# The Bund (外滩)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · East China, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/the-bund
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Getting there:** Near the Hankou Lu (汉口路) bus stop at Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (中山东一路), and Nanjing Dong Lu (南京东路) metro station
- **Good for:** History & Culture, Hiking & Outdoors, Photography, City & Leisure

## About The Bund

Someone once said, “The story of the Bund is the story of Shanghai.” To explore the Bund is to feel the soul of Shanghai.
The riverside path, first trodden by trackers’ feet more than 150 years ago, has become a symbol of Shanghai. Along the western side of the Bund stand buildings of every imaginable style, Chinese and Western. Along the 1.5-kilometre stretch from Waibaidu Bridge (外白渡桥) in the north to Jinling Dong Lu (金陵东路) in the south, 52 Western-style and Sino-Western buildings rise side by side. The most famous is the HSBC Building, modelled on ancient Greek architecture with its domed roof. It was once called “the most magnificent building east of the Suez Canal and west of the Bering Strait.” The pair of bronze lions at its gate has stood for more than 70 years.
Standing on the Bund, you are already in the midst of Shanghai’s history and change. On one side of the Huangpu River lies Shanghai’s past: the Western buildings, once called a showcase of world architecture, were a paradise for international adventurers, and are now largely owned by banks and insurance companies with state backing. Across the river rise the sleek new skyscrapers of the Lujiazui financial district. The adventurers’ descendants have returned to Shanghai through modern skyscrapers, and the old dreams have taken root at a new height in a new century.
Today, top restaurants and international luxury brands have moved in, making the Bund one of Shanghai’s most fashionable districts. The once-famous Shanghai Club at Three on the Bund (外滩3号) is now an urban landmark housing top fashion boutiques and upscale restaurants.
Many Bund buildings house restaurants. Upper floors typically hold fine-dining Western restaurants and bars, many with terraces overlooking the Huangpu River and the Pudong skyline. Restaurants on lower floors are more affordable, and some offer window seats with views. The POP Terrace restaurant and bar at Three on the Bund and Bar Rouge at Bund 18 both offer stunning views of Lujiazui. For the best experience, dine on the terrace at midday on a sunny day or during afternoon tea. Visiting in the evening also offers a different charm.

## Tips from the guidebook

- You can visit the Bund at three different times of day. 1. Daytime: you can study the buildings on both banks in detail.
- 2. Evening: especially on public holidays or weekend evenings, when all the lights on the Bund buildings (including those across the river in Pudong) are switched on, creating a dazzling spectacle. It will also be very crowded. For a quieter view of the Pudong skyline from the Bund, the best vantage point is the Seagull Hotel (海鸥宾馆) beside Waibaidu Bridge (available only on public holidays; times are set by the government).
- 3. Late at night: the hooting of ships on the Huangpu River makes the Bund feel even quieter. You can listen to the deepest sounds of the city.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 921. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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