The first geographical demarkation line in Shanghai is the Huangpu River. The area east of the Huangpu is called Pudong. Since the decision in 1990 to turn it into Shanghai's future business center, Pudong has been in the midst of massive development. Presently, transportation across the river is not too convenient, and aside from its 400 meter Eastern Pearl Television Tower, Pudong does not offer many attractions to the tourist.

When most people (including Shanghainese) think of Shanghai, they are thinking of the west bank of the river: Puxi (pronounced Pu shee). Puxi can be said to begin from the Bund and extend westward along four main arteries (from north to south): Beijing Lu (Road), Nanjing Lu, Yan'an Lu, and Huaihai Lu. If you are interested in the most "typical" Shanghai experience, including hustle and bustle, intensive shopping, neon lights, restaurants galore, this is the area in which you should locate yourself. It is the core of the city and near to such places as People's Square, the Shanghai Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, and Yu Yuan Garden. Hotels along the four main arteries include (near the Bund) the Peace Hotel and Novotel, and (farther west) the Portman Shangri-la, the JC Mandarin and the Jinjiang Hotel.

Puxi itself is divided into north and south sections by Suzhou Creek, which murkily flows to the north of Beijing Lu. South of Suzhou Creek is the abovementioned downtown area. North of Suzhou Creek the city slightly calms, becomes more residential. Here there are still main shopping streets to be found, such as Sichuan Lu, and restaurant rows, such as Zhapu Lu, and McDonald's et cetera if fast food be necessary. Shanghai Mansions and the Seagull Hotel are here. But the high-rise buildings are wider-spaced north of Suzhou Creek, and things are a bit quieter. West along the creek, away from the river, is the train station. Within the past two years, it has transformed from a rather seedy part of town into a fairly attractive place to stay. First and most importantly, the train station area is hands down the most convenient transportation spot in the city. One end of the subway line is located here. Taxis are abundant. It is a bus line nexus. And as for trains... Second, the train station area offers decent hotels and restaurants, at slightly lower prices, while retaining some of the requisite western features such as a Watson's drug store, Laura Ashley boutique, KFC. It is a twenty minute walk from the train station to the Jade Buddha Temple. You can also find your way down some fairly gritty (but safe) sidestreets in this area.

Back to the south, across Suzhou Creek, past the four main downtown arteries, lies the old French Concession and an area now known as Xujiahui. The French Concession generally is considered to have some of Shanghai's finest examples of old architecture, but whether you will discover them or not is another matter. Still, the area retains a spaciousness, a refinement, and is relatively green. If you are interested in Shopping with a capital "S" and one more zero added to the price tag, come here. Department stores for the masses can also be found in Xujiahui, (on the subway line). Hotels in the old French Concession include the Holiday Inn and Sheraton Huating. The nearest tourist attractions are Longhua Temple, the Botanical Gardens, and Jinjiang Amusement Park.

There is one more significant feature on the latest Shanghai map: the Ring Road, or elevated highway around the city. With the opening of this road in 1995, many new locations suddenly became viable as places for tourists to stay. The entirety of the Puxi section of the Ring Road can be travelled in less than an hour (and should probably cost you no more than 70 yuan in a taxi, by the way); and the ring is traversed by a North-South Road which passes the train station, cutting close to the center of the city. Among the most attractive (and pricey) areas for accommodation along the Ring Road is Hongqiao, located where the road to the airport begins. The Westin and Galaxy Hotels are located here, along with a Friendship Shopping Center and a few fine restaurants and discos. Aside from its prices, the only drawback to Hongqiao is its distance from other parts of the city.

Accomodations for budget travellers are few in Shanghai, and not all hotels are approved for foreign guests. So if you're making a special effort to find that dive with your name on it, don't be surprised to get a tight-lipped brush-off. It's the law, and you probably wouldn't want to stay there anyway.