Shanghai, situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China, is the largest city of the People's Republic of China and the eighth largest in the world. Widely regarded as the citadel of China's modern economy, the city also serves as one of the most important cultural, commercial, financial, industrial and communications centers of China. Shanghai is also one of the world's busiest ports, and became the largest cargo port in the world in 2005.
Shanghai is known as the 'Paris of the East' with the best skyline in Asia, reflecting both Oriental and European influences. In recent years, a number of modern buildings have been added to the city, such as the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Library, Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai Circus City, Shanghai City-Planning Exhibition Hall and Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai Science & Technology Museum.
Things to see and do
* The Bund
* Shanghai Museum
* Shanghai Najing Road
* Yuyuan Gardens
* Jing'an Temple, first built during the Three Kingdoms period
Cruise Season - Jan - Dec
Currency - Renminbi ('People's Money') (Y)
Language -Mandarin
Land Area - 6340.5 sq km's
Population - 17,780,000
Electricity - 2 vertical Square pins and one perpendicular below British style, 2 angled pins and 1 flat pin centred below Australian style, Japanese style and South African/Indian style.
Time - GMT plus eight hours
International Country Telephone Code - + 86
Port Location - The Shanghai Port international cruise terminal is located at the North Bund Area in Hongkou District, on the Huangpu River in downtown Shanghai.
Transport Links - Shanghai has two airports: Hongqiao and Pudong International, which has the second highest (combined) traffic in China, following Hong Kong International Airport. Two railways intersect in Shanghai: Jinghu Railway (Beijing-Shanghai) Railway passing through Nanjing , and Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway
Shanghai has an extensive public transportation system, largely based on buses, and a rapidly expanding metro system. For a city of Shanghai's size, road traffic is fairly smooth and convenient.
<b> Important Visa Information
Australian and New Zealand passport holders staying on board or going ashore to visit any Chinese ports are required to obtain a single-entry Chinese visa (3 month validity) prior to travel. We recommend you include a copy of your itinerary with your application and confirm the expiration of the visa at the time of issue to ensure that it is valid for your stay in China. Visas cannot be issued upon the ship's arrival. Please note that any passengers not in possession of a Chinese visa may be denied boarding or incur a fine.<b>