A week in Shanghai

CHINA

I was really drawn to visit Shanghai after finding out how easy it is to get halal food there—something that made travelling a lot more comfortable. Of course, another big reason was to finally visit Shanghai Disneyland and experience the famous Tron ride. It definitely lived up to the hype and added a fun highlight to the trip.

Yaoxue Ice and Snow World

Snowboarding has always been on my bucket list, and being in Shanghai made it the perfect opportunity to finally give it a try. We stayed at the Vignette Collection Shanghai Snow World Hotel, which came with the perk of one hour of early entry to Snow World.

While we were getting geared up, one of the instructors approached us and asked if we’d like a lesson. Since neither of us had any snowboarding experience, we said yes without hesitation. The lesson cost about $150 per person and lasted for an hour.

The only downside was that the instructor spoke only Chinese, so my friend had to translate for me throughout the session. Even so, it was an amazing experience. One hour was definitely not enough, and I’d love to continue learning and improve my snowboarding skills in the future.

Disneyland

The atmosphere at Shanghai Disneyland felt much more relaxed compared to Tokyo Disneyland. To make the most of our day, we purchased Premier Passes for most of the major attractions, which allowed us to skip the long queues and spend more time enjoying the park.

Thanks to that, we managed to experience most of the rides. My absolute favorites were TRON Lightcycle Power Run and Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure. Both attractions were incredibly immersive and exceeded my expectations. If I ever visit again, those would definitely be the first rides on my list.

Yu Garden

Huangpu River Cruise / The Bund

Shanghai Tower

Tianzifang

Nanjing Road

Shanghai Romance Park

If you’re visiting Shanghai, I highly recommend Shanghai Romance Park. The performances were incredibly impressive, with stunning visuals, elaborate costumes, and well-executed stage effects. The production quality exceeded my expectations and kept me engaged throughout the show. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip and an experience I would recommend to anyone looking for a unique cultural attraction in Shanghai. PS: You do need a Chinese speaker with you to help with the translation.

Weekend trip to Nantong (Sendi Tribe Treehouse)

We took the train from Shanghai to Nantong, which was about a 1.5-hour journey. One thing that caught us by surprise was the security screening. I had purchased quite a few mini perfume bottles from HARMAY, and although the total volume probably didn’t exceed 200 ml, the staff seemed more concerned about the number of bottles rather than the combined volume.

For a moment, I thought I would have to arrange for my purchases to be shipped elsewhere or sent directly to the airport. Thankfully, after some discussion, they eventually allowed us to pass through with the items.

After that experience, we decided to hire a car for the journey back to Shanghai instead. It was definitely more convenient and cost us around $160 per car.

Yang SPACE Hot Spring Life

We spent our last night at YANG SPACE Spa to unwind and relax before heading home. I definitely experienced a bit of culture shock when we were told to change in the ladies’ locker room. Everyone was completely naked, and to be honest, we felt quite uncomfortable at first—definitely not something we’re used to, lol.

Despite the initial awkwardness, it was an interesting experience and gave us a glimpse into a different spa culture. Would I do it again? Maybe not, but it certainly made for a memorable story from the trip!

3 days in Beijing

CHINA

Although Beijing was not initially part of my itinerary, we decided to make a short detour while travelling through China to visit its most iconic landmarks.

A major highlight was the Great Wall of China. The toboggan ride down the wall was both thrilling and memorable, despite a slow and slightly frustrating start. Once it picked up speed, the descent became smooth and genuinely enjoyable.

We also visited the Forbidden City, an architectural masterpiece and a must-see in the city. However, the experience felt somewhat limited as access was restricted to the exterior courtyards, with entry into the palace interiors not permitted.

Great Wall of China

Wangfujing Street

Tiananmen Square

Forbidden City

Temple of Heaven

Hong Kong in the winter

CHINA

Being in Hong Kong in winter felt amazing. It is not too cold nor hot. It is always nice to escape to somewhere that is not hot and humid like Singapore. Not to mention all those pretty Christmas lights in the streets are so mood lifting. If you would like to visit Hong Kong, I would definitely recommend travelling in Nov – Jan.

Victoria Peak

The best way to get to Victoria Peak is via group tour. With this, you get to skip the long lines queuing for the tram. You can easily made an advanced booking via Klook. We went to see Madame Tussaud’s as well but it was not as great as the one I have been to (Bangkok, London) hence I would not recommend.

Causeway Bay

Going to causeway bay is a must too, especially if you want to shop! There are many high end malls around the area. It is pretty nice to be there during winter because of all the Christmas decorations. The holiday vibe is real y’all.

Hong Kong Disneyland

Disneyland Hong Kong, you have definitely wow-ed me last winter! I would love to come back again (only in winter). The only problem was there were SO many people and there are long queues everywhere. It is probably best to get express pass ticket to be able to enjoy all the rides! I bought the normal pass and have missed out on a lot of rides, sadly. Next goal, to stay in Disneyland hotel for at least a night! Anyone?

♥ ♥ ♥

Guang Zhou (School trip)

CHINA

It was a 2 week immersion programme with Nanyang Polytechnic and the reason I chose this destination was because I wanted to skip general studies module for the following semester. I did not exactly enjoy my time in Guang Zhou but it was definitely a huge learning experience for me. The main thing that made the trip bearable was the company that I had. Let’s just conclude what actually happened while I was there. One thing to highlight is that you are going to have a hard time travelling around Guang Zhou if you do not have a Chinese speaking companion. Also, finding good halal restaurants here are not easy!