Your Guide to Surviving Shanghai's Plum Rain

Rainy season has arrived, and it's expected to last even longer than usual. Prepare yourselves for 3-4 weeks of being soggy. If this is your first round at the Plum Rain Rodeo - or you simply blanked the last one from your memory for being too painful - here is a guide on everything you need to know to survive Shanghai's plum rain season this year.

Photo Source: Flickr user: Alex Wang

What is rainy season?

Rainy season is exactly what it sounds like. A season where it rains, but like… A LOT. In China it is often refered to as ‘Plum Rains’ because the rain strikes at the same time as the fruit ripens. Sounds cute right? Well, it isn’t.

Depending on where you are in China it can strike at different types of year, but it predominantly affects southern and southeastern China. Rainy season starts in the south and gradually moves north as the months go by, and we are heading right into the season as we speak. 

On a good day it’s hot, muggy and cloudy. On a bad day, you’re ankle deep in water crying and sweating whilst trying to hail a cab. You seriously need to prepare yourself for the following things: horrible wait times for DiDi’s (time to get familiar with the bus), being sweaty at all times, being wet even when you’re not sweating, always needing an umbrella and people stealing your umbrella.

How to be prepared

Photo Source: Flickr user Jay

• If you have to travel within China, try to travel by train. There are often big delays at airports at this time of year due to storms and bad weather. If you are travelling internationally, the weather will still delay you. Make sure you don’t have any tight connections and be prepared for delays.

• Give yourself oodles of time to travel. Whether you're getting a taxi, the bus, the metro, walking or cycling you need to be prepped for traffic to be bad and public transport to be rammed full of damp people.

• Dress correctly. You’re going to want rain boots, a rain jacket and an umbrella. Possibly even a poncho. There is nothing worse that having to sit in wet jeans with wet feet for the entire time you’re at work.

Photo Source: Flickr user Jerome Pierson

• Make sure your house is waterproof. We wish this wasn’t a thing people have to consider but, due to the (lack of) maintenance and building regulations in Shanghai, it’s pretty common to spring a leak. Unfortunately, you won’t find out if you’re water tight until the rain starts, but be ready to take action.

• Mold is going to happen. Your house is going to get damp and wet and moldy, drying clothes without a drier is a nightmare and you can expect green to creep into any damp patch. If you don’t have a dehumidifier you should get one. 

How to have fun in the rain

Whilst this time of year can be seriously dire, there are still heaps of things you can do to occupy your time. Build a fort in your home and refuse to leave (assuming your house isn’t leaking), learn how to play poker or take up candle making. However if you want something a little more adventurous than this, then here are our suggestions for how to have a good time without getting soaked.

1. Mr. X 

Address: 550 Jumen Road, near Quxi Road

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 10am-3am

Shanghai's famous puzzle house is on top of our list where you'll find yourself locked in a dark room with your friends and lots of difficult clues you'll need to decipher to solve the mystery at hand. In just one hour, you'll have to work your way out of your choice of Mr X's intriguing storylines that you'll have heaps of fun immersing yourself in. Your bags, phones, wallets are secured in a locker so that you'll be distraction free but there is the option to call for help should you really need it. If there's a long queue ahead of you for the rooms, sit back and enjoy a beer while you and your group wait your turn - you're going to have some heavy duty guesswork ahead of you.

2. Massage at home

Yu Massage

Address: 2F, 218 Xinle Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 9:30am-12am

Green Massage

Address: K11 Art Mall, 3F, 300 Huaihai Zhong Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: 10:30am-2am

Did you know that you can actually call a therapist to your home for a session of rest and relaxation? Well, now you do! If you look into places like Yu Massage and Green Massage, you'll find a number of packages that will offer up a house visit instead of trekking over. Of course, those packages come at a higher price, but they're still reasonable and include treatments like Chinese accupressure, deep cleansing facials, full body oil massages and a good old back and shoulder combo. All you need is your bed, they bring the rest.

3. Hot pot at home

Address: 468 Changshou Lu

Tel: [phone]

Website: www.4008107107.com

Perfect for a rainy day, it's time to call your friends over for some hot pot! Haidilao Hot Pot provides home delivery services for a minimum order of around RMB 300 and deliver fresh vegetables, meats and noodles! They also sent someone to help you set up all the ingredients including: the stove, plastic gloves, cutlery, and tissues in addition to cleaning up after you're done! If you're really looking to be pampered, drop a little extra cash in for a chef to help you prepare while you focus on being the perfect host.

4. Go Karting at Disc Cart Indoor Karting

Address: 809 Zaoyang Road

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 2pm-2am

Website: www.kartingchina.com

Located in Jing'an, Disc Cart Indoor Karting combines go karts and a bar all under one roof. While drinking and driving is definitely not recommended, it's by no means discouraged here, so grab a beer and watch a race or two before you commit! Tickets are around RMB 100 for old carts and RMB 120 for newer karts that will give you eight laps round the track - more than enough to get that blood pumping!

5. Jump 360

Address: Area C4, 258 Changjiang Road

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 10am-9pm

While we are on the topic of indoor games on a rainy day, we must mention Jump 360. Yes, there are dozens of options for indoor things to do but a really fun way to spend the day is to go to Jump 360 with your crew and spend an hour or two (one hour should be enough to do you in) of jumping on giant trampolines, running through obstacle courses, playing trampoline volleyball or basketball and just indulging in becoming a child again.

6. Laser Tag at X Club

Photo credit: Flickr user Josh Cheon

Address: B1/F, 366 Zhaojiabang Road

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Monday to Friday, 2pm-11pm; Saturday to Sunday, 10am-12am

Easily one of the best ways to spend a few hours with your gang and also get a real adrenaline rush - laser tag is our favorite indoor activity. There are several places for laser tag in Shanghai but we like X Club given its location. There’s a bar and food area too for you to fuel up before battling it out with friends or family.

7. KTV!

Photo credit: Flickr user Darren Moore Photography

Location: 4/F, 438 Huaihai Zhong Road

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 10am-late

If you haven’t been to KTV in Shanghai, then definitely do that on the next day you are rained in. KTV is great because you can go in anytime of the day (book in advance) to have a blast singing your heart out with your friends. We recommend Haoledi as that’s a good option for a spontaneous KTV plan. It’s reasonably priced with rooms designed to suit any group size including a decent Western music list.