5 Days in Shanghai – Zhujiajiao Water Town

Posted on    by

The first in my series of posts commenting on selected aspects of a 5 day trip to Shanghai. Just to put things in context too: this was a work and not leisure trip, and the itinerary was planned and arranged for by travel agents. The places were chosen to meet the work-objectives, and the amount of time we spent in each spot was, for the most part, limited.

So, that out of the way: one of the places we visited on Day 02 was the Zhujiajiao (朱家角) Water Town, a fairly large 47sqm district that’s been said to be China’s equivalent of Venice. The ancient town of 1,700 years old is a thriving business and tourist spot with numerous canals and old bridges that are still standing and working that connect people across both sides of canals. The town is about an hour drive out from Shanghai city itself but along good road networks. We spent the morning and lunched in the town, though most of the time was spent for a Chinese calligraphy workshop that was organized for the students on the trip. So, in short, we barely had time to explore the town itself and just barely scratched the surface of it.

Approaching the outskirts of the town. It’s still quite uncrowded at this point, but once you get past the admission gantry, the crowds become apparent.
Technically, you can rent bicycles to cycle – but I imagine it won’t be easy if you’re more used to leisure cycling in uncrowded tracks. The pathways aren’t always even either.
There are numerous shops where you can rent traditional costumes and have your hair done, and I spotted more than a few couples – including this middle-aged one – posing for pictures in traditional apparel.
You can rent boats for short trips along the canal waterways. I didn’t get to try this, but the rides from what I read cost 80 yuan.
The water seemed reasonably clean along the stretches we walked, though given the high density of commerce and visitors in the town, I’m not sure the trash-free waters is generally true.
Numerous shops offering Bakkwa-styled dried meats, including flavors that aren’t available in Singapore.
The canal is wide in a few places; this picture – taken while I was walking over a stone bridge – gives a small sense of how big the town is.
Numerous shops selling all manner of snacks, produce, handicraft, souvenirs and trinkets. Bargaining seems to be an accepted practice in this area, so don’t feel free to test your Charisma levels.
Some of bridges are constructed from wood, but look entirely sturdy.

One could easily spend at least half a day exploring the numerous streets and alleys. The town seems well-preserved and is certainly vibrant – though you need to be ready for tourist crowds, and that some shops might be pushing you to buy all manner of things that you really don’t need.

Next post on The Bund @ evening!