Pudong
Fifteen years ago, Pudong was nothing more than a bunch of small farms. In an effort to raise the status of Shanghai to the level of a major Asian and world commercial center the Chinese Government invested tons of money and spent tremendous effort encouraging overseas investors to develop Pudong. It worked. From farmland to skyscrapers, Pudong now has one of the most impressive skylines in the world. Because the growth was so fast there is speculation that most of its office buildings are far from full. However with expectation of a further expansion of domestic and international commercial trade, development in Pudong, like the rest of Shanghai, seems never-ending and construction continues 24/7.
Predominantly a financial district Pudong offers little interesting sightseeing and is devoid of any exciting nightlife or dinning experiences except for a handful of venues in the 5 star hotels. If you have ever seen a picture of Shanghai I am sure you have seen Pudong. From the Bund, one can take in the view of Pudong’s sleek modern skyline and large Oriental Pearl TV Tower, supposedly the largest structure of its kind in Asia , looming high over the city.
All of Shanghai’s international flights are routed through the Pudong International Airport, located about 45 minutes from Puxi. Between the airport and the river lie a multitude of multinational & Joint Venture factories producing some of the world’s top brand names. The foreign community continues to grow as new factories open in Pudong’s tax free zones. Large luxury expat housing is continually being built to keep up with the demand for high-end residential property suitable for expats.
Living in Pudong does not offer the same charm as living in an area west of the river, but if you prefer to live in quiet green surroundings you can find a home in Pudong for about half price compared to downtown, Puxi accommodations. Pudong also boasts recreational facilities such as golf courses, parks that most of downtown Puxi lacks. Many mainstream malls and supermarkets in the Pudong make daily life convenient and easy, however you will be located far from entertainment in terms of bars, clubs and restaurants. We usually recommend Pudong for people who work in the area and/or families. Younger people and people interested in enjoying a bit more of shanghai culture prefer to live west of the river and might find Pudong a bit boring. Beautiful new residential compounds with all kinds of facilities seem to come up every month. With the vast variety of new compounds and western style facilities offered makes it an excellent choice if you want to live in Pudong, East Shanghai.
Luijiazui is the main business district of Pudong, the central ‘downtown’ east of the Huangpu River and is boasts some of the most famous buildings(all newly built) in Shanghai, including the Jinmao Tower andthe Pearl Tower . Jinmao Tower is the tallest building in China standing at 420.5m high, with altogether 88 stories and total construction area of 290,000 square meters. From 53F to 87F is the highest deluxe five-star hotel of the world –the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The Pearl Tower is one of the ugliest blights in the Shanghai Skyline. It stands as a clear metaphor for Shanghai’s desire to move forward into a modern, economic powerhouse of its own choosing.
Puxi
Puxi is the traditional, historic side of Shanghai. This is the area that anyone wishing to have access to Shanghai’s rich variety of restaurants, bars and shopping districts should live. The majority of expats working in Shanghai live on the Puxi side in a concentrated area of the Former French Concession. Puxi also houses several very large central business district areas. This are is home to Shanghai’s best tourist and cultural destinations and boasts the cities most stunning turn of the century architecture.
