“If I were to suddenly become sick, where should I go?” – one of the most important questions an expat in Shanghai will want to know the answer to. Fortunately, Shanghai is home to a number of high quality international hospitals and medical centers ... Read More>>

Need to de-stress from life in the city? Shanghai has hundreds of choices where you can get a massage. We’ve found you a handful of expensive places that are luxurious and peaceful and some inexpensive alternatives that offer a clean environment and good ... Read More>>

There’s no denying that massages are a great way of relaxing – throwing off the cares and tensions of daily life in the city. However, the world of massage and spas in Shanghai has something of a dodgy underbelly. Many parlours offer services that you ... Read More>>

A trip to the market in Shanghai is a colourful experience to say the least. It’s not for the faint-hearted, as buyers and sellers play tactical games with one another in attempt to get exactly want they want. As in all games, someone has be the winner, so ... Read More>>

There might be nine million bicycles in Beijing, but there's no shortage of them in Shanghai either. Sure, riding them isn't without its hazards – especially right now, what with every road being busily ripped up and Expo-sed – but they remain by far the ... Read More>>

One of the joys of living in Shanghai is the abundance of home delivery options. From fine wines to DVDs to that coat rack that just wouldn’t fit into a cab, online shopping and home delivery make life so simple for the expat community that venturing ... Read More>>

You’ve probably figured out by now that Shanghai is a shopping Mecca – shoes, accessories, electronics, antiques… It’s all right here in the city. One of the central commodities for expats and tourists alike, however, is clothes. And while there are ... Read More>>

Counterfeited products are readily available throughout China; from DVDs and CDs, to electrical products, jewellery, bags and clothing. Some of them are so good that even the most envious stares won’t be able to tell the difference between an original and ... Read More>>

During Shanghai’s Golden Age from the mid 1800s until the Communists took over in 1949, the city had a well-earned reputation for vice. Its very name was a synonym for dodgy dealings; if you were “shanghaied”, you were kidnapped and forced ... Read More>>

Having a haircut in Shanghai can be rather hit or miss. Many an unsuspecting laowai has headed to their local chop-shop only to emerge with a follicular massacre on their head. A mixture of language problems and Chinese salons not being used to styling ... Read More>>

For the LGBT community, the pickings here in Shanghai can sometimes be a little thin. Luckily, the city is becoming a little more open every year, with the first annual... Read More>>

Everyone's looking for a beach getaway during these hot summer months. Unfortunately, Shanghai is not exactly renowned for its clear, blue ocean and soft, sandy shore. Nevertheless, there are some options relatively close by for those willing to venture ... Read More>>

So your time in Shanghai is coming to a close. Whether it's because you're changing jobs, changing significant others, or just tired of playing the China game, leaving this place can be harder than you expect. While you've had plenty of experiences – both ... Read More>>

Summer is here! That means it’s time to start working out to get that swimsuit body. Finding the perfect gym that’s in the right location, a reasonable price and not too crowded can be time consuming. Here’s an extensive list of popular fitness centers ... Read More>>

Shanghai is enjoying a booming market in imported food products, with new import supermarkets popping up each year. We go beyond the well-known foreign chains like City Shop and Carrefour, and cover a wide variety of options in Shanghai. Read More>>

With the weather warming up and spring (hopefully) on the horizon, now is the perfect time to start thinking about outdoor sports. While Shanghai may not seem like the ideal place to pursue things like hiking, camping, or biking, there are plenty of places ... Read More>>

With a history stretching back 3,000 years and countless billion devotees through the generations, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is not something to be scoffed at. Concentrating on balancing the body’s vital forces –cold, dark yin and warm, bright ... Read More>>

Pearl City<br /> Also known as the Hongqiao Pearl Market, this is the place to go when you're looking for cheap, cheap, cheap. They have everything from costume jewelry to (ahem) “pearls,” and they're not afraid to show you. Prices are generally ... Read More>>

Shanghai is a city that has rich and vibrant historic links with the trade of fabrics and textiles. From its proximity to the ancient Silk Road trading routes to its development as a major trade port during the Qing Dynasty, and from the influx of ... Read More>>

As anyone with feet over a European size 38 (US 7.5) knows, finding decent shoes in Shanghai can be tricky. There’s nothing more disheartening than shopping with small-footed friends who seem to find exactly what they’re looking for among the racks, while ... Read More>>

Making a good cocktail is an art form, and while the Chinese have paper cutting down to a science, mixology is a skill they’re still struggling to master. Lucky for denizens of Shanghai, the Japanese have imported their mature brand of cocktail bars to the ... Read More>>

Many of the international schools in Shanghai are well-known by the expat community. Dulwich College, the British International School Shanghai, the American International School, Concordia and many more have earned a solid reputation as a reliable source ... Read More>>

While on the surface Shanghai may not seem like the most musical of cities, it actually has a lot to offer. From hard-to-find but worth-the-hunt music stores selling original vinyl records, to dozens of instrument stores providing a vast selection of ... Read More>>

Shanghai is a shopper’s paradise. Her streets are branded with labels in both boisterous plazas and glossy boutiques, but the blaring billboards and bright lights overshadow striking examples of real craftsmanship. The fabric market is popular destination ... Read More>>