Nightlife · Shanghai · China
Shanghai nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Shanghai, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bert van Loo, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Shanghai has mainland China's most international nightlife, from Bund rooftop bars and hotel jazz lounges to cocktail bars in French Concession villas and big clubs. Evenings start late and many bars run well past midnight. The main areas are The Bund, Former French Concession, Xintiandi and Lujiazui.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- Former French Concession
Where to go out
The Bund
Rooftop bars and terrace restaurants in the heritage buildings, with skyline views and dress codes to match.
Former French Concession
Cocktail bars, wine bars and craft-beer spots around Yongkang Road, Fumin Road and Julu Road.
Xintiandi
Polished bars and restaurant terraces in restored shikumen lanes, busy with after-work crowds.
Lujiazui
Hotel sky bars high up in the Pudong towers, looking back across the river to the Bund.
Nightlife tips
- The Metro stops running around 11pm on most lines; use DiDi or a taxi after that.
- Bund rooftop bars often have minimum spends or cover charges on busy nights; check before you sit down.
- Be wary of friendly strangers on Nanjing Road East who invite you to a 'tea ceremony' or bar; this is a well-known overcharging scam.
Evening sights
Waterfront · The Bund and People's Square
The Bund
Come twice: at sunrise, when locals practise tai chi on the promenade, and after dark for the lit-up skyline.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- After dark
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Couples
Landmark · Lujiazui (Pudong)
Oriental Pearl Tower
Combine it with the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium next door for a family morning in Lujiazui.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
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Street · The Bund and People's Square
Nanjing Road
Walk it after dark from People's Square towards the river so you finish with the lit-up Bund.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- After dark
- Iconic
Neighbourhood · Xintiandi and Tianzifang
Xintiandi
Visit in the early evening for a drink on a terrace, then walk 15 minutes south to Tianzifang.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Food
- After dark
- Couples
- Free
Experience · The Bund and People's Square
Huangpu River cruise
For a cheap version, take the public ferry between the Bund side and Lujiazui; it crosses in a few minutes for a couple of yuan.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Views
- Couples
- Kids
- Iconic
Theme park · Pudong
Shanghai Disneyland
Weekdays outside Chinese school holidays have far shorter queues; download the official app to see waiting times.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Iconic
- After dark
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. July has the warmest evenings, with lows around 26°C (79°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 17:13 | 1°C (34°F) | 10 |
| April | About 18:22 | 11°C (52°F) | 11 |
| July | About 19:00 | 26°C (79°F) | 12 |
| October | About 17:22 | 16°C (61°F) | 6 |
Getting home late
- Metro — Pay by scanning a QR code in the Metro app, Alipay or WeChat, or buy a rechargeable Shanghai Public Transportation Card.
- Taxi — Have your destination written in Chinese characters; many drivers do not speak English.
- Walking — The Bund, Nanjing Road East, People's Square and the Old City are within walking distance of each other, and the French Concession is best explored on foot.
- Ferry — Public ferries cross the Huangpu between the Bund side and Lujiazui in a few minutes, a cheap way to see the skyline from the water.
Late-night bites
- Pan-fried pork buns — Specialist shengjian chains and corner shops across the city, especially at breakfast and lunch.
- Crab shell pastry — Old bakeries and snack shops in the Old City and around Huanghe Road.
Staying safe at night
Shanghai is generally safe for visitors, but tea-house and bar overcharging scams target tourists around Nanjing Road East and the Bund. Watch for pickpockets in crowds during holidays, and cross roads carefully, as electric scooters often ride silently on pavements and through red lights.
- Emergency number
- 110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, nightlife, solo travellers and culture
Former French Concession
The former French Concession stretches west from Xintiandi along Huaihai Road, Fuxing Road, Anfu Road and Wukang Road, where 1920s villas and Art Deco apartment blocks such as the Wukang Mansion line shaded streets. It is the best area for walking, coffee, cocktail bars and restaurants, and Metro lines 1, 7, 10 and 11 run through it.
- Good
- The city's most pleasant streets to walk; Huge choice of cafés and restaurants; Boutique hotels in old villas
- Watch out
- Few big-ticket sights; Some lanes are a long walk from a Metro station
- Nearby
- Wukang Road, Fuxing Park, Tianzifang, Xintiandi
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Shanghai?
The Bund, Former French Concession and Xintiandi. Rooftop bars and terrace restaurants in the heritage buildings, with skyline views and dress codes to match.
+Which area of Shanghai is best for nightlife?
Former French Concession: Plane-tree streets, lane houses, cafés and boutiques in Xuhui and Huangpu.