Welcome 2009: New Year's Eve in Shanghai

If you’re planning to spend New Year’s Eve in Shanghai, you have a choice in things to do. You can let the evening pass by without pomp in any of Shanghai’s fantastic cheap and delicious Chinese restaurants. Someone may wish you a "xin nian hao" (happy new year), but likely not, as Chinese New Year will be just around the corner at the end of January.

If you want a serious meal or party, then start researching where to go now and buy your tickets or book your table. Bund restaurants like M on the Bund all have special events happening but you need to make your reservations or be happy back at that humble establishment mentioned above.

Want to do it Chinese style? Go visit any of the temples in Shanghai where they’ll be ringing in the new year. The biggest event takes place at the Longhua Temple where folks pay big money to ring the bell at midnight. There’ll be lots going on and it’s a fun way to ring in the year, literally.