5 most overrated Shanghai experiences and their better alternatives

When tourists request Shanghai sightseeing ideas, it's easy to regurgitate the well-rehearsed lists of attractions found in any number of tourist brochures and guides. But aren’t some of them just a little overrated? We came up with creative alternatives for some of the city’s standard sights. Next time someone asks you for a suggestion, consider these swaps. 

Overrated attraction no. 1: Din Tai Fung
Better alternative: Fu Chun

Din Tai Fung may have some of the city’s most delicious, delicate xiaolongbao, but they’re not exactly cheap. Visitors craving an authentic local vibe might balk when they discover the popular chain has a branch in Los Angeles. 

Instead of going for the polished dining experience, why not try a bustling local haunt? Fu Chun has equally tasty xiaolongbaos, for just RMB 10 a dozen. And tourists can enjoy the added pride of ordering from a non-English menu. First floor is open late but if you want to eat upstairs you'll have to be seated and order before 8pm. 

“This place is straightforward: no frills, just good food,” says frequent visitor Sarah Grooms. “And the setting is about as adventurous as you can get without ending up with stomach issues.”
650 Yuyuan Lu, near Zhenning Lu 愚园路650号, 近镇宁路 +86 21 6252 5117

 

Overrated attraction no. 2: Spa massage
Better alternative: Blind massage

Shanghai’s higher-end hotels and spa chains may offer soothing settings and pleasant fragrances but they’re also a lot pricier than the basic Chinese alternative. Instead, consider trying one of the city’s many blind massage centers.

“If you get an expat massage, you’re paying for the new age music and fragrant candles,” says American Calvin Chin. “The local, blind massage centers offer professional Chinese reflexology -- including traditional techniques like eye socket and face massages.” It might sound strange, but it feels great. Scouts honor. 

Plus, Chin, explains, you can’t beat the prices. While foreigner-focused spa chains can charge several hundred yuan for a treatment, many of the blind massage centers charge as little as RMB 45 for a one-hour long massage.
Feining Blind Massage Center, 597 Fuxing Lu, near Shaanxi Lu 复兴路587号, 近陕西路, +86 21 6437-8378, RMB 45 for one hour

Overrated attraction no. 3: Jing’an Temple
Better alternative: Longhua Temple

Jing’an Temple might be centrally located, but that also means it’s loud and crowded. Instead, try the quiet, incense-filled Longhua Temple in the south of the city. Inside the series of temples, you’ll find worshippers bowing with incense sticks and monks dutifully praying. There’s a serene vibe, enhanced in the spring with peach blossoms framing the edges. Adjacent to the temple, you’ll find a seven-story pagoda, though it’s currently getting renovated. 

“People come here because the temple has a long history and it’s very quiet,” says Annie He, who works in the nearby Shanghai tourism office. “Mostly Shanghainese locals come here to burn incense and pray.”
Longhua Temple, 2853 Longhua Lu, near Longwu Lu 龙华路2853号, 近龙吴路, +86 21 6457 6327. Entrance: RMB 10

Overrated attraction no. 4: The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel
Better alternative: The Maglev

Sure, the Bund’s light-flashing, puppet-waving tourist tunnel is psychedelic and mind-altering. But is the fleeting ride really worth the RMB 35? Many tourists can relate to this Trip Advisor rant: “The exit is a cavalcade of disappointed tourists looking for their money back.” 

Our alternative: take a ride on the Maglev. The magnetic levitation train has a better view and the speed -- up to 430 kph -- is exhilarating. “It was fun to see the scenery racing by that fast,” says James Hong, who experienced the Maglev during a visit in March. Plus, now he can say he rode the fastest train in the world, if only for a few minutes.
Maglev, 2100 Longyang Lu, Longyang Metro stop (Line 2) 龙阳路2100号,近龙阳路地铁站, +86 21 2890 7777, www.smtdc.com. Price: RMB 50 one way or RMB 40 with plane ticket.

Overrated attraction no. 5: Vue Bar, Hyatt on the Bund
Better alternative: Sir Elly’s, Peninsula Hotel

Since it opened several years ago, the Vue Bar has become the Shanghai staple for cocktails and views. But the newest game in town -- The Peninsula’s Sir Elly’s Restaurant and Bar -- gives Vue (and its jacuzzi) a run for its money. 

Sir Elly’s Terrace has polished wood floors, velvety upholstery and panoramic views of the city’s skyline.

“The Vue Bar’s view is unique -- you can see Puxi and Pudong -- but you choose the Peninsula because it’s very classy,” says American Lex B. “Sir Elly’s has this 1920s Shanghai, colonial, high-society vibe.”

Peninsula Hotel staff say the bar was modeled after a rich nobleman’s mansion of the 1920s and 1930s, when Shanghai was the Paris of the East.
Sir Elly's, 13/F, 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Beijing Dong Lu 中山东一路32号13楼, 近北京东路, +86 21 2327 6756, www.peninsula.com