Shanghai Exploration: First Impressions of China

After spending time in Japan, I finally made it to China—and my first stop is Shanghai. In this video, I document my arrival straight from the airport, share my unfiltered first impressions, and explore what makes Shanghai so different from what I expected. From the fast-paced energy to the little culture shocks, this is my honest reaction to one of Asia’s most iconic cities. Shanghai, on China’s central coast, is the country's biggest city and a global financial hub. Its heart is the Bund, a famed waterfront promenade lined with colonial-era buildings. Across the Huangpu River rises the Pudong district’s futuristic skyline, including 632m Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, with distinctive pink spheres. Sprawling Yu Garden has traditional pavilions, towers and ponds.