The Chinese metropolis of Shanghai has become a coveted object in the eyes of tourists relatively recently. After a small, one might say, the village turned into a stronghold of skyscrapers and avenues with perfect road surface, both travelers and shopping enthusiasts rushed here. Why? Yes, because shopping in Shanghai is considered one of the cheapest, and from the assortment of goods offered, one's eyes widen. We decided to explore all the outlets of this modern city. Let's go on a virtual shopping tour of Shanghai now and find out what's there and how.
How to get to China?
To get started, let's deal with organizational issues, namely with tickets, visas and other red tape, which, as a rule, accompanies any trip. The easiest option is to buy a tour to Shanghai, which focuses directly on shopping. The duration of such trips varies from 1 to 10 days. On average, the price of a two-day shopping marathon will cost you $ 200. It is noteworthy that such moments as a visa, insurance and a plane ticket are not fully included in this price by all travel agencies. Be sure to clarify this, because there are often cases when you have to pay extra for something.
Cheaper tours to Shanghai are available to residents of the Russian Far East. It so happened that holders of passports issued in this particular area of our country can visit China on the so-called simplified conditions. Therefore, having paid a symbolic amount to Chinese intermediaries, you will quickly find yourself in one of the noisiest and most crowded megacities in the world.
The official tour program
As a rule, shopping in Shanghai according to the standard scheme is a visit to the four main streets of the city, where the most expensive and popular shops are concentrated. The first street is Nanjing (as it is called for Russian tourists, and in the local dialect it sounds like "Nanjinglu"), it is the largest and noisiest. It is followed by a tour along Huaihai Street, where boutiques of elite European brands are presented. At the end of the trip, everyone leaves for Northern Sichuan and Middle Tibetan streets.
It is such a limited program that makes any tour to this giant metropolis unprofitable. After all, he excludes visits to places such as the markets of Shanghai, and this is generally a separate issue. It is in the markets that are just called, but in reality they are modern shopping centers, the very affordable and high-quality goods that everyone is hunting for are sold. Well, let's get acquainted with all corners of this city where you can find treasured goods.
Nanjing Street
We begin our journey with the most hyped and expensive city streets. It focuses on both the boutiques of the most famous European elite brands and clothes from Chinese manufacturers. But this does not mean at all that it is poor-quality and bad. Feel and try on it, and you will be extremely surprised at the fact that it looks and sits on you, it is no worse than Chanel, but it costs several times less. Compared to all other districts and malls in Shanghai, Nanjing Street is the most expensive, but the prices here are lower than in the regional centers of Russia. By the way, there are more than 600 stores here, so on a street alone you can get lost for the whole day.
In addition, we note that if you are hoping for "traditional" shopping in Shanghai, that is, according to the European format, then Nanking Street is just what you need. A huge number of hotels and spas are also concentrated on it.
Chasing Antiques
Real Chinese antiques are the envy of millions. But in the rhythm of modern life it is extremely difficult to find, because fraudsters are found everywhere, offering you under the guise of an old little thing a trinket created in the basement a month ago. A more or less acceptable range of antiques is presented on the Dong Tai market. There are countless things that many of us have never seen before. By the way, this is a great place to buy a unique old Chinese umbrella made of high quality and durable materials. Along with such items are boxes, scarves, porcelain and other souvenirs with a spirit of Chinese uniqueness.
Diamonds and Pearls
If you do not know what to bring to Shanghai as a gift to your family and friends, then go to the wholesale market, where pearls, semiprecious and precious stones are sold. It is located on Fu Ye Street, and its full name is First Asia Jewelry Plaza, which translates as "The First Asian Jewelry Shopping Center." Here, in fact, pearls and other jewelry are sold at very low prices, even if you take them at retail, and not in bulk. We also note that the market has its own unique feature: here you can choose your own stones and metal, as well as draw a sketch of the desired jewelry. At your order, the jewelry will be made in a couple of days.
Universal outlet
If you are very tired of shopping in Shanghai, and you still need to buy a lot of everything, then go to the Yatai Jinan market. It is located literally underground in the vicinity of the Technological Museum metro station. Why is this place so remarkable? The fact is that here you can buy absolutely everything, from the Chinese fan to brand clothes and jewelry. Prices for goods in the "dungeon" are very reasonable. Their quality can be described as above average (this applies to clothing and shoes). But most importantly - this Shanghai market is not too popular among tourists who go on shopping tours. Therefore, here you will not encounter such unpleasant moments as inflated prices, a huge flow of buyers or a lack of the right size.
Another universal market
A similar shopping center, which sells both Chinese umbrellas and famous brands, is located near the Longhua Temple. On the one hand, this is his plus, and on the other, a minus. The market is located in a tourist place, so it is very popular among lovers of traveling and shopping at the same time. This is also its drawback: overpriced, a huge number of people, the goods instantly disappear from the shelves. The full name of this establishment is “Longhua Street Brand Clothing and Gifts Market”.
Fabrics and fabrics again
From time immemorial, people from all over the world have come to China to buy fabrics there. They are made in this country of incredibly high quality and sound, moreover, colors, texture and other characteristics are completely unique. You cannot find something similar on Russian shelves. Shanghai's most popular Chinese silk store is located at 399 Lujiabang Road, South Bund. This is a whole market, consisting of three floors, which not only show all kinds of colors and colors of silk, but also have an atelier. The only negative: many dressmakers do not even speak English, so basic knowledge of Chinese will come in handy.
In the sewing world
If you are interested in purchasing good quality fabrics and garments, then head to the market located at 168, Dongmen Road, located near Yuyuan Private Garden. Here, the assortment is slightly smaller than in the previous institution, but the fabrics are much more unique. Also, there are a lot of sewing equipment, ranging from needles for hand seams and ending with machines and overlocks. Local tailors (many of whom, by the way, speak English) are happy to sew any item according to your designs in a short period of time. But most importantly - this Shanghai store is not megapopular among foreign tourists. Therefore, there will not be a crowd here, but prices will please.
Tea ceremony
Along with silks and umbrellas, travelers from all over the world take tea from China to their homeland in kilograms. There is nothing surprising in this, because this drink was born precisely in the East, and so far only the most elite varieties of tea are grown and harvested in this country and neighboring India. Where can I get this drink so that it turns out to be incredibly tasty, fragrant and unique? Once upon a time, the Tien Shan market has been operating in Shanghai. Only tea and tea sets are sold there, and the head goes round with a variety of varieties and aromas. In order to taste the drink, you will not just be allowed to smell it in a pack. Local sellers are happy to organize a tea ceremony for you to fully taste the variety (or varieties) of tea that you liked. It is also beautifully packaged here, so that later it can be presented as a gift to someone. But it is worth noting that tea and China are exported not only by Russian tourists, but also travelers from different parts of the world. Therefore, the prices here are considerable.
City in the city
This information will be useful for those people who know the Chinese language or who travel with a translator. There is a Fujuang market in Shanghai, which in its area is more like a small town. It consists of 18 five-story buildings, each of which is a shopping center. There are practically no foreigners here, goods of any category are represented in abundance, and prices are so low that it is simply impossible to get out without a ton of packages. But the sellers of Fujuang only speak their native language and, not knowing it, you are unlikely to manage to make purchases in this place easily.
World of flora and fauna
If you are in Shanghai, be sure to go for new impressions to the markets, where exotic fauna and flora are represented. They are located on two streets: Tibet and Khondzin. There you will see outlandish flowers both cut and in pots. You can get acquainted with marvelous animals and insects, which simply do not exist in Russia. They literally live on the market, that is, trees grow that have survived dozens of human generations. There are also many fish, birds, corals, etc. Many goods from such markets cannot be imported into Russia, but you need to visit here just to see them.
Summarize
Shanghai is a metropolis where you can buy absolutely everything - from a Chinese fan to an exotic animal. There are popular places where everything is beautiful, but expensive. There are unique markets where knowledge of the Chinese language is indispensable, but the prices are extremely low. It is only important to know where to look, and you can definitely buy everything you want. In addition, we emphasize that in China it is not just possible, but necessary to bargain. But this is only worth doing if you have definitely decided to buy a specific product, and not just want to tease the seller. They don’t like this here.