Shanghai Won Our Hearts | Maglev, Water Town & The Bund

Shanghai completely won us over: a 300 km/h Maglev arrival, old waterways, an extraordinary hotel view and a night on the Bund. Join Chi Chi & Bongo for practical tips, honest reactions and a few unexpected detours. In Part One we explore Shanghai by Metro, visit the old town and Zhujiajiao, show you our Oriental Riverside Hotel room, ride beneath the Huangpu River and head into the lights of Nanjing Road. Chi Chi shares her planning tip, and we explain why setting up Alipay before travelling made life much easier. WATCH NEXT Shanghai Part Two — robot dogs, Jing'an Temple & rollercoaster dining (live Friday 9 October):    • Видео   Shanghai Part Three — the garden that glows (live Friday 16 October):    • Видео   CHAPTERS 00:00 The city that won our hearts 00:40 Maglev from Pudong Airport 02:14 Getting around on Shanghai Metro 02:53 Shanghai's skyline and Shanghai Tower 04:03 The Bund and Customs House clock 05:06 Metro to the old town 05:26 Yuyuan Bazaar and the teahouse 07:17 Zhujiajiao water town 09:14 September weather, shops and snacks 10:49 Bongo's unexpected ear-cleaning stop 11:23 Back to our Shanghai base 11:47 Oriental Riverside Hotel and room tour 14:31 Bund Sightseeing Tunnel 17:12 The Bund after dark 19:20 Nanjing Road and food 21:50 Chi Chi's tip of the day 22:35 Metro home 23:35 Our costs 23:50 Alipay: set it up before you go 24:27 Our Shanghai verdict 25:01 More adventures to come TRAVEL NOTES Filmed during our September 2026 visit. Prices and opening hours can change; check the operator before travelling. Pound figures are rounded guides, using roughly £1 = 9 Chinese yuan, not a live exchange rate. • Maglev standard adult single: ¥50 (about £5.60); return: ¥80 (about £8.90). Eligible flight-ticket discounts may be available. • Metro fares start at ¥3 (about 33p) and depend on distance. • Bund Sightseeing Tunnel adult single: ¥50 (about £5.60); return: ¥70 (about £7.80). It is a visitor attraction, separate from the Metro. The entrance was about a two-minute walk from our hotel. • Shanghai Tower's observation deck is an optional attraction shown in our guide; the supporting view footage does not mean we went up ourselves. Check current tickets and visibility. • Alipay and WeChat Pay are widely used. Set up and check your chosen app before leaving home. Overseas cards and Apple Pay may not work everywhere; acceptance varies, so keep a backup payment method. App screens and requirements can change. • Our ear-cleaning stop is a personal travel experience, not a treatment recommendation. PLAN YOUR VISIT Our hotel: Oriental Riverside Bund View (Booking.com listing, not an affiliate link): https://www.booking.com/hotel/cn/orie... Shanghai transport / Maglev: https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Tr... Shanghai Metro guide: https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Tr... Zhujiajiao: https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-He... The Bund: https://www.meet-in-shanghai.net/en/h... Nanjing Road: https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Sc... Shanghai Tower: https://en.shanghaitower.com/shagnhai... Payment guidance, including Alipay and WeChat Pay: https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-In... MORE Chi Chi & Bongo Follow our China, Japan & South Korea adventure:    • China, Japan & South Korea Adventure 2026 ...   Our GigSky experience on Diamond Princess:    • GigSky on Diamond Princess | An Alternativ...   Subscribe:    / @chichiandbongo   Instagram:   / chichibongoadventures   MUSIC Explore Asia, Shanghai by Night, Chinese Blooming Garden, Chinese Chillstep, Chinese Cover Girl and Soul of China by DJARTMUSIC, used under the Pixabay Content License: https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-expl... https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-shan... https://pixabay.com/music/pop-chinese... https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-chin... https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-chin... https://pixabay.com/music/beats-soul-... Cruise With Chi Chi & Bongo — warm British banter, useful travel tips and honest adventures. #Shanghai #ChinaTravel #ChiChiAndBongo