Trip Inspiration: The Shanghai, Taipei & Hong Kong Triangle
Three of Asia’s greatest cities, connected by flights shorter than most domestic routes. Shanghai is the mainland’s most energetic metropolis; Taipei is the city the food-obsessed traveller discovered a decade ago and keeps returning to; Hong Kong is Asia’s most sophisticated city-state — electric, dense, and extraordinary. Together they form a nine-night circuit that consistently delivers some of the highest trip-satisfaction scores of anything we plan.
Planning the circuit
Routing. Fly into Shanghai (PVG) and depart from Hong Kong (HKG) — or reverse it. The natural sequence runs north to south: PVG → Taipei (TPE, ~2 hours on Eva Air or Cathay Dragon) → HKG (~1.5 hours on Cathay Pacific or Eva Air). Hong Kong has the best long-haul connections home to Europe and North America, making it the strongest departure point.
Visas. Hong Kong: visa-free for most Western passports (90 days). Taiwan: visa-free for US, UK, EU, and Australian passport holders under the Visa Waiver Entry programme. Mainland China: a visa is required for most Western passport holders — apply via the COVA system at least 7–10 business days before travel. UK nationals regained 15-day visa-free access to China in 2024; check current requirements for your passport.
Best months. October and November across all three cities. March and April also work well. Avoid Shanghai July–September (typhoon risk, severe humidity). Hong Kong air quality is best in the cooler months.
Golden Week. China’s National Day holiday (first week of October) fills Shanghai with domestic tourists and doubles hotel rates. Build your Shanghai stay outside this window or book very early.
Shanghai — 3 nights
Three nights is right for Shanghai: enough to cover the Bund, the French Concession, and at least one long evening of serious eating. Add a fourth or fifth night if you want the day trips — Suzhou and Hangzhou are both worth it.
What to do
- The Bund at night. Walk the promenade from the Peace Hotel south to the Bund Finance Centre. The Lujiazui skyline across the Huangpu is the most dramatic urban view in Asia. Come back in the early morning to see it calm and almost empty.
- The Former French Concession. Half a day minimum. The plane-tree-lined streets between Huaihai Road and Fuxing Park are the best urban walking in China — Art Déco villas, independent coffee, exceptional breakfast spots. Wulumuqi Road, Anfu Road, Yongkang Road.
- Tianzifang. Preserved shikumen (stone-gate houses) converted to galleries, boutiques, and cafés. More atmospheric and less commercial than Xintiandi. Best for a slow afternoon.
- Yu Garden. The Ming dynasty garden takes about an hour and is genuinely beautiful. Skip the surrounding tourist market and take a taxi directly to the entrance.
- Da Dong Peking Duck (Lujiazui branch). The best roast duck in Shanghai. Reserve a week in advance. Arrive hungry.
- Jesse Restaurant (Huaihai Road). Shanghainese home cooking at its most honest — red-braised pork, drunken chicken, sweet-and-sour mandarin fish. No reservations; queue at 11am or 6pm.
Day trips (4th or 5th night): Suzhou by high-speed rail is 25 minutes from Shanghai Hongqiao — classical gardens, canal streets, and the most photogenic ancient town within easy reach of the city. Hangzhou is 45–60 minutes and worth a day for West Lake and the Longjing tea hills.
Practical: Set up WeChat Pay (linkable to an international Visa/Mastercard since 2024) before you arrive — many places no longer take cash. Download and test your VPN before departure; Google, WhatsApp, and most Western apps are blocked in mainland China.
Taipei — 3 nights
Three nights covers Taipei’s central neighbourhoods and two night markets. Stay four or five nights to explore more of Taiwan: Jiufen and the northeast coast, or the extraordinary interior.
What to do
- Din Tai Fung (original branch, Xinyi Road). Queue at 11am on a weekday. The xiao long bao are as good as their reputation; the shrimp-and-pork version is better than plain pork.
- Shilin Night Market. Arrive around 7–9pm. Scallion pancakes, oyster vermicelli, deep-fried milk — the full night-market education.
- National Palace Museum. One of the great museums of the world — 700,000+ artefacts from the imperial Chinese collection. The Jadeite Cabbage and Meat-Shaped Stone are the highlights. Give it a full morning.
- Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan). Twenty-minute hike from Xiangshan MRT to the classic Taipei 101 view. Go at dusk when the building lights up.
- Raohe Street Night Market. Smaller and more local than Shilin. The black pepper buns from the stall at the Songshan Ciyou Temple entrance are the single best thing you will eat in Taipei.
- Da’an and Zhongshan. Taipei’s two best walking neighbourhoods — independent bookshops, design studios, excellent coffee, the best breakfast culture in East Asia.
- Beitou hot springs. Forty minutes by MRT from the city centre. Natural hot springs; public and private bathhouses. Best on a cool evening.
Extending into Taiwan: Jiufen (1.5 hours by bus) is the gold-mining town perched above the northeast coast — terraced teahouses, dramatic views, the atmosphere of old Taiwan. Sun Moon Lake (3.5 hours from Taipei) requires an overnight to do properly. Taroko Gorge (HSR to Hualien, then bus) is one of the most spectacular landscapes in East Asia and worth at least one night in Hualien.
Practical: The EasyCard covers all public transport and the YouBike city-bike system. Night markets are cash only; restaurants accept cards.
Hong Kong — 3 nights
Three nights is the minimum for Hong Kong. Four nights allows you to cover Kowloon properly and take the ferry to Lantau Island. Five nights is for travellers who want to eat their way through the city seriously.
What to do
- Star Ferry. HK$3.40 from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central. Take it in the morning and again at night — different light, different skyline.
- Victoria Peak. The tram has run since 1888. Go on a clear day (check the visibility forecast). Buy tickets in advance; early morning or late evening for the fewest crowds.
- Sheung Wan and Tai Kwun. Hollywood Road for antiques and galleries. Tai Kwun — the converted colonial police compound — for food and cultural programming. Walk it slowly over a few hours.
- Tim Ho Wan (any branch). World’s cheapest Michelin dim sum. Queue opens at 10am; arrive at 9:50 for the first sitting. The baked BBQ pork buns.
- Temple Street Night Market (Yau Ma Tei). Cantonese street food, mahjong parlours, fortune tellers. The Kowloon counterweight to the hotel-polished Hong Kong side. Go around 8–10pm.
- Amber at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental. Richard Ekkebus’s tasting menu is one of the finest dining experiences in Asia. Book three to four weeks in advance.
- Lantau Island. MTR to Tung Chung, cable car to the Tian Tan Buddha. One of the largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha statues in the world. The Wisdom Path beside it is worth the walk.
- Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter. One of the most atmospheric parts of old Hong Kong. Sam’s Kaai for fresh seafood on the harbour.
Practical: Buy an Octopus Card at the airport — it covers all public transport (MTR, buses, ferries, trams) and most convenience stores. The MTR is faster than any taxi: Central to Tsim Sha Tsui in eight minutes.
How to structure the trip
Nine nights (the classic): Fly into PVG → 3 nights Shanghai → fly to TPE (~2 hours) → 3 nights Taipei → fly to HKG (~1.5 hours) → 3 nights Hong Kong → fly home from HKG.
Twelve nights: Add a fourth night in Shanghai for the Suzhou day trip, and/or extend Taipei to four nights for Jiufen and a second round of night markets. The circuit accommodates extension naturally — each city has material to fill additional time without repeating itself.
One city only (if time is short): Hong Kong is the strongest standalone — maximum programme value, best air connections, most polished infrastructure. Taipei is best for food and culture per dollar spent. Shanghai for urban drama and ambition.
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