Stand at the junction outside Qibao station on Metro Line 9, turn left, and walk a few hundred metres south until a large gate opens on your left. Beyond it, two canals thread through a small old town of traditional houses, shops and restaurants, and the noise of the western suburbs falls away behind the rooflines.
Qibao suits travellers based in Shanghai who want a half-day or full-day change of scene without leaving the city, and anyone interested in canals, street food, temples or the town's cricket culture. It also works for those combining the old town with the museums scattered across Minhang District.
This guide covers the old town and its named sights first, then the wider district's museums and campuses, and finishes with a one-day plan built only from the places described below.
Top things to do in Qibao
1. Qibao ancient town
The old town is a small area of roughly two square kilometres crossed by two canals, lined with traditional houses, shops and restaurants. Tourism has been actively encouraged here, which makes it an easy day trip from central Shanghai, and prices are comparatively cheap even though it can feel touristy.
To reach it, take Metro Line 9 to Qibao station, leave by exit 2 and walk towards the road junction. Turn left at the junction and continue a few hundred metres south; the entrance is a large gate on your left. Bus lines 4, 87, 91, 92 and 911 also stop near the gate.
2. Qibao temple and pagoda
The temple and pagoda sit in the east of the town and are quieter than the main canal-side streets. Entry costs only ¥5, and the relative lack of crowds makes it a calm counterpoint to the busier lanes.
Pair it with a walk along the canals, since it lies within the old town area and is easy to fold into the same visit.
3. Qibao distillery
The distillery is at the centre of the town, inside the old town area. It is one of the named sights of Qibao and a natural stop while you are working your way through the central lanes.
Because it sits at the centre, it makes a convenient midpoint between the canal-side shops and the temple in the east.
4. Canal boat ride
A quiet boat ride around one of the canals costs ¥10 and gives you the old town from the water rather than the street. It is a short, inexpensive way to see the traditional houses and shops from a different angle.
Take it when you want a break from walking the lanes, and combine it with the central sights since the canals run through the middle of the old town.
5. Cricket House
Qibao is known for crickets, and the Cricket House in the Qibao Old Town area is where that reputation lives. It is a small, specific stop that gives the old town a character beyond its shops and restaurants.
Look for it while you are already walking the old town rather than treating it as a separate trip.
6. Embroidery at Mrs. Xie Ju Fang's shop
Mrs. Xie Ju Fang moved from Suzhou, the embroidery capital, and now makes her artwork in her shop at No. 70 Fuqiang Rd. Entry is free, and the work itself is the reason to go.
It is on Fuqiang Road within the old town, so slot it into the same walk as the canals and the central sights.
7. Minhang Museum
This comprehensive museum at No. 1538, Xinzhen Road holds three permanent exhibitions: the 700-year history of Shanghai County, the Maqiao Culture with over 150 unearthed artifacts, and a collection of more than 300 Chinese folk musical instruments.
It is a good wet-weather or half-day option in the wider district, and the folk instrument collection is the part that distinguishes it from a standard local history museum.
8. Shanghai Metro Museum
At 1779 Wuzhong Lu, near Ziteng Lu, this museum presents the history and technology of Shanghai's urban transit system. Many exhibits are aimed at children, and only about half have English translation, with the brochure in Chinese.
It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 09:30 to 16:30, costs ¥30 and is free on Tuesdays. Note that the most entertaining features — the working model of line 4, the driving simulation and the 5D movie — are often out of service, and as of 2018 the displayed information had not been updated for three years. Reach it via Metro Line 10 to Ziteng Road station, exit 1.
9. Shanghai Aerospace Enthusiast's Center
This small museum at 7900 Huming Rd in the Caohejing High-Tech Area holds Chinese military planes, mostly from the 1950s and 60s, Mao Tze Tung's personal plane, and a complete DC-8 you can walk through. There are also exhibition halls with small model airplanes and simulators that cost extra.
Entry is ¥8. To get there, take Metro Line 1 to Jinjiang Park, go through the underpass directly outside the station's only exit, turn left and walk about 1 km past an amusement park; the large DC-8 tail fin makes it obvious. Unless you are an enthusiast, you will probably find it underwhelming.
10. Shanghai Jiaotong University
The Minhang campus is the largest of the university's several campuses, and a free bus circumnavigates it, with the terminus just across from the main gate. It sits near the south edge of Minhang on Dongchuan Road, east of the Metro Line 5 station named after the street.
From the station, a taxi, a moderately long walk or the #3 bus will get you there. To see both campuses, ride the free campus bus around to the East gate — the ornate Chinese-style one, moved from the downtown campus to save it from road-widening — and walk across the street to the East China Normal University main gate.
11. East China Normal University
ECNU sits just east of Jiaoda. Originally China's "normal universities" were teacher's colleges, but many, including ECNU, have expanded to teach a far broader range of subjects.
It is easiest to visit as the second half of a campus walk from Jiaoda, crossing the street from the East gate rather than making a separate journey.
If you only have one day
Morning: Take Metro Line 9 to Qibao station, leave by exit 2, turn left at the junction and walk south to the large gate. Spend the morning in Qibao ancient town, following the two canals past the traditional houses and shops, and stop at the Qibao distillery at the centre of the town.
Afternoon: Continue east to Qibao temple and pagoda, where entry is ¥5 and the crowds thin out. Take a quiet boat ride around one of the canals for ¥10, then look in on the Cricket House and the embroidery shop at No. 70 Fuqiang Rd, which is free to enter.
Evening: Eat among the old town's restaurants before heading back to Qibao station. If you have energy left and it is not a Monday, the Shanghai Metro Museum on Wuzhong Lu is open until 16:30, so plan it earlier in the day rather than at the end.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Qibao?
Take Shanghai Metro Line 9 to Qibao station, leave by exit 2 and walk towards the road junction. Turn left at the junction and walk a few hundred metres south; the entrance to the old town is a large gate on your left. Bus lines 4, 87, 91, 92 and 911 also stop near the gate.
Is Qibao worth visiting if it is touristy?
Yes, if you want an easy day trip from central Shanghai. Tourism has been actively encouraged and the old town can feel touristy, but prices are comparatively cheap, and the temple and pagoda in the east are not very touristy.
What does it cost to enter the main sights?
Qibao temple and pagoda costs ¥5 to enter, a canal boat ride is ¥10, and the embroidery shop at No. 70 Fuqiang Rd is free to enter. The Shanghai Metro Museum costs ¥30 and is free on Tuesdays, and the Shanghai Aerospace Enthusiast's Center costs ¥8.
When is the Shanghai Metro Museum open?
It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 09:30 to 16:30, and is closed on Mondays. Note that its most entertaining features are often out of service, and only about half the exhibits have English translation.
Work out which of these fits your days in Shanghai, check the metro line for each, and you have enough to start planning a trip to Qibao.