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Shanghai Holidays

Shanghai Holidays

Book a holiday to Shanghai with Wendy Wu Tours

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Indulge yourself in the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai where old meets new and east and west collide offering the country’s best shopping, dining and entertainment.

Shanghai's beginning was humble. As a small fishing village on the banks of the Huangpu River, Shanghai was not a player on the Chinese political stage, nor was it an economic forerunner. With foreign intervention during the Opium Wars, Shanghai was named a treaty port and from there on, Shanghai grew into a financial and economic superpower.

By the early 20th century, Shanghai had emerged as the epicentre of international trade and a melting pot for global traders and expatriates, evolving into a city synonymous with luxury and indulgence for both international and local visitors. Following a period of dormancy during Mao Zedong's era, Shanghai reemerged, reaffirming its status as China's economic powerhouse and a beacon of cultural and ideological openness. 
 
Today, Shanghai stands as a symbol of modern dynamism and innovation, yet it remains a city of two halves. The Old Quarter, with its historic Bund, quaint Old Town, and the serene Yu Garden, invites a journey back in time. Across the river, the futuristic skyline of Pudong awaits, a testament to China's rapid advancement, featuring some of the globe's tallest skyscrapers and premier shopping and dining venues. 
 
Shanghai is a city of stark contrasts, a unique destination that encapsulates the very essence of China while simultaneously setting itself apart. It is an essential experience for those seeking to understand the rich tapestry of Chinese culture and modernity. 
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Popular Holidays to Shanghai

Shanghai offers a wealth of wonderful sights and experiences. What better way to explore them than on a Wendy Wu tour?

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Save up to $2000pp. All dates on sale. Plus, low $99pp deposit - Limited time
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7 Solo
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Majestic Yangtze
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Majestic Yangtze

14 days from $6,080pp
252 Reviews  
Includes international airfares
Shanghai (2N) - Yangtze River Cruise (4N) - Chengdu (1N) - Xian (2N) - Beijing (3N)
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7 Solo
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Wonders of China
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Wonders of China

16 days from $7,380pp
417 Reviews  
Includes international airfares
Beijing (3N) - Xian (2N) - Yangtze River Cruise (4N) - Guilin (2N) - Yangshuo (1N) - Shanghai (2N)
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Glories of China
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Glories of China

14 days from $6,380pp
150 Reviews  
Includes international airfares
Shanghai (3N) - Guilin (1N) - Yangshuo (2N) - Guilin (1N) - Xian (2N) - Beijing (3N)
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Things To See In Shanghai

No trip to Shanghai would be complete without seeing one of the wonders listed below.

  • Huangpu River Cruise

    Huangpu River Cruise

    One of Shanghai's many busy highways, always full of trading ships, tourist boats and traditional sampans.
  • Shanghai Museum

    Shanghai Museum

    One of China's most esteemed and acclaimed museums housing comprehensive collection.
  • The Bund

    The Bund

    A beautiful strand of colonial-style Art Deco buildings that once housed the great banks and trading houses.
  • The Water Towns

    The Water Towns

    Shanghai's suburbs are dotted with tranquil water towns. Set along the canals that were once used to carry goods all over imperial China.
  • Yu Gardens

    Yu Gardens

    A prime example of a classical Chinese garden in the heart of downtown Shanghai.

Shanghai at a Glance

We all enjoy a good fact or two - here are a few useful ones about Shanghai:

Shanghai Climate

Month
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Jan
  • 2
    8
    5
  • 74
  • Feb
  • 4
    10
    7
  • 59
  • Mar
  • 7
    14
    10
  • 94
  • Apr
  • 12
    20
    16
  • 74
  • May
  • 17
    25
    21
  • 84
  • Jun
  • 22
    28
    25
  • 182
  • Jul
  • 26
    32
    29
  • 146
  • Aug
  • 26
    32
    29
  • 214
  • Sep
  • 22
    28
    25
  • 87
  • Oct
  • 17
    23
    20
  • 56
  • Nov
  • 11
    17
    14
  • 52
  • Dec
  • 5
    11
    8
  • 44

Shanghai Tour Reviews

Review for China: The Big One
Whilst carrying out my 'due diligence' regarding Wendy Wu a guides name kept cropping up. David. And who did I have the privilege of as the National guide to our group? David. I knew all would be well. His attention to detail was remarkable, he took care of every member of the group as if we were members of his family. Admission to attractions, queueing, train seats, flight boarding procedures and security checks were all negotiated smoothly. We even got a trip on public transport, which I thoroughly enjoyed. His experience helped us avoid many issues and avoid many hold ups. I was always amazed at his ability to 'herd cats'. He worked well with the local guides who all shone as individuals with knowledge of their area. Shirley is fondly remembered, as is the guide on the Goddess stream.
He worked so hard. Being available to deal with any issues on arrival in a hotel, and his advice regarding travel avoided many potential issues. He packed the trip with such variety that I am sure everyone took home many precious memories.
He managed to create a great atmosphere in our motley group of less than 20. A feat in itself. Especially on those early rises, which avoided traffic and got us to places a little before it got too busy. Even though it was a four day holiday period in one area.
My special thanks go to him for helping me meet up with my relatives. He smoothed the way and aided our communication. The finale of Shanghai proved very exciting and my transfer back home went very smoothly. He is a 'more than I am' man and I wish him and his family all the very best for the future.
From a grateful tourist. Who is looking forward to return as a traveller, thanks to his guidance and care. It was more than a five star experiece.
P.S. The snacks that you got us on the bus will always be remembered. A feast.

Kindest regards,
A grateful tourist.
May 09, 2026
Review for Magnificent China
From Beijing to Shanghai and everything in between absolutely amazing holiday.
Tour size (16) was perfect & managed very well by Aaron our tour guide.
Hotel’s & restaurants chosen throughout the tour were very good, my only complaint would be that some of the hotels did not have a bar/lobby to relax & have a drink.
All additional tour guides were professional.
It was good to try different types of Chinese food as we visited different regions.
Overall China exceeded our expectations & would highly recommend this tour, well done Wendy Wu
May 07, 2026
Review for A China Experience
Fantastic holiday, everything as we expected. Great guide, Summer, travelled with us throughout, plus local guides in Shanghai and Beijing. Great organisational skills, tweaking the itinerary so that we missed the busiest times in Tiananmen Sq and at the Great Wall.
Food was excellent - too much of it!
Hotels also excellent.
Apr 02, 2026
Review for Additional Night Beijing|Christmas in China|Flight Chengdu - Shanghai |Hong Kong Glimpses (2N/3D)|Shanghai Short Stay 3D/2N
Shanghai was great. Well organised and the local tour guide was great. Hotel was in strategic location. Its probably too short. I recommend at least 3 nights for Shanghai.

Hong Kong was average. Would be much better if the hotel is in strategic location or near the water. We were told to be picked up at 8.45am but they arrived at 9.18am instead. I needed to call the local tour guide supplier 3 times to check. The program was only half day. I thought we booked for a whole day.
Jan 12, 2026
Review for Wonders of China
From our arrival in Beijing to our departure from Shanghai this was an excellent holiday with our guide, Betty, going above and beyond to make sure we had a fabulous time.
There were quite a few early starts - this isn't a trip if your idea of a holiday is relaxing with a good book - but there was so much to see!
In Beijing we saw Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden Palace, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Great Wall and more.
We then took a bullet train to Xian (amazing experience - totally smooth journey travelling at up to 250mph). We explored the city including the Muslim food quarter and the restored city walls and then went to the Terracotta Warriors.
The next day we took an early flight to Yichang and made our way to Maoping docks near the Three Gorges on the Yangtze river where we boarded the almost brand new Victoria Isabella. The weather was dreadful for our 4 days on the boat but the facilities and staff were excellent and we did get a few excursions.
We left the boat at Chongqing and went to the zoo where we saw pandas (a real highlight) and many other animals. A second bullet train took us to Guilin where we spent a night in the Waterfall Hotel (at 2030 every day a massive waterfall cascades down the outside of the building).
The next day, the sun came out and we took a boat trip down the beautiful River Li to Yangshuo. After a night there, we made our way back through the countryside to Guilin, seeing local people and the rice harvest.
After a second night in Guilin (a small but beautiful city) we took a flight to Shanghai, arriving in the early evening. A boat trip on the river Huangpu lets you see the Bund area with the most amazing lights display.
Our final day was spent exploring the city of Shanghai including the beautiful Yu gardens.
China is spotlessly clean. There are reasonable, free public toilets everywhere and the people are friendly (several conversation attempts via Google translate). There are security cameras and police everywhere and you are constantly asked for your passport but it never felt oppressive.
Nov 01, 2025
Review for Wonders of China
We did a 16 Wonder of China tour with a beautiful ****** Britney (Zhang Ru). Britney was organized, attentive, care, patient, knowledgeable in Chinese new and old histories and culture, above all she was lively and fun which made the tour full of laughter and joy. The Great Wall of China is magnificent, terracotta warriors in Xi’an is unbelievable til you see it, cruising on Yangtze River was beautiful with classic and optional shore tour, cruising from Guilin to Yangshuo on Li river was WOW factor, it took our breath away. We have already thinking of coming back to Guilin again just to sit back and enjoy the most beautiful scenery on earth. Shanghai the Bund is jaw dropping.
Oct 28, 2025
Review for Majestic Yangtze
Wendy Wu you’ve done it again! Fascinating, informative, spectacular and comfortable.
Even though I was found to be in the wrong group at the start, I got to know a few extra travellers!
Eileen our tour leader was terrific and displayed that Wendy Wu professionalism always. Her insight was great and a change of tack to avoid a very long queue at Tiananmen sq was commendable. Always helpful, always full of information.
Would love to see that magnetic train in Shanghai as a mode of transport for transfer arrivals instead of just a ride back to the airport.
Enjoyed all modes of transport. Loved the Yangtze cruise, excursions in the heat and the upgrade fantastic. Accommodation was the best and meals really delicious everywhere we went. Probably would have swapped the cultural centre for the mountains last day of the cruise. Local guides good and they add another aspect for travellers.
Fascinating country and really recommend it. Loved the pandas, the warriors and the wall.
Oct 25, 2025
Review for Magnificent China
Absolutely fantastic, cram packed tour with so may contrasting places and experiences. Walking along the Great Walk and strolling round mountain tops where we stood above the clouds and looked down at the brown Yangtze where it met with its green tributaries. The deep crevices of the rift valley with its shafts of daylight poking through. We went under overhanging boulders and deep dark gorges. Such contrasting features.

We experienced the hustle and bustle of huge cities like Beijing and Shanghai and smaller towns like Guilin with a slower pace. We met Mr. Wong the fisherman, with his cormorants and asked him about his life, a way of life that's dying out as youngsters don't want to fish. They'd rather have city jobs.

I loved the .people's parks and the tea rooms with beautiful traditional music playing in one area and live singers backed by musicians in another part. Whilst visiting a rural settings just outside Guilin with its serene, tranquil, stunning scenery, we stumbled on a village wedding and were greeted with sweeties and peanuts as soon as we were spotted.

I will never forget the magnificent sight of the Terra-cotta army in their original burial sites and close encounters with a few of the warriors preserved in glass cases for closer inspection. And of course watching those lazy laid back pandas strolling around their grounds and leisurely climbing trees.

We went to four shows all very diverse and highly entertaining from the unique singing of the Beijing Opera, to the spectacular water show on the lake and then the jaw dropping acrobats and bikers in Shanghai.

Out on the streets and particularly in historic places, were lots of young ladies wearing stunning , traditional very evocative of a traditional Chinese culture. They were very beautiful.

There was so much more to see but I've already written more than I probably should.

Our tour guide, Alice was very professional with all the qualities necessary to keep us well fed, entertained, safe and well informed. She, along with Wendy Wu made this a trip of a life time. I loved every cram packed minute and crave those delicious banquet meals.
Oct 15, 2025
Review for Glories of China
Absolutely amazing holiday. Wendy Wu takes great care of you from start to finish with everything included and a guide who stays with you on the whole trip. We started at Shanghai and then on to Guilin and Yangshuo which for me were the highlights of the tour. Then on to Xian and finishing up at Beijing. There were optional extras available and everywhere we went the food was excellent. I felt we did all the major sights and learned so much about the culture and life in China.
Oct 06, 2025
Review for Wonders of China
Ticked almost everything on the bucket list for China. It helped that all of guides were excellent and adjusted the tour based on the groups suggestions. Visited Great Wall, Bejing sites, Xian and the Terracota Army, Guilin and Li river Shanghai and much more. Great introduction to chinese food from the regions.
Sep 23, 2025
Review for Majestic Yangtze
From the moment we met our group and our guide “Stone” I knew our first China experience was gonna be exciting and fun and it certainly lived up to expectations
The “Stone family”made this holiday working as one unit making sure no one’s left behind on the fast pace itinerary which included Shanghai, Ciqikou, Chengdu, Xian, Beijing
With full pack days, seeing all the sites Shanghai at night on a river cruise
Four nights on a river cruise on the Yangtze River gardens, temples, pandas terracotta army the Great Wall of China that’s not to mention shows why you’re having a meal in the evening dressing up as Emperor and Empress jumping on a plane four in the morning the experience being on the bullet trains to your internal destinations the food was incredible so many different varieties of Chinese food.
There is so much to see and do on this China experience there is not enough room on this page
If you want to experience China, this is the trip for you
A big thank you to Stone our guide and our local guides and to Wendy Wu for making this the best holiday for us
Jun 06, 2025
Review for A China Experience
Really good and well organised tour. From the moment you arrived, with someone waiting for you, to the point you were returning home, somebody was there to walk you through process to get you checked in. "Frank" the tour guide was very, very good. Very knowledgeable, always approachable, and very helpful.
The places of interests on the tour were well chosen. Hotels chosen were clean and modern, with the staff very friendly...no complaints at all.
Traffic in Shanghai and Beijing at times was heavy, (even from somebody comes from London), but that's obviously out of Wendy Wu's control.
Would definitely recommend Wendy Wu, and this tour. Go for it.
May 31, 2025