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Gaze at Glittering Lights on the Bund in Shanghai
Published by Megan Eaves, Writer
Country: China 
The Experience
When the clock hit 7 p.m. on our first evening in Shanghai, we had just finished eating dinner at a large tourist-friendly restaurant somewhere in the suburbs. Along with my Chinese teacher and a few dozen volunteers, we were touring Shanghai after teaching a three-week summer camp in a nearby city. This was our chance to let loose in China's main metropolis, and I had truly never seen anything like Shanghai. As the tour bus drove us around the city earlier that day, we were mesmerized by the tall tower blocks that seemed to reach up to the sky in every direction around us. And as evening fell, the city quieted down and geared up for its big night ahead.
After leaving the restaurant, our tour bus dropped us off at the top of Nanjing Road East, and we set off toward the Bund—Shanghai's number one sightseeing spot. Nanjing Road, a pedestrian shopping street, is known for its vast collection of shimmering neon lights that brighten the street to near daytime light each evening. As we walked along, touts and shopkeepers beckoned us to buy their goods: "Hello, lady. You want watch? DVD? Hello?" Ignoring their catcalls we pressed on down the street, eager for what awaited us at its far end: the Bund.
A historic row of 19th-century European-style buildings set along the Huangpu River, the Bund was once the city's primary meeting point for international merchants, sailors, bankers and floggers. In the old days, ships used to dock at wharves along the shores of the Bund, where today a huge raised concrete walkway allows visitors to take in the length of its views. Every night, visitors crowd in along the walkway to catch a glimpse of the historic brick buildings aglow in orange light.
As I climbed the stairs and reached the platform, I was hit by a stream of light from across the river. There, the shiny skyscrapers of Shanghai's modern district, Pudong, stand like a dazzling array of computer generated neon towers. I inched through the throngs of people and parked myself right at the wall where the ethereal glow of the bright pink orb on the Pearl TV Tower gleamed across the murky river below.
Farther in the distance, animated LCD displays brought to life walking giraffes, who stride across the side of a huge building only to disappear into the beyond. Neon signs blinked in every edge of my periphery, advertising Nikon, LG, Aurora, Toyota and a whole host of exotic Chinese characters. Just like the other tourists around me, I grabbed my camera and began snapping photos; trying unsuccessfully to capture the awe-inspiring scene before me.
After leaving the restaurant, our tour bus dropped us off at the top of Nanjing Road East, and we set off toward the Bund—Shanghai's number one sightseeing spot. Nanjing Road, a pedestrian shopping street, is known for its vast collection of shimmering neon lights that brighten the street to near daytime light each evening. As we walked along, touts and shopkeepers beckoned us to buy their goods: "Hello, lady. You want watch? DVD? Hello?" Ignoring their catcalls we pressed on down the street, eager for what awaited us at its far end: the Bund.
A historic row of 19th-century European-style buildings set along the Huangpu River, the Bund was once the city's primary meeting point for international merchants, sailors, bankers and floggers. In the old days, ships used to dock at wharves along the shores of the Bund, where today a huge raised concrete walkway allows visitors to take in the length of its views. Every night, visitors crowd in along the walkway to catch a glimpse of the historic brick buildings aglow in orange light.
As I climbed the stairs and reached the platform, I was hit by a stream of light from across the river. There, the shiny skyscrapers of Shanghai's modern district, Pudong, stand like a dazzling array of computer generated neon towers. I inched through the throngs of people and parked myself right at the wall where the ethereal glow of the bright pink orb on the Pearl TV Tower gleamed across the murky river below.
Farther in the distance, animated LCD displays brought to life walking giraffes, who stride across the side of a huge building only to disappear into the beyond. Neon signs blinked in every edge of my periphery, advertising Nikon, LG, Aurora, Toyota and a whole host of exotic Chinese characters. Just like the other tourists around me, I grabbed my camera and began snapping photos; trying unsuccessfully to capture the awe-inspiring scene before me.
When to Go to Bund Shanghai
If you can, try to visit the Bund Shanghai during a non-peak season such as early April or late October. You'll avoid the millions of domestic and international tourists that crowd into the Bund Shanghai (already a city of 16 million) during the summer months. You'll also avoid the inescapable summer heat and humidity, which can make sightseeing troublesome.
The scenes of the Bund and Pudong are ever-changing, as newer and taller skyscrapers dot the Pudong side on what seems like an annual basis. Though the city is constantly under construction, the beauty and scenery of the Bund Shanghai is always worth the small amount of trouble it takes to get there.
The scenes of the Bund and Pudong are ever-changing, as newer and taller skyscrapers dot the Pudong side on what seems like an annual basis. Though the city is constantly under construction, the beauty and scenery of the Bund Shanghai is always worth the small amount of trouble it takes to get there.
Odds n' Ends
There are several ways to view the sight of the Bund Shanghai, including raised pedestrian walkways on both the Bund side and the Pudong side offering opposite views of one another. If you wish to see both sides, it is possible to do so in one evening; although I would recommend spreading this out over two evenings.
The rather hokey "Bund Sightseeing Tunnel" shuttles tourists from one side to another through a psychedelic tunnel ride in slow-moving cars. The ride lasts around 15 minutes and, for the steep price of ¥50, probably isn't worthwhile for most people. An easier and cheaper option is to hop on Shanghai Metro Green Line (2) from Nanjing East station to Lu Jia Zui station on the Pudong side. From here it is only a short walk to the riverside walkway.
The most unique and worthwhile way to see the Bund Shanghai area is to take a Huangpu River Night Cruise, which affords views of both sides from the river itself. Several cruise companies offer boat rides along the short stretch of the Huangpu River between the Bund and Pudong, ranging from 30 minutes to an hour round trip. The boats vary in quality and size, but offer a safe and attractive way for some of the most spectacular and dazzling light views on earth. Most of the cruises depart from the south end of the pedestrian walkway on the Bund side and cost around ¥50 (US$7).
The rather hokey "Bund Sightseeing Tunnel" shuttles tourists from one side to another through a psychedelic tunnel ride in slow-moving cars. The ride lasts around 15 minutes and, for the steep price of ¥50, probably isn't worthwhile for most people. An easier and cheaper option is to hop on Shanghai Metro Green Line (2) from Nanjing East station to Lu Jia Zui station on the Pudong side. From here it is only a short walk to the riverside walkway.
The most unique and worthwhile way to see the Bund Shanghai area is to take a Huangpu River Night Cruise, which affords views of both sides from the river itself. Several cruise companies offer boat rides along the short stretch of the Huangpu River between the Bund and Pudong, ranging from 30 minutes to an hour round trip. The boats vary in quality and size, but offer a safe and attractive way for some of the most spectacular and dazzling light views on earth. Most of the cruises depart from the south end of the pedestrian walkway on the Bund side and cost around ¥50 (US$7).
Want a Guide?
- Huangpu River Cruise and Bund City Lights Evening Tour of Shanghai
- Huangpu River Cruise and Bund City Lights Tour Highlights: * Huangpu River cruise * A walk along the Bund * The Peace Hotel * Trolley Tour on Nanjing Road
Places to Eat
- The Bund Brewery
- It’s a classy, but casual brew-pub now, dark woods, leather banquettes, and low lighting, and broken up by the bar (and brewing equipment) into three sections.
- Yang's Fried Dumplings
- For many who visit Shanghai, the be all and end all of their Shanghai food experience is the xiao long bao (???). This suits the customers at Yang's Fry-Dumpling (????? or xiao yang shengjian guan) just fine, as the line outside the door often snakes 30-people long down the street.
- Shanghai Dining Listings - City Weekend Guide
- http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/listings/dining/
Recommended Places to Stay
- Captain Hostel
- This art-deco style building near the Bund was con-structed in the 1920s. It now becomes a warm home of the back-ackers from all over the world.
- Le Tour Traveler's Rest
- Le Tour Traveler’s Rest Youth Hostel is located in the downtown area of Shanghai and is just 10 minute’s walk from the Subway (JingAn Temple Station and Airport City Terminal).
- Shanghai City Central International Youth Hostel
- There are no hidden costs at Shanghai City Central Hostel and you'll be sure to make new friends from around the world. From organising your mode of transport to your next location, to helping you get tickets to Formula 1. or even just to have a drink with, the staff are always happy to help.
- Sleeping Dragon
- Once an traditional home built in 1924, Sleeping Dragon Hostel is now the perfect stop for backpackers, hostelers and anyone else traveling through Shanghai on a budget. While the building was recently renovated in 2008, it maintains a distinctly classical feel, resulting in a quirky blend of Chinese tradition and modern flair and convenience. Think chandeliers meet bunk beds, elaborate columns meet Beijing opera masks and antique Chinese furniture meets funky, modern artwork.
- The Bund Hotel
- The Bund Hotel is a business hotel, built according to 4-star international standard. It is located in the heart of downtown city of Shanghai, with 5 minutes walking distance to the famous "Bund" and "Pedestrian Street" of Nanjing Road, and 5 minutes driving distance to the Pudong District, you can easy arrive at Liujiazui Business Center and the beautiful Oriental Pearl Tower.
- Peace Hotel, Shanghai
- Peace Hotel is truly a fusion of ancient and modern, Eastern and Western. The 12-storey Peace Hotel, built in the Gothic style of the Chicago School, first opened as the Cathay Hotel in 1929.
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Books and DVDs
- Shanghai City Guide Lonely Planet
- Shanghai: The Architecture of China's Great Urban Center (Hardcover)
- The Bund Shanghai: China Faces West (Odyssey Guides) (Paperback)
- Shanghai's landmark waterfront, the Bund, once the "Wall Street of Asia," is again in the limelight as a charismatic world-class destination for life's finest pleasures. This book tells the story of the making of the Bund: from its beginnings as a muddy foreshore and its conversion into a fine esplanade in the latter half of the 19th century...
- This Is China: A Guidebook for Teachers, Backpackers and Other Lunatics (Paperback)
Elsewhere on the Web
- China Shanghai Bund
- The Bund, also called the Zhongshan Dong Yi LuThe Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Bund (East Zhongshan 1st Road), is a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years.
- Shanghai Bund
- the bund, which extends from jinling road in the south to the waibaidu bridge in the north, is a 1.5-kilometer-long boulevard on the western bank of the huangpu river.
- Shanghai Bund, Shanghai, China - OrientalArchitecture.com
Media References
- Shanghai Rising - The Washington Post (newspaper)
- Change Comes Fast in a City Racing Toward a World's Fair
- Forever Art Deco - The Wall Street Journal (newspaper)
- A Tour of Asia's Architectural Gems
- Arts and Culture - Advocate.com (newspaper)
- gorgeous mix of turn of the century architecture and glittering high-rises, Shanghai has architecture to delight everyone.
- Shanghai Bund by JAJ (blog)
- We spent Sunday morning walking to and around the Bund in Shanghai.
- Steel in the sky in Shanghai by lehaneb (blog)
- Towering views in tiny shoes
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