Shanghai Private Night Tour: Huangpu River Cruise & the Bund

River lights, colonial architecture, and Shanghai's nightlife in one evening

A private night tour of Shanghai pairs a 50-minute Huangpu River cruise with walks through the Bund, Nanjing Road and Xintiandi, guided in English or Chinese. All admission is included, and you choose your start time between 5pm and 10pm. The tour ends near clusters of restaurants and bars, so you can extend the night on your own terms.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening tour of Shanghai highlights

• Take Huangpu River cruise
• Visit the Bund waterfront
• Explore Nanjing Road shopping street
• Discover nightlife at Xintiandi

The Experience

The Huangpu River cruise is the anchor of the evening. You board a ship and spend around 50 minutes watching both banks light up—the colonial-era buildings of the Bund on one side, the modern skyline on the other, all of it reflected in the water. At night the contrast is sharpest: century-old facades and glass towers glow side by side, and the river itself becomes a vantage point instead of a boundary. Your guide is with you for the entire tour, so the architecture and history get explained as you watch it pass.

After the cruise, you walk the Bund itself. The 26 buildings here span different architectural styles—art deco, neoclassical, gothic—and they anchor Shanghai's identity as a city that layered foreign influence over its own history. From the waterfront you move to Nanjing Road, the commercial spine of the city. It stretches 5.5 kilometers and draws around 1.7 million visitors daily; your guide can point you toward the specific shops or neighborhoods that match what you came for, or simply walk you through the energy of it. The tour wraps at either Xintiandi or Nanjing Road depending on your preference, both neighborhoods packed with outdoor cafés, bars and restaurants where the night can continue.

Transport is handled—you travel by metro or subway with your guide, no separate vehicle to arrange. The flexible timing means you can start as early as 5pm to catch the Bund as it transitions from dusk to full night, or later if you want to sleep through the afternoon. All admission fees are included, so there are no surprises at entry points.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English or Chinese.
• Huangpu River cruise for approximately 50 minutes.
• all admission fees.
• metro or subway transport with your guide.
• flexible start time between 5pm and 10pm.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendly

Operated by MoreFunAsia Shanghai Tours

Is this one for you?Three to four hours leaves room to rest before dinner or to grab a meal after the tour ends near restaurants and bars. If you want a full evening out but need to move at your own pace afterward, this tour gets you oriented and then steps back.

Traveler reviews

4.33★★★★★★★★★★

9 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What does the Huangpu River cruise actually show you at night?

The Huangpu River cruise runs roughly 50 minutes and frames both banks of the river as they light up after dark. You see the Bund's colonial buildings on the west bank and Shanghai's modern skyline on the east, all illuminated and reflected in the water—the contrast between old and new architecture is most visible at night.

Can I choose when the tour starts, or is it a fixed time?

You choose your start time between 5pm and 10pm, so you can time it around your own schedule and decide whether you want to catch the Bund during dusk or after full dark.

Does the tour end at a specific place, or can I choose where?

The tour ends near either Xintiandi or Nanjing Road, both neighborhoods filled with restaurants and bars. You pick which one suits your plans, and your guide leaves you there so you can continue the evening on your own if you want to.

Is a guide included, and what language do they speak?

A professional guide is with you for the entire tour and speaks either English or Chinese, depending on which you choose when you book.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

All admission fees and the Huangpu River cruise are included. Transport by metro or subway with your guide is also included. Gratuities and dinner are separate.

How long does the whole tour take?

The tour runs 3 to 4 hours from start to finish, including the river cruise, walks through the Bund and Nanjing Road, and time in Xintiandi.