In about the time it will take you to read this post another high-rise building will go up in Shanghai, China. Ok, that might be a case of hyperbole, but there is no denying that Shanghai is one of the fastest growing and fastest changing cities in a country full of fast growing and fast changing cities.

Located on the banks of the Yangtze River, Shanghai is the largest city in China and the eighth largest in the world. What was once a run-down port city with shacks and shanties is today a city with tall glass towers and a commercial, financial and industrial hub that rivals anywhere else in the world.

Change is in the air in Shanghai and at times it is as overwhelming as the thick air pollution that covers the city. As a visitor you can sense both the optimism and the uncertainty people in the city feel. You can also witness firsthand a city that continues to evolve.

Opodo has [1] hostels. Such is the current state of Shanghai where both wealth and poverty form a fascinating backdrop.