Hey guys my name’s Tze, and I was fortunate enough to spend last on Erasmus in Shanghai! I was studying business at the prestigious Shanghai JiaoTong School of Economics (here’s a picture). Attending this university was such a great opportunity to learn and meet people from all over the world! Anyways here’s my tips about making the most of your time in Shanghai as a student!
Accommodation: I was lucky enough to live in the international student dorms on campus, but when my friends came over to visit, they rented an AirBnb around my area (The Xuhui District). They paid around €500 for a week, so you’re looking at around €70 a night (for 2 people), and that’s the price you would be looking at for most districts of Shanghai. Shanghai’s housing prices are pretty similar to Dublin! That’s why I would personally recommend renting hostels. They should cost around €10 a night! I’d also highly recommend renting in around the Pudong district because that’s where some of the best spots in the city are (don’t worry, I’ll tell you about them soon!) and this is where most students decide to stay as well, so it would be a great opportunity to make new friends to travel with!
Transport: Don’t worry if you can’t find a place in this district though, because the public transport in China is among the best in the world! Not to mention how cheap it is (a 40 minutes journey by subway could cost you as little as €2!). When you’re on the subways the signs are both in Chinese and English, and they’re so easy to follow! All the metro lines are coloured, so all you need to do is find the right line and not miss your stop! Yet again there isn’t much need to worry if you get confused using the metro though, because all you need to do is ask someone around our age and you should be fine. This is because most people our age have a decent level of English, especially in a city with as much Western influence as Shanghai.
Food: When it comes to food, there’s such a great selection to choose from! Shanghai is famous for its food, and I would definitely recommend trying the roast duck, the Bubble tea (something I feel you’ve come across in Dublin already), and hotpot when you are over here. Those are just a few of my recommendations, and they’re all relatively cheap! A must try though would be the XiaoLongBao dumplings. They’re probably the most famous dish in Shanghai. Here’s a picture of them. We went to Din Tai Fung in the Xuhui district where you can see the chefs making the dumplings, because they have an open kitchen where they showcase the chefs making the dumplings freshly! Shanghai isn’t the cheapest city in the world though, in fact it’s one of the most expensive places in Asia. Still cheaper than Dublin though! That’s why I feel it won’t leave the biggest dent in your student budgets! Go out there and enjoy all the food you see!
Nightlife: Student nightlife in China is something you guys need to experience when you come over here, it really is something else. Here’s a picture I took inside Mint nightclub in city centre. In China it’s free entry into the nightclubs, however you need to know the specific nightclub rep for this to happen. No worries though, because I have attached a list of contacts for each of their clubs! These nightclubs usually have some of the best DJs in the world performing in them. If that doesn’t sound like your scene though, then I would highly suggest going to one of the many bars the city has to offer. Particularly Bar Rogue is a great choice, because it’s a rooftop bar that overlooks The Bund and most of the city! The drinks in the clubs really vary in price. If we’re talking about locally brewed beers like TsingTao, then it’s a lot cheaper than Europe (around €3 a pint). However, the imported beers would be just above the prices you’d pay back home, and cocktails and spirits are a bit on the expensive side of the spectrum as those are scene as upper-class drinks in Shanghai.
Tourist Spots: Speaking of the Bund, it should be on the top of your list of things to visit! It really is a site worth seeing (1st picture). Along with The Bund, you should defiantly consider visiting Yu Garden (2nd picture). This is where you will find some of the best street food in Shanghai! These 2 spots are completely free, and there’s tons of other places. One of my personal favourites would be the French Concession. It’s the part of the city that was once occupied by France, and it really makes you feel as if you were there. There’s so many spots in this city that can really enhance your Instagram accounts, but even the city itself is a photographer’s dream.
Things I wouldn’t recommend: Personally I don’t have many things I would discourage you from seeing or doing in Shanghai, however if I was to pick just one thing I disliked, it would potentially be seeing the football games! You might be looking at paying around €50 to see a watch a match that definitely isn’t worth the price! For that money you could go to Disneyland Shanghai for the day!
Prices: Overall, as I mentioned above, Shanghai isn’t a cheap place, especially compared to the rest of China/Asia. However, the quality you get here is worth the money. I feel it’s a great place to visit if it’s your first-time visiting China, as China isn’t exactly for the faint of heart. That’s why paying Dublin levels of housing prices, food, etc. is still worth the experience here. When I was a student over there, I was living off of around €12 a day and I was really enjoying my life. Yet you could equally end up spending around €100 a day if you really want to splash out (taking my friends as examples), so it really is up to you and your student budget!