Shanghai’s a hard city to leave – not just because there is so much to do here, but also because it’s so darn big. The 24 million headcount doesn’t include the numerous (often very large) cities that sit just outside its borders, making for one of the most densely populated areas on earth.
If you’d like a day out of town, the ‘water towns’ are your best bet. Located on tributaries of the Grand Canal, you’ll find classic Chinese scenery here – wooden boats drift along winding waterways crossed by stone bridges. These scenes are a real treat for photographers and those who would like a taste of how this region would have looked in years gone by. What you’re seeing is a mix of preservation and restoration for visitors. Commercial development has been rapid in some of the towns – you’ll need to purchase a ticket to enter, for example, and most have a growing number of cafes and stores. In this respect, we’d say it’s best to think of these towns as ‘open museums’ rather than unspoiled, rural idylls.
