Hai Lights is your all-access pass to the coolest corners of Shanghai, whether it's food, nightlife, art, or just those random quirks that make this city tick, where each edition dives into a specific slice of city life. We're talking themed rundowns – from the top Spanish restaurants to the coolest soccer clubs, the most scenic bike routes and everything in between. We cut through the noise and bring you the standout spots in each category, so you know where to go, what to do, and who's doing it best. No fluff, no filler, just a solid list of places that make Shanghai tick, because if it's worth your time, it's worth ours.

Better late than never folks! We were thinking of not publishing this year because other publications got to this much earlier (as far back as May). BUT, our search engine traffic has been soaring, so we figured we might as well put up some content that summer travelers might find useful. Despite back to school being just around the corner, summer doesn't leave Shanghai so quickly, with some pools on this list open into early October!

The Yuluxe Sheshan

The Yuluxe Sheshan

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The Yuluxe Sheshan Hotel was formerly, the rather well regarded Le Meridien Sheshan resort, until it was re-branded as a Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel. The hotel is situated on a lake side, surrounded by green space. Between this place and the Handwritten Collection down in Sheshan, this is the better option. It's better kept, and the surrounding nature means you can stroll around the lake, go for a jog, etc. Also, the price comes with the indoor pool, outdoor pool, AND gym access, so you can have a full-on health day should you desire. Dining options at the hotel is a fairly decent Cantonese restaurant where you can gaze out over Sheshan National Forest Park and the Moon Lake Sculpture Park, and there is also a cafe serving continental and Asian fare, with some nice buffets on the weekend. This pool is open until October 8th!

Opening hours: Outdoor pool (8am-8pm) and indoor pool (6:30am-10pm)

Address: G/F, 1288 Linyinxin Rd, Sheshan National Tourist Resort (by Yuehu Lake) 林荫新路1288号

Price: 168 yuan for one person, or get a double ticket for 298 yuan.

Grand Plaza Club House Xuhui

Grand Plaza Club House Xuhui

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The Grand Plaza Club House has been a staple with the expat for many years. It's in the same compound where Maya is, another expat favorite. So it's a decent place, downtown especially to hang out, grab a sun chair, and lounge around, until you get the munchies. Then, you can head over to Maya for some tacos and burritos. It is a little dated, has some wear and tear, but hey, 150 yuan during the weekdays downtown with Mexican food nearby, not bad.

Opening hours: 9am-9pm

Tel: 6289-4835

Address: Lane 568, Julu Rd, near Shaanxi Rd S. 巨鹿路568弄近陕西南路

Price: 150 yuan on weekdays; 200 yuan on weekends; 80 yuan for kids under 1.2-meters-tall

The Pool @ The Amara Hotel

The Pool @ The Amara Hotel

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The Amara is a small pool in north Jing'An, close to Putuo District. It turned out to be a place where many expats in that area flocked too once the pool at Cosco Two Bay Brilliant City closed. The facilities are clean, and it's a reasonably priced option on this list. Inside the hotel are food options if you have the nibbles. The pool is shaded in the mornings, but you end up getting decent sun at 11am and beyond.

Opening hours: 8am-6pm

Tel: 6288-9888

Address: 600 Changshou Rd, near Jiaozhou Rd 长寿路600号

Price: 168 yuan per person per visit

Purple Mountain Hotel

Purple Mountain Hotel

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This is one pool where the photos never do the place justice. First off, the pool is much larger in person than what you might perceive from photos. Second, you're on the fifth floor right in the middle of a little "central business district" in Pudong, so you end up being surrounded by skyscrapers. It makes for a cool "urban swim" experience, if ever you have friends visiting from your rural hometown, this is a nice pool to visit. The hotel has some decent F&B options, which they'll deliver to you poolside. Not sure why, but this pool is generally not too packed. We like to bring speakers and play some tunes to make the vibe right. The space's acoustics somehow make it so you're not disturbing others around the pool. This pool also has a nice feature of being open until September 30th. So... no need to kiss summer goodbye too quickly.

Opening hours: 10am-10pm

Tel: 6886-8888

Address: 778 Dongfang Rd 东方路778号

Price: 200 yuan for adults; 100 yuan for kids

Ambassy Club Pudong

Ambassy Club Pudong

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Ambassy Club is probably our favorite on the list, with some caveats. First, the bad... you can only go once for a reasonable price (192 yuan), through a one-time "experience" pass purchased on Meituan. Otherwise, it's a hefty 500 yuan for subsequent visits. Definitely worth it at 192, but 500... not so much. The likely reason isn't price gouging, so much as they probably want to prevent the place from being overrun, so that it's still a comfortable experience for residents. When we went, there were plenty of sun beds available. The food options are not bad if you're lazy. But not too far down the road, there are some other options including a Las Tapas for ... Spanish tapas (go figure), and Bamboo Riverhouse which used to be the Big Bamboo of Pudong. The menu is largely the same, though... the quality was better when Bryce Jenner was running the show. The pool faces south, so you get sun all day. This pool is also open for late summer enjoyment, until October 7.

Opening hours: 7am-9pm for weekdays, 9am-9pm for weekends

Tel: 5198-3688

Address: 588 Hongfeng Rd, near Mingyue Rd 红枫路588号, 近明月路

Price: Look up Ambassy Club on Meituan to buy tickets in advance. Or contact Mr Xia through WeChat (sky0945184) to make a reservation.

Shimao Riveria Pool

Shimao Riveria Pool

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The Shimao Riviera is a safe option. Clean facilities, access to an indoor and outdoor pool, as well as access to a gym. There aren't really food options, so pack your snacks for the day. The pool is large and has some good depth the further out you go. Sandy partitions make you feel beachside, a bit. One big thing to note is that the pool is entirely shaded in the morning. If you're wanting to soak up some sun, best to go starting at noon.

Opening hours: 12pm-10pm (Monday); 10am-7pm (Tuesday-Sunday)

Tel: 6888-8108

Address: Lane 1 & 2 Weifang Rd, near Pucheng Rd 潍坊路1弄/2弄

Price: 200 yuan

Vizcaya Club

Vizcaya Club

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Viscaya is nice because of the greenery surrounding the pool. It's also nice that it has little sectioned-off smaller pools attached to the main body. They don't really have sun-beds, so you'll want to either bring chairs for yourself, or big blankets to lay on if you want to lounge about. It's in the middle of a residential district as well, so F&B options are sparse. If you happen upon shared bikes nearby, then you there is a Jamaica Blue and a Chichi Sushi nearby about a 5-minute ride. Also... 5 minutes by cab, there's a Dragonfly nearby as well in case you want to go full-spa day and treat yourself to a massage afterward.

Opening hours: 10am-7pm

Phone: 5030-4519

Address:1988 Yunshan Rd, near Mingyue Rd 云山路1988号, 近明月路

Price: At the door, you pay 198 yuan. But head over to Dianping and you can get a day swim pass for 118 yuan instead.

Handwritten Collection Hotel

Handwritten Collection Hotel

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This used to be the Sofitel Sheshan, now re-branded as a Radisson Handwritten Collection. It's a trek, and you need to strategize your departure times because traffic can sometimes turn a 30-minute ride from downtown into an hour (this applies to the first one on our list, the Yuluxe as well). The pool is sprawling. There are multiple pools even. Lots of play areas and pools dedicated to kids, so if you've got young guns in tow, this can be a nice option. HOWEVER, would not advise going on exceedingly hot days (38 degrees Celsius or more). The pool is shallow throughout, and because of the lack of depth, the water can get quite warm, i.e. it feels more like a warm bath, than a cool respite you might be hoping for on super scorchers. In theory, you can scan QR codes that adorn the little tables near each sunbed. However, we ordered an iced coffee, and it came 1 hour later, and it certainly was no longer iced. They have a cabana near the main pool entrance where you can saunter over and get drinks directly, more reliable than trying to order bedside. This is a nice place though if you're not just wanted to lay around. It's a big complex, where walking about can be nice if the weather isn't too forbidding. This pool stays open until October 7.

Opening hours: 8am-9pm

Phone: 3761-8888

Address: Lane 3388, Sichen Highway 泗陈公路3388弄

Price: 300 yuan for adults; 150 yuan for kids under 1.2 meters tall

Special thanks to Rage Studios for partnering with us on photographing some of the pools listed. Here's a brief introduction from our friends over at RS:

Rage Studios is the go-to choice for both foreign and domestic brands looking to make a strong impact in the competitive Chinese market. As one of China's photography and film studios, we offer unparalleled expertise and resources to help your brand succeed.

With a strong presence across China, Rage Studios operates over 20 offices and maintains prominent studios in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xiamen. As the official media partner for top brands, they offer a comprehensive range of photography and media services to clients.

https://ragephotostudios.com/