The Bund

The Bund is Shanghai's most famous waterfront promenade, a 2 kilometer stretch along the west bank of the Huangpu River, lined with landmark colonial buildings on one side, and the most striking views of the Pudong skyline on the other.

This is the perfect place for a stroll, people watching or that fantastic instagram worthy snapshot of the modern Shanghai skyline.

Getting to the Bund: Take MTR Lines 10 (Lila) or 2(Light Green) to Nanjing East Station, it's about a 10 minute walk from here to the waterfront.

Or if you happen to be in the Yu Yuan Garden area like we were, it's a very pleasant 20 minute walk...

You stroll through Gucheng Park, where you also catch glimpses of the Pudong skyline, use that to orient yourself to walk toward the water...

Then you reach the waterfront and the promenade opens up with that striking sight of Shanghai's landmark, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower just across from the river...

Walk along the busy promenade, along the west side are some of the most remarkable colonial buildings of the city: the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, the Bank of China building, the Customs House, the Former Bank of Communications, the grand old Peace Hotel...

The Bund Shanghai - Colonial Architechture

If the sights during the day are amazing, the spectacle at night is just breathtaking...

One way to enjoy the beautiful lights is aboard a Huangpu River Cruise:

More evening spots:

Shanghai Luxury Bar Crawl in 5-star Hotel or Boutique Hotel with skip-the-line entry, drink specials, cover charges to your choice of three of the most exclusive spots in the city. The hand-picked rooftop bars in the Bund side offer stunning views of the Pudong skyline and include La Terraza at Bvlgari Hotel, Wet Bar at the W, Sir Elly's Terrace at the Peninsula Hotel, the Long Bar at the Waldorf Astoria.
A combo package including a tasty restaurant dinner and a moonlit cruise along the Huangpu River and optional bar hopping excursion, you can opt to dine before or after the Bund waterfront cruise and later enjoy stunning city views from the rooftop bar (if selected), and the glittering Bund riverfront

Running perpendicular to The Bund is one of Shanghai's main shopping streets, Nanjing East Road. Even if you are not into shopping, a visit to this pedestrianized street is fun specially at night when all the glary neon signs come on.

Nanjing East Road will lead you to the heart of the city, People's Square and the Shanghai Museum, the one museum in Shanghai you should not miss if you are into Chinese art and history as it houses some of the best cultural relics spanning a period of over 5,000 years.

Nanjing East Road and the Bund are very busy spots, specially on weekends and holidays, the promenades will be packed and there will be crowd control measures at the busiest access points.

If you want to enjoy both in relative peace and quiet, then early morning is the best time. They are both great spots for watching the locals practicing their Tai Chi...