Shanghai by Night: Fine Dinner and VIP River Cruise

Dine on local Shanghai food, then watch the Bund light up from a VIP river vantage point

A 3-hour private nightlife tour of Shanghai that pairs dinner at a fine local restaurant with a VIP Huangpu River Cruise along the Bund. Your professional guide arranges reserved seating on the best cruise vessel, explains the city's landmarks and food traditions, and takes photos as you pass the illuminated skyline. Hotel pickup and drop-off, dinner with one soft drink, and all transportation are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Dinner and VIP river cruise

• Meet guide and driver at hotel
• Enjoy dinner at local restaurant
• Board VIP Huangpu River Cruise
• Guide explains city and takes photos

The experience

Your guide meets you at your hotel lobby at 5:30 PM (or an earlier time you request, before 6:30 PM) and takes you to a local restaurant where dinner is the first stop. This is not a tourist menu. The kitchen accommodates any dietary needs you have, and your guide knows which dishes carry the stories of Shanghai's food culture. One soft drink comes with the meal.

After dinner, your guide handles the VIP Huangpu River Cruise booking and chooses the vessel that gives you the best sightlines. You board with reserved seating in the VIP area, positioned to watch the Bund's neon landmarks light the water as the boat moves downriver. Your guide narrates the history behind the buildings, the city's evolution, and the lives of the people who built it. They also photograph you against the skyline so you have the moment captured.

The whole experience runs three hours from pickup to drop-off. The guide speaks English or Chinese, and the tour operates in any weather. Bring layers and comfortable shoes for the evening.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• professional guide in English or Chinese.
• dinner at a local Shanghai restaurant with one soft drink.
• VIP seating on the Huangpu River Cruise with reserved tickets arranged in advance.
• all transportation during the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 17:30

Book up to6h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by Shanghai Melody Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you prefer a private evening with everything arranged in advance: your guide secures the restaurant and VIP cruise tickets so you skip the booking hassle and arrive ready to enjoy.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

What kind of food will I eat at the local restaurant?

The restaurant serves fine local Shanghai cuisine, and your guide can request any special dietary accommodations before you arrive. One soft drink is included with dinner. Additional drinks are available to purchase.

How does VIP seating on the Huangpu River Cruise work?

Your guide arranges the cruise ticket in advance and selects the vessel with the best views. VIP seating is reserved for you, so you skip the general boarding lines and sit in the area positioned to see the Bund's illuminated landmarks as the boat travels along the river.

What does the guide explain during the cruise?

Your guide covers the history and stories behind Shanghai's landmarks, the city's development, local food culture, and details about people's lives in the city. They also take photographs for you during the cruise.

What time does the tour start and end?

Your guide picks you up at your hotel at 5:30 PM, or at an earlier time you request before 6:30 PM. The full experience, including dinner and the river cruise, takes three hours, with drop-off back at your hotel at the end.