges is a good place to visit at night. During the day I would recommend visiting the French Concession area for shopping and places to eat out.
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