Being the industrial and financial capital of China, Shanghai is the country’s economic shop window. An increasing number of western businesses have offices situated in the Bund district, with the result that the city has enjoyed double-digit economic growth for more than a decade. Increased wealth has brought with it a relentless building, of which Shanghai International Circuit (SIC) is one such example. It is the benchmark against which all modern tracks are judged. The drivers enjoy its challenge and the spectator facilities are second-to-none. Shanghai’s Pudong district, east of the Huangpu River, houses the major bars and clubs, while the Bund is home to big business and the best shopping in China. However, don’t let all the development fool you. The city has lost none of its Oriental magic: the markets, architecture and 6.5 million cyclists remind you that you are still very much in the Far East.
Shanghai is the only city in China to have two international airports. Pudong, 30 kilometres south east of the city centre, is the bigger of the two, but Hongqiao in the western suburbs also handles some international flights. The fastest way to travel from Pudong into the city is on the Maglev (short for ‘magnetic levitation’) train line. Its revolutionary technology means that propulsion comes from the track, not the train, resulting in low noise, speeds of up to 285 km/h and a journey time of just eight minutes. Arriving by car is another option, although by law when renting a car, non-Chinese must also hire a driver. This is no bad thing, as your driver will not only be familiar with the city, but also with its occasionally erratic driving habits (compulsory driving tests were only introduced in 2004). For a quick, authentic meal, try the snack stalls down one of the side streets. For a good restaurant meal, look no further than the Xintiandi district and for some of the best food in town head to the Bund.
Shanghai has enough to keep you occupied for weeks. There is the antiques market in Dongtai Lu, the Shanghai Museum, the original HSBC Bank from 1865, the Shanghai Exhibition Centre and the Confucian Temple to name but a few. For something a bit different, why not check out the famous Laughing Buddha at Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, just south west of Shanghai.