It’s easy to get wet in Shanghai, especially when it rains for weeks on end (anyone who’s been in town during the month of May knows exactly what I’m talking about). Luckily, there are wilder ways to get wet in Shanghai that don’t involve storm clouds. This summer, when the city turns into a roaring furnace, try some of these water activities too cool down and make a splash!

 
Shanghai’s Jinsha Water Park

1) Big Blue Scuba DivingView In Map

What better way to escape the summer heat than to literally dive under it? Big Blue offers PADI certification courses, equipment rentals, and tours to nearby diving destinations. Check out our article on Sino scuba diving for some of the most interesting dive spots in the greater Shanghai area. The coolest thing to do at Big Blue, however, is act like a gold fish and take a dive in the aquarium! It’s great for beginners and pros alike.

Website: http://www.big-blue.cn 
Address: Bldg 10, 10 Jinbang Lu,
near Hami Lu

地址: 金浜路10弄10号, 近哈密路
Phone: +86 21 6291 2110

2) Jinsha Water Park at Bihai Beach (碧海金沙)View In Map

I checked out Jinsha Water Park last weekend because I heard there was wakeboarding. Unfortunately, the cable wakeboard park was closed that day. Nonetheless, there are two courses – one for beginners and one for more advanced riders – and there’s a few jumps for big air. If you’re not a wakeboarder, you can strap on skis instead.

Apart from wakeboarding, there are other activities at Jinsha Water Park. There’re kayaks, dune buggies, fishing, a beach for sun bathing, and sail boats for rent. There’re also a few restaurants and other carnival type rides for the young ones. While the whole experience is a bit commercialized and very Chinese, it’s still a fun outing with friends and family.

Address: 39 Haiou Lu, Fengxian District, Shanghai
地址: 海鸥路39号，奉贤区上海市
Phone: +86 21 5712 0707
Price:  15–30 RMB for children under 80 centimeter; 30–65 RMB for adults (prices vary depending on month)
Hours: April 1 to September 4 during daylight hours

3) Sunny BeachView In Map

Ahhh, there’s nothing like the feel of an artificial beach with pollution in the air, is there now? Actually, as cheeky as it may seem, Sunny Beach is actually pretty cool. Where else in the world can you dig your feet deep into the sand while sipping an ice cold brew, then look up and see the glitzy skyscrapers of Lujiazui? My friends and I went to Sunny Beach last summer to pass a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and had a blast with the live DJ, reasonably priced drinks at the bar, pools, Frisbee tossing, and water gun-fighting. We’re already planning to do it again this month since it was one of the most memorable days of last year.

Address: The Cool Docks, 421 Waima Lu,
near Maojiayuan Lu
地址: 外马路421号, 近毛家园路
Price: 50 – 100  RMB (includes one drink)
Hours: 10am – 10pm during the summer months

4) Pool PartiesView In Map

Pool parties are synonymous with Shanghai summers. Every year, different organizations put together events at hotels and/or apartment complexes for the expats and locals of Shanghai to let loose. One of the best, longest running ones is the party at the Shangri-la Pudong. Complete with guest DJs, mixologists, BBQ, games and performances, this ain’t your neighborhood pool party (you may want to work on your beach bod before checking out the scene). The Shangri-la pool party is every Sunday during the summer months, but make sure to check local listings for other events as well.

Shangri-la Pool Party

Website: http://www.shangri-la.com/shanghai/pudongshangrila/
Address: 33 Fucheng Rd, Pudong, Shanghai
地址: 阜成路33号，浦东区上海市
Phone: +86 21 6882 8888
Price: 100 RMB for men before 2pm and 150 RMB after 2pm (both include a glass of champagne); women are free before 2pm

5) Water Parks View In Map

For water slides, wave pools, high dives and more fake beaches, Shanghai has a few kid-friendly options. The two destinations mentioned below are similar in nature, though Dino Beach may attract a younger crowd. And this may go without saying, but Dino has more of a Jurassic theme while Maya has a, you guessed it, ancient Mayan premise.

Dino Beach

Address: 78 Xinzhen Lu, near Gudai Lu
地址：新镇路78号， 近顾戴路
Phone: 64783 3333
Hours: 10am – 11:30pm during the summer months
Price: 120 – 200 RMB

Maya BeachView In Map

Website: www.playamaya.cn (in Chinese)
Address: 888 Linhu Lu, near Linyin Avenue, Songjiang District
地址： 林湖路888号, 近林荫大道, 松江区
Phone: 3355 2222
Hours: Weekdays 10:30am – 9pm, Weekends 10am – 10pm
Price: Note that Maya Beach is inside Happy Valley theme park, prices are the entrance fee for the entire complex: 200 RMB for adults, 150 RMB for children under 1.2 meters

6) Shimao RivieraView In Map

If you build it, they will come… even if it’s all the way out in Pudong. As you may have already seen from this article, there aren’t a lot of natural outdoor wonders in the great city of Shanghai. Rather, everything is man-made. For a gigantic (it really is massive) outdoor swimming pool, gardens and plastic rock formations, Shimao is worth checking out for the day. They also have an artificial beach circling a chunk of the pool. Shimao is an apartment complex, but the pool is open to non-residents for a price.

Address: 1 Weifang W Rd, Pudong, Shanghai
地址：潍坊路1号，浦东区上海市
Phone: +86 21 6888 8888
Price: 150 RMB for adults, and 80 RMB for children under 1.5 meters

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Keywords: Summer activities in Shanghai Shanghai summer