The Ultimate Shanghai Summer Weekend
Although many Shanghai expats do whatever they can to get out of the city over the steaming summer months, for those of us who remain, there are plenty of fun things to keep us occupied in our free time. Here are just a few of the activities Talk recommends to fill your weekends in Shanghai with a whole lot of summer fun.
Eat Gelato at Le Crème Milano
Over the past few years, Shanghai has become home to an increasing number of gelaterias, including our favorite, Le Crème Milano. With several outlets around town, this chain serves up icy-cold, sugary treats in a lovely variety of flavors.
Talk’s pro tip is for those too lazy to leave your air-conditioned lounge room in order to seek out such deliciousness – Le Crème Milano is available for delivery through Mealbay, packed in Styrofoam containers which keeps the gelato surprisingly well frozen between the store and your mouth.
The best thing about being a grown-up (who also happens to be an expat living in Shanghai) is the ability to order a liter of gelato to your door which you can then eat for dinner (or breakfast, or lunch).
Le Crème Milano, 173 Fumin Lu, near Julu Lu. Tel: 5403 3918; 434 Shanxi Lu, near Yongjia Lu. Tel: 6433 5208; 115 Wuyuan Lu, near Wulumuqi Lu. Tel: 5466 6259. Web: www.lecrememilano.com
Take it Easy on Bund Beach
It might not match the natural beauty of Boracay, or the paradise that is Phuket, but Bund Beach is pretty much the best we have in Shanghai so we might as well get on board and enjoy the opportunity to get some sand between our toes. This man-made strip of sand, right by the Cool Docks, has activities galore on weekends. Their Sunday beach parties come complete with volleyball, badminton, yoga and painting classes, as well as massages and a fully stocked bar and canteen to quench both your thirst and the appetite you work up from all that running, hitting and bending. Entry is only RMB 50, but the classes and massages are extra (RMB 100 to 150).
The Cool Docks, Wharf 1846, 421 Waima Lu, near Maojiayuan Lu
Brunch on K Waitan’s Terrace
Every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm throughout summer, K Waitan hosts brunch on its awesome terrace which boasts one of the best al fresco vistas on the Bund. Chef Kenji’s brunch sampler includes lots of yummy stuff including his house cured salmon and Paccheri pasta. And before you get all uppity about your need for bubbles with your brunch, K Waitan also offers buy one, get one free on their house Vranken Diamant champagne. All this, along with an ultra-stunning view for no extra charge.
K Waitan, 4/F, 200 Huangpu Lu, near Qingpu Lu. Tel: 6660 0989. Web: www.kwaitan.com
Take a Dip at Mandarine City
This resort-style outdoor pool is situated in a quiet compound in Hongqiao though it does get its fair share of people crowding in when the mercury rises and all of Shanghai is seeking a place to cool off.
The pool area is grand in size and features a wading area perfect for young kids. There’s also a swim up bar for the bigger kids and great food at reasonable prices. It’s relaxing, clean and good value for money, all of which makes it our pick for best outdoor pool in Shanghai.
Mandarine City, 788 Hongxu Lu, near Huaguang Lu. Price: RMB 50. Hours: 7:30am-9pm
Get away to Moganshan
It’s been a cooler alternative to Shanghai’s sizzling summer for expats since the 1930s for a reason. The mountain air is clean and clear, the bamboo forest is densely mysterious and you can be as active or passive as you like on your Moganshan getaway. There’s hiking, biking, swimming and horse riding for the action junkies, plus plenty of quiet space to gather your thoughts.
Accommodation options have proliferated in recent years, with lovely options offered by Naked Retreats and Naked Stables as well as the luxury French country house hotel, Le Passage Moganshan, for those seeking a Francophile touch to their weekend getaway.
The mountain air is also rather conducive to romance, with friends of Talk recently getting engaged on their Moganshan weekend away. Ooh la la!
Web: www.lepassagemoganshan.com; www.nakedretreats.cn
Shop at Jiashan Market
On the first and third Saturdays of every month between 11am and 4pm, head down to Jiashan Market to shop for all your farmer’s market type produce, artisanal food products and other homemade goodies. Though the market runs year-round, summer is a particularly pleasant time to spend a few hours at Jiashan on a Saturday afternoon. Pick up sausages, jams, cakes, brownies and more, accompanied by the smooth sounds of a live band accompanying your shopping experience. Entrance is free.
Jiashan Market, No. 37, Lane 550 Shanxi Nan Lu, near Shaoxing Lu
Picnic in Okura Gardens
This is one of those hit and miss recommendations – it’s great when it comes off but on occasion it doesn’t. The Okura Garden Hotel is a beautiful old hotel on the site of the former French Club in Maoming Lu. The “Garden” in the name is no accident as the grounds of the hotel are stunning; the perfect place for a picnic. Unfurl a blanket and while away a few hours eating, drinking, being merry and playing Frisbee with your best human and canine companions.
This makes for a lovely day out but we have heard reports of security turning people away from time to time, for no apparent reason. In any case, it’s such a beautiful place for a picnic; head down and give it a try.
Okura Garden Hotel, 58 Maoming Lu, near Changle Lu. Tel: 64151111. Web: www.gardenhotelshanghai.com
Ice Skate at Mercedes-Benz Arena
With its 1,025 square meters of slick ice, Shanghai Century Star is currently the largest – and by far the nicest – ice-rink in Shanghai. Located in the basement of the Mercedes-Benz arena, at the former Expo site, this is the perfect place to practice your pirouettes and ace some awesome double axle maneuvers.
RMB 70 includes skate hire (along with gloves, socks, pads and helmets) for two hours. It’s a great place to keep cool on a hot Shanghai summer’s day.
Shanghai Century Star, B2/F, Mercedes-Benz Arena, 1200 Expo Avenue, near Zhoujia Du Lu. Web: www.centurystar.com.cn
Swim with Sharks at Changfeng Aquarium
Taking a dip in Mandarine City’s pool is one thing, but this takes swimming to a whole new level. Sign up for the shark experience with Big Blue Scuba and they will take you diving in the aquarium’s 5.5-meter deep shark tank after a quick instructional scuba course (no previous diving experience is necessary).
The shark experience involves an hour underwater with 100 Jaws lookalikes along with eels, sea turtles, manta rays and more. All equipment and private instruction is included in the RMB 800 per person price tag (there’s also a special couples' price of RMB 1,440 for two).
Big Blue Diving International, Building 10, Lane 10 Jinbang Road, near Hami Lu. Tel: 6291 2110. Web: www.big-blue.cn; Changfeng Aquarium, 451 Daduhe Lu, near Yunling Dong Lu. Web: www.oceanworld.com.cn
Drink Al Fresco Iced Coffee in Jing An Villas
This lovely labyrinth of lanes contains a multitude of quiet cafes with outdoor seating, many of them with free WiFi. It’s the perfect place to get your summertime caffeine fix.
We particularly like Wanderer’s Café which has two outdoor tables in its lovely, flower-filled courtyard – it even has some shade and is the perfect place to spend a summery afternoon. Americanos are RMB 28 and cappuccinos are RMB 30; they are weak and overpriced, but it’s a relaxing spot to while away an afternoon.
Wanderers Café, 1025 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Nanhui Lu
Catch a Wave at Dino Beach
Home of Asia’s biggest wave pool, Dino Beach is the best place in Shanghai to career down a waterslide on an inflatable rubber tube. It sure gets crowded on the weekend, but this is a city of more than 20 million people, after all, so embrace our shared lack of personal space and get into the Dino Beach spirit. A trip to this watery wonderland includes a lesson on the differences between western and Chinese beach etiquette for no extra charge.
Talk’s pro Dino Beach tip, for those not keen on getting up close and personal with so many fellow water lovers, is to arrive at 4:05pm on a weekend afternoon. You’ll save yourself RMB 50 on the entrance price and by 5pm the vast majority of the crowd will have left for the day, leaving you to enjoy the watery activities, along with some breathing space.
Dino Beach, 78 Xinzhen Lu near Gudai Lu. Tel: 6478 3333. Web: www.dinobeach.com.cn. Hours: Mon. 10am – midnight (Saturday); 10am – 11pm (Sunday). Price: RMB 200 before 4pm, RMB 150 after 4pm on weekends.
Eat Brazilian BBQ on Kartel’s Rooftop
Every Saturday and Sunday from midday until 3pm, Kartel wine bar and cocktail lounge trades its normal French fare for an all-you-can-eat and drink Brazilian barbeque brunch on its stunning al fresco rooftop dining area. For RMB 288, you can eat an endless supply of grilled meats as well as free flow still and sparkling wine. Get ready for a bellyful full of beef and bubbles. Viva Brazil!
Kartel, 5/F, 1 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Julu Lu. Tel: 5404 2899. Web: www.kartel.com.cn
Get Your Block Party on at Brownstone
Every Sunday from 2pm to 7pm throughout the summer months, Brownstone hosts an outdoor party in the big open space in Surpass Court. It’s the perfect way to round out the weekend, along with your fellow hangover sufferers, shades on, lounging on the provided couches and sinking enough alcoholic beverages to make you regret it when the alarm chimes on Monday morning. DJ Teng Boon, one of China's originals, plays sweet tunes, and they also give out free hotdogs and have deals on buckets of beer and mojitos.
Surpass Court, 570 Yongjia Lu, near Yueyang Lu. Tel: 6073 7740. Web: www.brownstone.asia
Enjoy the Outdoors at Gongqing Forest Park
This forest park in northern Yangpu district features expansive green spaces, fir trees and pretty lakes. Though weekends bring hordes of people out to play, at 131 hectares, it’s big enough that you can find a quiet corner all to yourself. Get connected with nature and fly a kite on one of the park’s designated kite-flying areas or shao kao some meaty goodness in one of the barbeque pits (priced from RMB 60 for two hours).
Beyond these quieter recreational retreats, there are also a whole lot of other more high octane activities at the park including a rollercoaster, air gun rifle shooting, go karting and tobogganing.
Entry is RMB 15, plus RMB 10 to 20 per each of the activities. To get there, take metro Line 8 to Shiguang Lu. From there, it’s a short taxi ride to the park itself.
Gongqing Forest Park, 2000 Jungong Lu, near Yinhang Lu
Drink Frozen Margaritas at Cantina Agave
If you’ve ever been by the corner of Fumin Lu and Changle Lu on a sunny weekend, you’ll know that this isn’t some hidden Shanghai secret – Cantina’s all-you-can-drink margarita brunch for just RMB 125 on weekends from 11am to 3pm is one of the French Concession’s most popular weekend pastimes. Not least because you would have to be out of your mind not to enjoy some of Cantina’s tasty frozen margarita pitchers, al fresco style, for such a reasonable price.
Watch yourself though. Every time we’ve spent an afternoon soaking in sun and fruit-flavored margaritas, we’ve seen those undone by the combo fall flat on their faces – literally. The place is rowdy enough that a little public drunkenness isn’t out of place but it might require a WeChat group apology to your friends come Monday morning.
Cantina Agave, A Mansion, 291 Fumin Lu, near Changle Lu. Tel: 6170 1310. Web: www.cantinaagave.com
Eat Shaved Ice from Charmant
For a more local flavor to your ice cool treats, wrap your taste buds around some shaved ice. Charmant's antique brown sugar chuan bin is our personal favorite. It's served in an a large, ornate crystal goblet and is made with rough-shaved ice topped with deliciously smoky, caramelized brown sugar syrup, yuanzi (glutinous rice balls), grass jelly, mung beans and tapioca pearls.
Charmant, 1414 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu. Tel: 6431 8107
