Although a modern city in many ways, Shanghai is still a place where old traditions dominate many parts of life, and this extends to retail activities. If you’re visiting Shanghai, be aware that tipping is not a part of the culture, even in restaurants or taxis – and may instead be met with offence in some cases. However, the old tradition of haggling for bargains is alive and well, and can sometimes lead to great discounts in markets – especially when buying gold jewellery.

It’s not just gold that acts as a status symbol in Shanghai though, with pearls also being associated with the city – even giving it the nickname ”the Pearl of the Orient.” There are lots of places selling wholesale freshwater and seawater pearls throughout the city, whether you’re fascinated by pearls and crystals in their natural state or you’d prefer the talented vendors to create customised jewellery for you.

Another area in which haggling can be useful is when buying antiques, which are plentiful in Shanghai, particularly in locations such as Yuyuan Shopping City and Dong Tai Road Antique Market. If you’re looking for something distinctly Chinese to take home as a souvenir of your trip, this could be just the thing. Some people are concerned about forgeries and pirated goods when buying from Chinese markets, but in many cases the low prices simply represent domestic costs – which can be much lower than abroad, due to a lack of import charges.

It can also pay to do your research before heading to Shanghai, particularly as some of the best shopping areas can be a little tricky to find. With the names of some department stores sounding very similar in pronunciation for English ears too, it may be worth learning a little Mandarin before you set off.

But there’s a lot more to shopping than these two obvious places. Indeed, you’ll find streets big and small full of shopping centres. You’ll be able to plan a full day of shopping if that’s what you want. Even if you don’t really feel like shopping you should still visit them.

Shopping in Shanghai is an experience you will never forget. Whether or not you are a shopping fanatic, there are various shopping malls selling anything from high-priced luxury goods to stylish and affordable casuals and traditional Chinese handicrafts.

Here are a few shopping highlights in Shanghai, starting with Nanjing Xi Lu…

Shanghai’s Plaza 66 Where: 55 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Shaanxi Lu

Plaza 66 is crystalline proof of Shanghai’s diligent obsession with consumption. Arguably, it’s the fanciest shopping mall in Shanghai, with a frosty demeanor to match.

Whether you’re looking for Prada for pret-a-porter, Waterford for cystal, Bose or Bang and Olufsen for sound, Plaza 66 has over 100 famous brands.

With its dazzling array of designer brands, this place is perfect for the nouveau riche with money to burn. There isn’t another shopping mall as luxurious as this one in Shanghai.

A five-minutes walk from the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Plaza 66 has a cafe in the atrium and a few restuarants perched on the fifth floor.

Shanghai’s Citic Plaza Where: 1168 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Plaza 66

A bright, gleaming five-storey mall offering a varied mix of clothing labels, Citic Plaza is a five-minutes walk from the Shimen Yi Lu metro station.

From high-end designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Chloe and Kenzo to the more affordable casuals from Tough and Esprit, this is a mall with more reasonable prices.

Whether you’re wealthy or light on budget, this place is perfect for anyone with an eye for fashion.

Feeling hungry after all that shopping? No worries there.

Every floor of the mall offers a restaurant — from McDonald’s in the basement to super buffet Golden Jaguar (unlimited sashimi and Pacific oysters) on the third floor to chic Sichuan restuarant China Moon on the fourth.

By the way, there’s also a convenience store and English-Chinese language bookstore in case you’re looking for mineral water or maps.

Shanghai’s Westgate Mall Where: 1038 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Citic Plaza

A smart, well-organized shopping haven, offering up a range of trendy shops from Burberry, Givenchy and Versace to Chinese label Zuczug. The Westgate Mall is perfect for mall lovers with cash to spend who fancy a change from their usual hang out.

Also a couple of minutes walk from Shimen Yi Lu metro station, the Westgate malls offers a Studio City Cinema (with super sound system), Watson’s, a small supermarket in the basement, Marie France sliming clinic and an Isetan Department store ( a major Japanese chain) accessible on every floor.

Other Shopping…

If you go on older streets like Dongtai Lu you’ll find classical hand-made items. This handicraft market offers a variety of classical items like Chinese ceramics, jade, bronze, wood articles, paintings, and calligraphic works. You can also get your tools there if you are an artist yourself or plan to be.

More of an intellectual shopping street, Fuzhou Lu boasts a vast collection of bookstores in Shanghai. Not only does it offer over thirty bookstores but also has some of the oldest bookstores (some over 100 years old) in Shanghai.

Shopping in Shanghai is probably the most time-consuming activity in Shanghai whether for visitors or locals. With big shopping malls on the more popular streets to small boutiques or specific markets on smaller streets, Shanghai is where shopping fanatics will find their Paradise.

Sightseeing in Shanghai China becomes even more pleasurable when you consider that a wide variety of cuisines can be found in the city. It is a pleasure to see Shanghai march towards meeting its aspirations even as it continues to uphold its proud traditions of service and hospitality. The current symbols of a modern city include The Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jinmao Mansion and Pudong International Airport. To experience first hand that there still is proof of the deep zeal of a city ready to extend a warm welcome to all, one must visit the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theatre and the Shanghai City Planning Exhibition Center.