Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
K
Around Shanghai
S
hanghai being the polluted, hectic, crowded urban jungle it is, it would
be a rare visitor who never felt the urge at some point to escape to fresh
air, trees and a bit of peace and quiet. Though you'll find no wilderness
in the flat, wet and heavily populated outskirts, the nearby cities of
Suzhou
and
Hangzhou
are two of the most pleasant in China, and their
landscaped gardens and parks will certainly restore stretched nerves; both are
ideal for a two- or three-day break. A bus ride north of Hangzhou will bring
you to the up-and-coming hill resort of
Moganshan
, which despite being
only a couple of hours from Shanghai feels a world away in spirit. You'll get an
even more comprehensive change of scene on the Buddhist island of
Putuo
Shan
, a night's ferry ride from the city, with temples set in charmingly leafy
surroundings. They're both great places to while away a few days.
There are a couple of worthwhile attractions closer to the city which make
for ideal day-trips. At barely a hundred metres high,
She Shan
, about 30km
south of Shanghai, might not be much as a hill but it does feature some
Getting around Shanghai's hinterland
Most trains leave Shanghai from the huge main Railway Station in the north of the
city, though some bound for Hangzhou also leave from Shanghai South. Train tickets
can be bought ten days in advance - worthwhile at peak times, such as over the
Spring Festival, or the public holidays that begin on May 1 and October 1. At the main
station there's a foreigners' booking office at the back of the “soft sleeper” waiting
room, which is much more convenient than queuing up at the hectic ticket office. It's
more convenient still to book your ticket from a hotel (for a small charge) or from one
of the many booking offices around the city, where you'll rarely have to queue; there
are h
a
ndy ones at 230 Beijing Dong Lu, 121 Xizang Nan Lu (next door to the YMCA
Hotel) and 73 Wanhangdu Lu (near Jing'an Temple), all of which are open daily 8am-
5pm. Note that these offices will only sell the “soft class” tickets where you pay a little
more for a well-padded seat.
For buses to all tourist destinations in the city outskirts, visit the Shanghai
Stadium Sightseeing Bus Centre at 666 Tianyaoqiao Lu (information
T
64265555),
on the south side of the Shanghai Stadium, a ten-minute walk from the metro stop
of the same name. Tour buses leave between 7.30 and 10.30am, returning in the
afternoon. Tickets are available up to a week in advance from the main booking
office, where staff speak English. There are over a dozen routes, the most popular
of which are to the canal towns. A guide is provided, though you are free to wander
off on your own.
For information on boat services from Shanghai to Putuo Shan, see the box on
p.169. For details of services between Suzhou and Hangzhou, see the box on p.159
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