Shanghai Tower

The height of this structure is amazing, along with its views from the top makes everything appeal so small, even the 492m high bottle opener. The fast elevator was a fun ride. Most people leave when it gets dark but wait until 7pm when all lights light up and the view becomes magical.

So cool to go the the top floor and see the Damper light show. Amazing view of the city from the top. Definitely recommend going just before sunset as you get to enjoy the view during the day, sunset and night. Minimal waiting time.

Currently the third tallest building in the world and the tallest in China itself. The structure and architecture is incredible, whether you’re viewing from afar or looking up from the base of the building, it’s rather striking, especially when lit up at night. We had previously purchased some bottles of alcohol to take back to the UK and couldn’t take them in to the building, the staff were all incredibly friendly and made note of our details for us to come and collect them later… when returning after our trip up the tower they recognised us straight away and handed over our items, no hassle at all. Before going in to the elevator you walk through an exhibition section that has numerous displays to do with the tallest buildings around the world as well as the building process of the Shanghai Tower, which was all rather interesting. The elevator rises at quite a speed, so your ears pop and feel the pressure quite a lot as you ascend. Once at the viewing level the views are just incredible, we didn’t have the clearest day but still had great views across Shanghai and the Huangpo river, there are souvenirs available as well as photoshopped pictures of you and the Shanghai skyline available to purchase, we weren’t up there very long but it was enjoyable none the less and something that should be done whilst you’re in the city.

To fully appreciate the views, make sure to include sunrise and/or sunset hours. It's worth a 6+ hour visit to see through everything and observe the variation of the lights on the landscape. Given the height, the clouds might block views or light from time to time. Binoculars and 300 mm + zoom lenses would definitely help you see the details that naked eyes cannot see. There are additional decks and internal building structures for separate purchase. If you have 3+ days in Shanghai, this is definitely a must-go location. I took the night views handheld (with IBIS and lens VR). I would not recommend bringing a camera tripod (not sure if they are allowed) because it can be very crowded and not much space is available for deployment (but selfie sticks should be fine).

Tourist attraction in Central Shanghai, minimal queue to enter. Fast lift that goes up to the indoor observation deck on the 118 & 119 floor, although couldn't really appreciate how fast it was going. Not much to do once up there besides enjoy the view, and it can get very warm even in winter. Lightshow with the winder damper was just a simple show with lasers and music, albeit in Mandarin so it will be hard to appreciate the content without fluency. A place to go just to say that you've been there, not particularly exciting or happening.

I really love the design and architecture of the Shanghai Tower. It's definitely worth it to buy tickets for the observation decks "Top of Shanghai" on the 118th & 119th floor, the view is amazing both during the day and when it's dark. There's also an exhibition hall before you go up the elevator, with models of several skyscrapers around the world. The Damper show (SKY632) on the 126th floor is a nice combination of music and lighting with projections and lasers. I booked the tickets through Klook, the entire process was very smooth.

The tallest building in China, and the third tallest building in the world (Wikipedia, 2024). It looks impressive from afar and from beneath, and views at the top are decent. It costs about £20 minimum per person to visit the upper floors and the lift speeds up and down in about 20 seconds. There are extras available, such as a 3 course meal, and that cost around £90/¥800 per person, I think. There are some small shops and food/drink available at the top. There is no outdoor viewing platform. It was busy when I visited so there is competition to get a clear view through the windows. Views are worth it, but I preferred other towers around the world, such as The Empire State and Stratosphere. Worth a look, though. There is also an exhibit further up, which costs about another £8: this is a huge slab of Jade stone, used to counter the sway of the building by the wind. There is a light show and some music plays. It was ok, but I think the cost is excessive for this part.

Great views. Super fast elevator. Similar to any other observation platform otherwise. Tourist gift shop, and photo booth. There's a cafe with reasonable pricing. Can also have a meal there.