THE BUND. Shanghai's popular 1865 Club is located in what was once the Bund Observatory, above the Bund Museum. This refurbished old building is an attempt to recapture the feeling of Shanghai circa 1920. The lighthouse, once the tallest building in Asia, attached to the bar is one of the Bund's oldest structures, and there is also a patio area that offers excellent views of Pudong. The 1865 club tends to attract a fair share of young and old professionals, and they occasionally have live music here. METRO: Henan Lu

Singapore's superclub Attica opened its Shanghai outpost in October 2006, amid a blaze of publicity and talk. Located on the 11th floor of Bund 15, the cavernous space has an upstairs VIP room and stunning 360-degree panorama of Shanghai's skyline and Pudong. It's a place to eat, socialize and dance, but most of all to enjoy the views.

Designed by Algerian architect Imaad Rahmouni, Bar Rouge is Shanghai's most talked-about hangout for celebrities and the international crowd. The bar, opened at the end of 2004 on the seventh floor of Bund 18, has a large terrace, various VIP areas and breathtaking views across the river. In-house DJs come with sparkling credentials ­ the Buddha Bar, Café del Mar and Café Costes ­ and other well-known guest DJs take the decks from time to time. Expert French mixologists shake the best Mojito in town and set the bar alight as part of the entertainment. Metro: Line 2 Nanjing Dong Lu Station

Located next to the Shanghai Art Gallery and lake in People's Park is this Moroccan-style building, home to Barbarrossa and its calm and relaxing vibe. North African and Middle Eastern influences are everywhere, from the carpets to the décor and hubbly bubbly pipes. There's a large terrace on the third floor where you can sit out on warmer evenings sipping Caipirinhas, or take over for private functions. Metro: Line 1 & 2 People's Square Station

A place whose name derives from a recipe for a good time that consists of Cigars, Jazz and Wine could easily have been some low dive. Quite the opposite: even if CJW wasn't located atop the 50-story Bund Centre, it could never be termed thus. Think a classy clientele whooping up the dolce vita on high, against a backdrop of Benjamin Li's imaginative décor, hot live music and a liberal choice of booze to enhance the panoramic view and general party vibe.