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Indie Travel Guides

Shanghai

Independent hotel guides, travel articles, and travel videos for Shanghai.

Hotel guides

Travel videos

Attaché

youtube.com

Attaché is a travel channel series hosted by Alex Hunter, exploring cities through food, culture, history, and destination-focused travel guides.

This Shanghai travel guide video draws on five days in the city, offering a thoughtful mix of sights, sounds, stories, and food coverage.

Creative Travel Guide

youtube.com

Creative Travel Guide is a travel channel from a British couple sharing travel vlogs, travel advice, hotel tours, hacks, and destination guides.

This guide video is a practical roundup of ten things to do in Shanghai, including the Oriental Pearl Tower, People's Square, Nanjing Road, the Bund, temples, museums, and Shanghai Disneyland.

Wolters World

youtube.com

Wolters World is a travel channel focused on first-hand destination advice, including culture, planning, budgeting, safety, and travel expectations.

This Shanghai sightseeing video outlines visitor attractions such as Yuyuan Gardens, the Bund, and skyscraper views, making it a good quick orientation to the city.

Syifa Adriana

youtube.com

Syifa Adriana is a YouTube travel channel from a UK-based solo travel vlogger focused on culture, history, daily life, and context.

This solo travel vlog offers a personal Shanghai, China visit video for viewers interested in a creator-led perspective on the city.

Joel and Emilia

youtube.com

Joel and Emilia is a travel channel by Joel Friend and Emilia Beattie, documenting their travels and remote-place adventures together.

This Shanghai vlog follows their first day in the city and their attempt to use a 144-hour transit visa on arrival, giving the video a useful travel-process angle.

denniscallan

youtube.com

denniscallan is a travel channel featuring travel videos from Europe, South America, the United States, Asia, and other destinations.

This walking video shows downtown Shanghai along Nanjing and Fuzhou Roads, with shops, food, color, and pedestrians creating a useful street-level view.

Jason Billam Travel

youtube.com

Jason Billam Travel is a travel channel by a British traveller exploring the world full-time since 2017.

This Shanghai travel video focuses on the skyline from the Bund, giving a strong final city stop before the wider China journey continues by overnight train to Chongqing.

Travel articles & blogs

ViaTravelers
Travel guide

ViaTravelers is a travel media and planning site combining destination guides with structured trip-planning and comparison tools. Their Shanghai guide gives a useful city overview through the skyline, Bund, art scene, dining, and the contrast between colonial and modern architecture.

ViaTravelers: Shanghai

Read the guide at viatravelers.com/destinations/shanghai/.

viatravelers.com/destinations/shanghai/

Lonely Planet
Travel guide

Lonely Planet is a major travel-publishing brand offering professionally edited destination guides, travel articles, guidebooks, and planning services. Their Shanghai guide is a well-rounded resource for attractions, museums, street food, dining tips, river cruises, and places to visit.

Lonely Planet: Shanghai

Read the guide at lonelyplanet.com/destinations/china/shanghai.

lonelyplanet.com/destinations/china/shanghai

Wild Junket
Travel guide

Wild Junket is an adventure and experiential travel blog known for detailed destination guides and offbeat travel coverage. Their five-day Shanghai itinerary is a helpful choice for first-time visitors who want to organize major sights into a short city stay.

Wild Junket: 5 Day Shanghai Itinerary

Read the guide at wildjunket.com/5-day-shanghai-itinerary/.

wildjunket.com/5-day-shanghai-itinerary/

Y Travel Blog
Travel guide

Y Travel Blog is a travel blog covering destination guides, family travel, travel advice, and practical trip inspiration. Their Shanghai things-to-do article gives practical inspiration across eating, sleeping, drinking, shopping, and exploring the city.

Y Travel Blog: Things To Do In Shanghai

Read the guide at ytravelblog.com/things-to-do-in-shanghai/.

ytravelblog.com/things-to-do-in-shanghai/

The Broke Backpacker
Travel guide

The Broke Backpacker is an adventure and budget-travel site focused on backpacking, low-cost travel, gear, hostels, and long-term travel. Their Shanghai itinerary offers a practical, insider-framed route for travelers trying to see the city's main offerings efficiently.

The Broke Backpacker: Shanghai Itinerary

Read the guide at thebrokebackpacker.com/shanghai-itinerary/.

thebrokebackpacker.com/shanghai-itinerary/

The Planet D
Travel guide

The Planet D is an adventure-travel blog combining destination guides, itineraries, travel tips, photography, and personal adventure stories. Their Shanghai attractions list is a useful planning aid for balancing observation decks, shopping streets, and quieter retreat-style places.

The Planet D: Things To Do In Shanghai China

Read the guide at theplanetd.com/things-to-do-in-shanghai-china/.

theplanetd.com/things-to-do-in-shanghai-china/

Goats On The Road
Travel guide

Goats On The Road is a travel guide site and travel-lifestyle resource focused on long-term travel and location-independent work. Their list of ten things to do in Shanghai helps visitors make sense of a large, busy, and varied city.

Goats On The Road: Top 10 Things To Do In Shanghai

Read the guide at goatsontheroad.com/top-10-things-to-do-in-shanghai/.

goatsontheroad.com/top-10-things-to-do-in-shanghai/

Going Awesome Places
Travel guide

Going Awesome Places is an itinerary-focused travel brand built around detailed guides, trip routes, and practical planning resources. Their Shanghai top-ten guide is a good fit for first-time visitors planning how to approach the city within a broader China trip.

Going Awesome Places: Top 10 Things To Do In Shanghai

Read the guide at goingawesomeplaces.com/top-10-things-to-do-in-shanghai/.

goingawesomeplaces.com/top-10-things-to-do-in-shanghai/

The Blonde Abroad
Travel guide

The Blonde Abroad is a solo female travel and lifestyle blog focused on stylish, practical travel planning for women. Their local-style Shanghai guide adds useful perspective from two years of expatriate experience in the city.

The Blonde Abroad: Locals Guide To Shanghai China

Read the guide at theblondeabroad.com/locals-guide-to-shanghai-china/.

theblondeabroad.com/locals-guide-to-shanghai-china/

NOMADasaurus
Travel guide

NOMADasaurus is an adventure travel and photography blog covering destination guides, sustainable tourism, gear, and visual storytelling. Their step-by-step Shanghai visa-extension guide is a practical resource for handling office location, required documents, and process details.

NOMADasaurus: Extending Your Chinese Visa In Shanghai

Read the guide at nomadasaurus.com/extending-your-chinese-visa-in-shanghai/.

nomadasaurus.com/extending-your-chinese-visa-in-shanghai/

The Travel Bunny
Travel guide

The Travel Bunny is a budget and slow-travel blog focused on affordable adventures, practical planning advice, and destination articles. Their Shanghai places-to-visit article is a helpful sightseeing guide for choosing things to do around the city.

The Travel Bunny: Best Places To Visit In Shanghai China

Read the guide at the-travel-bunny.com/best-places-to-visit-in-shanghai-china/.

the-travel-bunny.com/best-places-to-visit-in-shanghai-china/

Finding the Universe
Travel guide

Finding the Universe is a travel and photography blog focused on practical trip planning, travel stories, and visual destination guides. Their Shanghai stopover story is useful for travelers weighing whether to go from the airport into the city during a short layover.

Finding the Universe: Shanghai For Day

Read the guide at findingtheuniverse.com/shanghai-for-day/.

findingtheuniverse.com/shanghai-for-day/

Girl Eat World
Travel guide

Girl Eat World is Melissa's one-woman food and travel blog, publishing food stories, itineraries, and practical destination advice. Her Huanghe Road article is a helpful food-focused guide to what to eat on one of Shanghai's food streets.

Girl Eat World: Shanghai Food Street Huanghe Road

Read the guide at girleatworld.net/shanghai-food-street-huanghe-road/.

girleatworld.net/shanghai-food-street-huanghe-road/

Ottsworld
Travel guide

OttsWorld is Sherry Ott's travel blog and travel services site, focused on solo travel, active trips, and practical travel advice. Her Shanghai shopping article is a good pick for travelers looking beyond standard retail toward more distinctive finds in the city.

Ottsworld: Shanghai Shopping Something Different

Read the guide at ottsworld.com/blogs/shanghai-shopping-something-different/.

ottsworld.com/blogs/shanghai-shopping-something-different/

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