When you step into the Lujiazui Financial District in Pudong, Shanghai, a giant white building composed of 11 spheres of varying sizes will instantly catch your eye — this is the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. As one of Shanghai’s city symbols, this 468-meter-tall building is not only one of China’s first 5A-level tourist attractions, but also the best place for foreign tourists to overlook the city’s scenery and feel the charm of the city’s integration of ancient and modern times when visiting Shanghai. Standing on the bank of the Huangpu River, it faces the Bund’s International Architecture Exhibition Group across the river — on one side is the elegance of a hundred years of classics, and on the other side is the edge of a modern city. Standing here, you can understand the past, present and future of Shanghai.
The design inspiration of the Oriental Pearl comes from the classical poetry of “big pearls and small pearls falling on a jade plate”, perfectly integrating modern architectural aesthetics with traditional Chinese Culture. The 11 spheres are arranged in a scattered manner from top to bottom, with the largest sphere having a diameter of 50 meters and the smallest only 4.5 meters. From a distance, it looks like a string of pearls inlaid on the bank of the Huangpu River, vivid and solemn. Since its completion and opening in 1994, the Oriental Pearl has not only undertaken the function of radio and television signal transmission, but also become a comprehensive tourist landmark integrating sightseeing, catering, shopping, popular science and entertainment. It attracts millions of Chinese and foreign tourists every year. Every scenery and every experience here allows you to fully feel the vitality and charm of Shanghai.
For foreign tourists, climbing to the top of the Oriental Pearl and overlooking the whole city is undoubtedly the most unmissable core experience. The Oriental Pearl has multiple observation decks at different heights, and each floor can bring a completely different visual shock. Among them, the most popular are the 263-meter main observation deck, the 259-meter all-transparent suspended skywalk and the 351-meter space capsule. The 263-meter main observation deck is the core observation platform of the Oriental Pearl, with a wide view and 360-degree unobstructed view of Shanghai. Standing here, you can clearly see the Huangpu River meandering, dividing Shanghai into Puxi and Pudong banks. The Bund’s International Architecture Exhibition Group on the opposite bank stands in rows, and the outline of each century-old building is clearly visible; under your feet, the Lujiazui Financial District is full of high-rise buildings, with skyscrapers such as Shanghai Tower, Jinmao Tower and Global Financial Center surrounding it, showing the vigorous vitality of Shanghai’s modern city. The busy traffic during the day, the afterglow of the setting sun in the evening and the bright lights at night can all be seen here.
If you pursue excitement and a unique photo experience, the 259-meter all-transparent suspended skywalk will definitely satisfy you. This 150-meter-long and 2.1-meter-wide skywalk is paved with fully transparent tempered glass, with a hundred-meter high altitude under your feet. Walking on it is like floating over the city. You can not only feel the excitement of accelerating heartbeat, but also take photos of Shanghai’s urban scenery from a unique perspective — under your feet are the bustling streets and the winding Huangpu River, and in the distance are the scattered buildings. Every random shot is a highly impactful Internet-famous photo, which has become a must-visit place for many foreign tourists to check in. It should be noted that tourists with acrophobia can slow down and walk slowly holding the railings on both sides, and still enjoy the beautiful scenery.
The 351-meter space capsule is the highest observation deck of the Oriental Pearl. With the theme of “space travel”, the interior decoration is full of a sense of technology. Through the observation window, you can see the urban outline of Shanghai and the scenery on both banks of the Huangpu River farther and clearer. On a clear day, you can even overlook the Suzhou River and the surrounding urban style, as if you are in space, overlooking this prosperous city. In addition to the observation decks, the Oriental Pearl has many projects suitable for foreign tourists to experience, such as the revolving restaurant located at 259 meters. This is one of the highest revolving restaurants in Shanghai. The restaurant rotates once an hour. While tasting food, you can enjoy the urban scenery of Shanghai 360 degrees. It provides Chinese-Western combined food, including local Shanghai characteristic dishes and Western food suitable for foreign tourists’ tastes, meeting the dietary needs of different tourists.
In addition, the base of the Oriental Pearl is also home to the Shanghai Urban History and Development Museum, which is an excellent place to understand the century-old changes of Shanghai, very suitable for foreign tourists interested in history and Culture. Through a large number of cultural relics, pictures, models, multimedia and other forms, the Museum vividly shows the development course of Shanghai from a small fishing village to an international metropolis — from the urban style and alley culture of old Shanghai to the prosperous scene and technological development of modern Shanghai, each exhibition area is very distinctive, allowing you to understand the history and culture of Shanghai in a short time. There are also many interactive experience projects in the museum. You can experience the rickshaws and old trams of old Shanghai, feel the urban life atmosphere of that year, and also intuitively feel the development and changes of Shanghai through multimedia technology.
For foreign tourists, the transportation around the Oriental Pearl is very convenient, and it is close to many popular scenic spots. After visiting the Oriental Pearl, you can easily go to other scenic spots to continue your trip. The Oriental Pearl is located in the core area of Lujiazui, close to Lujiazui Station of Metro Line 2. After getting off the Subway, you can walk to the tower in about 5-10 minutes; you can also go there by bus or taxi, with very convenient transportation. The popular surrounding scenic spots include Shanghai Tower, Lujiazui Financial City, Binjiang Avenue, etc., which are within walking distance. Binjiang Avenue is close to the Huangpu River. You can walk along the river, enjoy the scenery on both banks of the Huangpu River, echo with the Oriental Pearl and the Bund, and feel the urban charm of Shanghai; you can also go to the shopping malls in Lujiazui for shopping and tasting food, and experience the commercial vitality of Shanghai.
To make your trip to the Oriental Pearl smoother and more pleasant, here are some practical tips for you. The best visiting time is divided into three periods: 9 am to 11 am, with fewer tourists and suitable light, which is ideal for taking photos and enjoying the scenery of the observation deck calmly; 4 pm to 6 pm, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the setting sun, watching the afterglow of the setting sun sprinkling on the Oriental Pearl and the Huangpu River, sParkling and very charming; 7 pm to 9 pm is the best time to enjoy the night view. At this time, the Oriental Pearl and the surrounding buildings will be lit up with bright lights, and both banks of the Huangpu River are brightly lit, with a stunning night view.
In terms of tickets, there are different ticket packages for different observation decks and projects of the Oriental Pearl. Foreign tourists can choose according to their own needs. It is recommended to book tickets online in advance to avoid queuing on site. When booking, you can choose packages including observation decks, revolving restaurants or Museums, which are more cost-effective. In addition, the sightseeing elevators in the tower are fast, and you may have slight tinnitus when taking them, which can be relieved by swallowing saliva; the glass surface of the transparent skywalk may have reflections. When taking photos, you can adjust the angle to avoid reflections affecting the photo effect; when visiting at night, the temperature inside the tower is low, so it is recommended to prepare a thin coat; the tower provides multi-language guided tour services, including English, Japanese, Korean, etc. Foreign tourists can rent a guide device to understand the relevant information of the Oriental Pearl more in depth.
The Oriental Pearl is not only a building, but also a symbol of Shanghai. It carries the development dream of Shanghai and witnesses the prosperous changes of this city. It has both the shock of high-altitude viewing and the heritage of history and Culture; both the experience of a sense of technology and the fireworks of food. Whether you are a photography enthusiast, a history and culture enthusiast, or simply want to feel the urban charm of Shanghai, this place can meet your expectations. When you come to Shanghai, you must climb to the top of the Oriental Pearl, stand high in the sky, overlook the beauty of the integration of ancient and modern times on both banks of the Huangpu River, feel the vitality and charm of this international metropolis, and let this journey become the most unforgettable memory of your trip to Shanghai.
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