The Bund (Wai Tan)

The Bund is Shanghai's grand riverfront promenade, where a sweeping curve of the Huangpu River sets two centuries of architecture face to face. On the west bank stands a stately parade of 1920s–30s European buildings, former banks and trading houses in neoclassical, Art Deco, and Beaux-Arts styles, a relic of Shanghai's concession era. Directly across the water rises the futuristic Pudong skyline, all neon and supertall towers, including the Oriental Pearl and Shanghai Tower.

Walking the Bund at night, with the historic facades floodlit behind you and Pudong's light show blazing across the river, is one of the great urban spectacles in Asia. By day it's a place to admire the old architecture up close; by night it belongs to the skyline.

Niet missen

• The parade of 1920s–30s European bank and trading buildings
• The futuristic Pudong skyline across the river
• The night view, with both banks lit up
• River cruises along the Huangpu
• Spotting individual landmarks like the former HSBC building and Customs House

Tickets & tours

Manieren om The Bund (Wai Tan) te bezoeken

Geschikt voor

Hoe reizigers het beoordelen

Bereikbaarheid

Goed om te weten

• Come after dark for the iconic lit skyline, but expect dense crowds on the promenade.
• Visit by day too, to actually see the historic architecture on the west bank.
• A short Huangpu River cruise gives the best combined view of both banks.
• It's a long, exposed waterfront, dress for the weather, especially humid summers.

Een stukje geschiedenis

The Bund developed from the 1840s as the financial heart of foreign-concession Shanghai, lined with the headquarters of international banks and trading firms, hence its nickname, "the Wall Street of the East." After decades of other uses, many buildings have been restored, while Pudong opposite was farmland until its explosive development from the 1990s.