First Time in China: What Hangzhou & Shanghai Were Really Like

Last Updated on May 5, 2026 by Fadra Nally

It’s still hard to believe that it’s been over 20 years since I took my first and only trip to China. Since my brother lives there and my son is now in Japan, I have plans to do more Asia traveling. In fact, I’d love to see how much has changed in a few short decades.

In the meantime, I’m sharing my experience with my first real taste of culture shock! Be sure to check out all my articles on the time I spent in China. Some of them are pretty funny!

China From a Tourist’s Point of View (Hangzhou + Shanghai)

I’ve been fortunate enough to check off a few travel dreams in my lifetime… and it feels almost criminal not to share some of these trips, especially since I probably hadn’t even heard the word “blog” when I took them.

But a blog is a great opportunity to capture and revisit some of my most amazing trips and give you a little insight. And I thought China is a perfect place to start.

Quick note: China is huge, and this trip was big, so I’m breaking it into a little “Armchair Traveler” series. Today is the tourist’s view of China, starting in Hangzhou, with a final stop in Shanghai.

Why We Went to China (And Why Hangzhou Surprised Me)

My brother has lived in China for a few decades. It’s a long story and one I’d love to write a book about someday. (Note to publishers: I’m available.)

He was previously married to a lovely Chinese woman and together they had two children. Yes, two. It’s allowed. It’s just… expensive.

My brother works in import/export and lives in the beautiful city of Hangzhou, about three hours south of Shanghai. Even the Chinese think it’s gorgeous. In fact, it’s a tourist destination in their own country thanks to West Lake, the city’s most famous attraction.

So naturally, we got a crazy hair one day and decided to go visit.

First Impressions of China (The Fast, The Loud, The Unexpected)

Before I really show you what China was like for me, let me answer a few questions I know you’re already thinking…

• Yes, it’s a reallllly long flight.
• Yes, jet lag is a bitch. (This self-confessed night owl was wide awake at 5am.)
• No, not everyone rides a bicycle.
• Yes, the culture shock is real (they spit and fart with abandon!)
• And yes, I have an entire post just about the food (it can be a bit shocking to a Westerner)

Now that we’ve cleared that up… let’s get into it.

The China I saw was crowded but not overly so. They were bicycles and cars (often colliding). Many of the cars were Buicks. Odd, isn’t it?

Chinese food is not what I thought it would be. The roads are horrible. The air is polluted. You can buy really, really cheap pirated DVDs and junk at the open air markets (prepare to bargain – it is an art form).

But the biggest standout for me was the people. Or as I like to call them, the Haves and Have-Nots. I saw no middle class. You were either The Man, or working for The Man. And that perspective colored my view of the China I saw.

Hangzhou Highlights: West Lake & Gardens

In our case, my brother was The Man. We got to see the pretty side of China. We were chauffeured around in cars and taken to the most beautiful tourist destinations. Today, that’s what I want to share with you. But I promise to show you the other side another day.

My brother arranged our hotel, and we had a choice:

• the modern luxury Grand Hyatt Hangzhou, or
• the more traditional Shangri-La Hotel, right across from West Lake — the same place President Richard Nixon stayed during his famous China trip in 1972.

If it was good enough for Tricky Dick, it was good enough for us.

And honestly, it was the right choice.

Right across from the hotel, we could walk along West Lake and take in views that felt like the China you picture in your head. Even in the moment, I just felt like it was quintessential China.

Walking the paths and gardens around the lake was a spectator sport, especially early in the morning. There were elderly locals walking and walking and walking, others sweeping pathways with handmade brooms, and others slowly but carefully practicing tai chi.

On one walk, we even found writing on the pathway which I thought was oddly captivating.

We didn’t catch the lotus flowers in bloom but I thought they still made quite the spectacle in the gardens on the edge of the lake.

Temples, Incense, and “Blue Velvet Buddha”

Across the lake, we visited the site of an ancient pagoda, Leifeng Pagoda., built in the 10th century. I was disappointed to learn that this beautiful structure was not the actual ancient pagoda but rather housed the crumbling remains of the base of the original, which collapsed in 1924. Still was pretty and still enjoyed the beautiful view from the top.

Next stop: Lingyin Temple, a truly ancient Buddhist temple. In fact, it’s one of the oldest and most significant ancient Buddhist temples of China. As a westerner, I thought it would be moe of a tourist attraction but it was clearly a sacred space for a lot of people.

Even though China is a communist country, we saw plenty of practicing Buddhists. In fact, in this scene, it was hard to breathe from all the incense burning.

The carvings were intricate and ornate.

The view from the higher temples built into the mountain was breathtaking.

But none of that topped what I lovingly refer to as:

Blue Velvet Buddha

Into the Countryside: Water Buffalo + a Very DIY River Cruise

We headed out to the countryside for a little tourist fun on the outskirts, including my first experience with water buffalo… in the water. They were cooling off after pulling our wagon to the river.

And this was our river cruise. And by river cruise, I mean a bunch of bamboo tied together and some bamboo benches gently resting on top for all cruise passengers. We wore life jackets and big hats and hoped the man with the big stick knew what he was doing.

Markets, Bargaining, and the “Who’s the Tourist Here?” Effect

We accompanied my brother on a few business calls and stopped by his office, where I briefly pretended to be a Chinese businesswoman.

I fooled no one.

But we did enjoy sipping green tea and admiring the view from his rooftop like we had important meetings to attend.

We went to many shopping areas and restaurants and saw beautiful sites like this.

We went to the city center to do some serious shopping. Mall shopping. Quite a site to see the surrounding area filled with bicycles. Also more surprising was how expensive it was.

Soon after, I demanded to be taken to the cheap vendors where I could haggle.

We always created a spectacle in the markets. Apparently we were their tourist attraction. My younger brother was asked to pose for a picture with two young Chinese girls. We all kind of dug the celebrity treatment.

Shanghai for the Finale

We spent the last night of our trip in Shanghai doing the usual. Eating, shopping, haggling. Yes, I got some serious bargains. And designer fakes (shhhhh).

It was a vibrant city seemingly filled with as many westerners as Chinese.

Final Thoughts (And What I’m Covering Next)

It was an incredible trip. We even got to stand in the Circle of Happiness which promised us a long and happy life.

That was over 20 years ago so I guess we’re doing something right.

But was it all magical? Is this what China is really like? Is communism really that bad? And will they ever learn to translate to English properly?

Be sure to read all of my posts on my travels to China and be sure to check out my other posts on Asian travel!