Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Scams
'Hello, can you help us take photo?' This ostensibly harmless question is in fact one of the better hooks for
Shanghai's main scam. Young people posing as students work the main tourist drags - the Bund, E Nanjing Rd
and the exit of the Shanghai Museum - engaging tourists in conversation. However the conversation begins, it
will inevitably end with an invitation to a 'traditional tea ceremony'. Intrigued? Don't be. You'll wind up with a
US$100 bill and a private escort to the closest ATM.
Phonecards
›
IC (integrated circuit) cards (IC
IC ka
) can be used for local and (expensive) interna-
tional calls in public street phones, Telecom offices and most hotels.
›
Internet phonecards (IP cards; IP
IP ka
), purchased at newspaper kiosks, are much
cheaper for international calls; use any home phone, some hotel phones and some public
phones (but not card phones) to dial a special telephone number and follow the instruc-
tions. Check you have the right card for use in Shanghai.
Country & City Codes
Note the following country and city codes; if calling Shanghai or Beijing from abroad,
drop the first zero.
People's Republic of China
( 86)
Shanghai
( 021)
Beijing
( 010)
Toilets
Top Tip
The golden rule is always to carry an emergency stash of toilet paper - you
never know when you'll need it and many toilets are devoid of such essentials.
›
Public toilets in Shanghai are numerous, but the quality of the experience varies greatly.
In an emergency, look for a high-end hotel or a fast-food restaurant.
