{"id":31233,"date":"2019-11-28T08:15:34","date_gmt":"2019-11-28T08:15:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thinkerten.com\/wordpress\/?p=31233"},"modified":"2019-12-08T12:49:12","modified_gmt":"2019-12-08T12:49:12","slug":"top-26-things-to-know-before-you-visit-shanghai-zhujiajiao-water-town-%e6%9c%b1%e5%ae%b6%e8%a7%92%e6%b0%b4%e4%b9%a1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thinkerten.com\/wordpress\/2019\/11\/top-26-things-to-know-before-you-visit-shanghai-zhujiajiao-water-town-%e6%9c%b1%e5%ae%b6%e8%a7%92%e6%b0%b4%e4%b9%a1\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 26 things to know before you visit Shanghai Zhujiajiao Water Town \u6731\u5bb6\u89d2\u6c34\u4e61"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I first visited Shanghai 2 years ago, I only explore the cities, such as Cheng Huang Miao old town<\/a>, Yuyuan Garden, the Expo, the Pearl Tower, and the CBD area<\/a>.\u00a0 This time I explore the outskirt of Shanghai – a day trip to the water town. There are several water towns in Shanghai and one of the famous ones is Zhujiajiao Water Town \u6731\u5bb6\u89d2\u6c34\u4e61.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

1. Where is Zhujiajiao Water Town \u6731\u5bb6\u89d2\u6c34\u4e61?<\/h3>\n

Zhujiajiao Water Town \u6731\u5bb6\u89d2\u6c34\u4e61is about 47km ( 1 hr) away from Shanghai, an interesting ancient water town in Qingpu District \u9752\u6d66\u533a, south of Yangtze River \u957f\u6c5f. There is a nickname for Zhujiajiao Water Town, called “Pearl Stream”, the little fan-shaped town glimmers like a bright pearl in the landscape of lakes and mountains.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

2. How to go there?<\/h3>\n

We booked a day tour with Klook<\/a> which pick us from our hotel with a minibus together with two other groups of family. It is a small group of 9 pax only in the minibus plus a driver and an English speaking guide. The driver can’t speak English at all but the guide is fluent in English. We have other families from Philipines and Taiwan so the guide uses English most of the time.<\/p>\n

I believe if you were to catch the metro train, it will take more than an hour. You can still do it if you prefer to explore it yourself. Take Metro Line 17 and get off at Zhujiajiao station then walk north for about 15 mins to the town.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

3. Peep inside the villagers’ home<\/h3>\n

After we arrived, we were directed to walk through small alleyways to enter to the ancient water town.\u00a0 It is really cool to walk through their backyards and peep inside their home.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

Villager selling their homegrown veggies.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

There are several cookies and biscuit stores in the small alleyways in Zhujiajiao and you get to see them making in front of you.\u00a0 Check some of these stores out.<\/p>\n

4. Snowflakes biscuit \u96ea\u82b1\u9165<\/h3>\n

The snowflakes biscuit are all hand made and popular online. Nicely pack in traditional packaging and great to bring home for your loved one.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

5. Green Bean Cake \u7eff\u8c46\u7cd5<\/h3>\n

Once you ordered the green bean cake, the seller will warm them on the hot plate so you can eat them hot.\u00a0 Taste sweet, great desserts.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

6. Beidajie \u5317\u5927\u8857 North Main Street<\/h3>\n

Beidajie is a narrow lane fills with snacks stalls and souvenirs.\u00a0 The narrow street is always filled with tourists from local and overseas.\u00a0 99% of them are the local tourist and only 1% are overseas tourists.<\/p>\n

Let us explore the must eat food in Beidajie Zhujiajiao.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

7. Traditional Biscuits<\/h3>\n

Traditional biscuits only sell at 10 Yuan (SGD 2.00) per box and when you buy 5 gets one free.\u00a0 You are allowed to try and sample from the tray before you do your purchase.\u00a0 There are so many of them and I really can’t remember all the names.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

8. Dragon’s beard candy<\/h3>\n

Dragon’s beard candy – it is also a traditional Chinese sweet similar to floss halva or cotton candy.\u00a0 The color is in white and tasted sweet and the filling is peanuts.\u00a0 When you put the sweet into your mouth, your mouth looks like the whiskers\u00a0of a\u00a0dragon.\u00a0 Very cute.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

9. Ah Poh (Grandmother) Dumpling<\/h3>\n

The dumpling in Zhujiajiao is popular and iconic here.\u00a0 You will see the old lady wrap the dumpling in front of you.\u00a0 It is also very popular online. Online hit viral – \u7f51\u7ea2.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

10. Pork feet and pork leg<\/h3>\n

If you can take very oily pork, go for it, tasted yummy.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

11.Pork Belly wrap in dumpling leaves – Star street food in Zhujiajiao!<\/h3>\n

I tried this pork wrapped in dumpling leaves and braised in dark sauce.\u00a0 Cost about 5 Yuan each (SGD1.00).\u00a0 The meat (pork belly) serves hot and tastes pretty good as it has the fragrance from the dumpling leaves.\u00a0 Highly recommended as it is the “signature snacks” in Zhujiajiao.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

12. Braised lotus root<\/h3>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

13. Bintanghulu \u51b0\u7cd6\u846b\u82a6 Sugar Coated Haws – Star snacks!<\/h3>\n

I talked about Bintanghulu in Cheng Huang Miao but over here in Zhujiajiao you will find all sort of Bintanghulu.\u00a0 The original is Chinese hawthorn\/hawberry, Shanzha but I highly recommend you to try the strawberry tanghulu, cost a little more but taste super good.\u00a0 Foreigners usually won’t appreciate the original tanghulu with Chinese hawthorn.\u00a0 You are still welcome to try the Chinese hawthorn, why not, it is the original and iconic one.<\/p>\n

Tanghulu is confection from eastern Jiangnan China, \u6c5f\u5357; literally “South of the Yangtze”. So you get to see them in Shanghai, Hangzhuo, Suzhou area. During my previous visit to China, I didn’t find tanghulu in other provinces such as Gansu & Xinjiang<\/a>, Shaanxi<\/a>,\u00a0Guangxi<\/a>, and Yunnan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

14. Zhujiajiao three character classic: \u6731\u5bb6\u89d2\u4e09\u5b57\u7ecf<\/h3>\n

An adapted three-character scripture hangs on the wall of lanes in Zhujiajiao.\u00a0 If you read Chinese, it is really interesting to learn how the Chinese government educating their people to be civilized.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

15. Stinky Tofu \u81ed\u897f\u65bd – only if you dare.<\/h3>\n

Stinky tofu is another popular snack in Zhujiajiao.\u00a0 We had already tried the stinky tofu in Shanghai Cheng Huang Miao<\/a> so we didn’t order anymore here.\u00a0 The smell is certainly stinky but tasted good with the sweet sauce.\u00a0 There are other sauces too beside the sweet sauce.\u00a0 Go choose it yourself.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

16. Pickles & Dried Fruits<\/h3>\n

Go try the sample from the tray, it is free.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

17. Fruits – Chinese Plum<\/h3>\n

You should try out the fresh fruits in Zhujiajiao, I can’t remember the name of the plum here.\u00a0 At one glance I thought it is just the grapes but it is not.\u00a0 The taste is sweet and there are no seeds at all.\u00a0 The skin is thin and you can eat it together.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

Very juicy and a box cost about Rmb 10 yuan (SGD 2.00).\u00a0 The seller can help you wash the fruit if you want to eat them right away.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

18. African Horned Cucumber or Jelly Melon \u706b\u53c3\u679c \/ \u523a\u89d2\u74dc<\/h3>\n

This is my first time to see such fruit. It looks like a cucumber species, very unique shape, like a sea cucumber with a hard uneven skin and spikes. The flesh is delicate and juicy and refreshing. The seeds are flat and coated light yellow. This fruit is native to the Kalahari desert in Africa but China started to have this plant. It was said to reduce heat in your body.\u00a0 We were given a packet of honey to pour in and use the straw to drink.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

The seller will help you cut away the top part of the fruit and give you a straw to drink the juice. The below picture is the closer look of the jelly melon.\u00a0 It cost 30 yuan (SGD 6.00)<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

19. Chinese Blackberries<\/h3>\n

I simply love the Chinese blackberries, they are so sweet and cheap too.\u00a0 A box costs about 10 yuan (SGD2.00).\u00a0 Our NTUC supermarket sells at about SGD 8-9.00 a box and tasted so sour.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

20. Bridges & Bridges<\/h3>\n

When you visit Zhujiajiao, you have to pay attention to the bridges here. These are old stone bridges built during Ming and Qing dynasties and there are lots of them with different shapes and styles from wooden to stone to marble.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

The bridge can get very crowded and there are security staff to look after the traffic of the bridges.\u00a0 The rail of the bridge is low and it is easy to fall down to the water so be careful when you cross the bridges.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

21. Icon – Fangsheng Bridge<\/h3>\n

One of the most famous bridges in Zhujiajiao is Fangsheng Bridge.\u00a0 The arched stone bridge has a classic design popular with tourists and visitors seeking to snap photos.\u00a0 Fangsheng Bridge in Chinese means \u2018release life’.\u00a0 There are fish sellers who sell you live fish and let you release them in the water if you want to experience the “fangsheng” activities.\u00a0 But the fish seller will catch them again after you release those fish in the water and make money. Lol.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

Standing on the top of the bridge, you can admire the whole town. It is a fascinating location with near picture-perfect scenery.\u00a0 You can’t stay too long on the bridge as they are lots of moving tourists.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

Restaurants fill up both sides of the river so lots of choices to choose from.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

Still seeing the old architecture housing in Zhujiajiao.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

22. Yunjin Monastery (\u5706\u6d25\u7985\u9662)<\/h3>\n

This old Buddhist temple was built in the mid-1300s located north end of Caohe Jie. The temple is also known as “Niang Niang Temple” \u201c\u5a18\u5a18\u5e99\u201d because there is a Kuanyin statue inside, not a big temple and not as many buddha statues but they are all meticulously carved. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, many scholars frequent this temple.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

23. Sugar Painting \u7cd6\u753b<\/h3>\n

Sugar painting is a traditional sweet done by talented folk artists with liquid sugar. Some of the famous designs are a dragon, phoenix, butterfly and many more.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

24. Cashless in China<\/h3>\n

Pay attention to the stalls and you will notice payments are all with your mobile phones.\u00a0 You scan the barcode either with Alipay or Wechat.\u00a0 Cash is still in used but 99% of the transactions are with the phone.\u00a0 If you pay cash, they know you are a tourist.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

25. How to apply for your mobile payment from Alipay?<\/h3>\n

For foreigners, you can download Alipay on Google’s Android or Apple’s iOS, then register for the international version of the app using your foreign mobile number. You have to top up money onto a “pre-paid” virtual card (Tour Pass).\u00a0 Alipay supports Visa, Mastercard, Japan\u2019s JCB, and Singapore\u2019s Diners Club cards.\u00a0 I highly recommend you set up the mobile payment before you travel to China.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

26. Boat Ride – Must Do!<\/h3>\n

You have to try the boat ride in Zhujiajiao as it is also known as the “Venice of Shanghai”.\u00a0 There are lovely canals and waterways so I highly recommend anyone to experience it with a human boat ride to see this ancient town from the water. Cost 30 yuan (SGD 6.00) per pax for a single way or 50 yuan (SGD 10.00) for return.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

Facepork – Just for laugh<\/h3>\n

I heard of Facebook but have you heard of Facepork?\u00a0 What an interesting name to call the store that sells drinks! LOL<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

Final thoughts:<\/h3>\n

I love the ancient vibes in Zhujiajiao Shanghai, the boat ride, the hunting of local snacks and bridges after bridges are some unforgettable memories for me.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

More information on Shanghai youtube below –<\/p>\n