Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
H
Drinking and nightlife
S
hanghai's cosmopolitan denizens are famous for their thirst for novelty,
love of style and dedication to the good times; the city's always been
good at putting on a do. Today you'll find plenty of parallels with the
glory days of “taxi girls” (see box, p.76), flower houses and anything-
but-innocent “tea dances”. So far as China goes, this is party central. There's
something for all tastes, from spit-and-sawdust dives to exclusive cocktail
bars
,
cheesy mega discos to slick DJ
clubs
. That said, t he scene is nothing if not
capricious. Places go in and out of fashion and open and close with the seasons.
The ones listed below have all proved themselves to have some degree of
staying power so should still be there by the time you read this. For bang up-
to-date information on the nightlife scene, check out
www.smartshanghai
W
.com or an expat listings magazine (see p.43).
Bars
There are a number of bar districts in Shanghai, and it's well worth taking in
more than one over the course of the evening. Too long at a Maoming Nan
Lu dive bar will makes your skin crawl, but the posiness of an urbane Bund
venue could grow equally tiring; both in the same evening, on the other hand,
would make for a night of dynamic contrasts. The best nights in the city tend
to involve a bit of bar hopping; and just remember how cheap taxis are.
Bright Lights, Big City
Shanghai at night, between dusk and about 10pm, is lit up like a pinball game. The city
sucks up so much of China's energy that the national grid can't take it, and power cuts
are endured in the sticks. The best places to appreciate the awesome spectacle are:
Cloud Nine bar (see p.126). The cocktails are expensive, but the view makes it just
worth it.
Huangpu River night cruise (see p.54). It's touristy but it's cool. Just don't expect too
much from the buffet.
Yuyuan (see p.64). This olde-worlde Chinatown takes on a whole new aspect when
the neon comes on. Fun, if ridiculous.
Attica (see p.127). This hot new club has great views of Pudong from its roof terrace,
and even from one of its dancefloors.
Nanjing Dong Lu (see p.55). Yo u might not want to buy anything here, but the lights
are spectacular.
Marriott Hotel lobby (see p.107). Be discreet; if too many people start turning up,
they'll probably star charging. An awesome view of People's Square.
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