I’m a big Instagram fan, surprise surprise! But for me, the platform is much more than pretty pictures and seeing what my friends are up to. It’s actually an excellent source for discovering local events, new restaurants, interesting neighborhoods and more. It’s also a great tool for researching and seeing “real” pictures of things like potential vacation destinations and hotels. And, as strange as it sounds, I’ve also made many good friends through Instagram!
There are tons of great Shanghai Grammers to follow. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. @shanghaivlogger
Behind Shanghaivlogger is Magnus, a Swedish expat living and working in Shanghai. In addition to posting interesting and entertaining lifestyle content from China and his travels around the world, Magnus runs the fantastic YouTube Channel, Shanghai Vlogger, and a podcast called Kinapodden. On all platforms, I love Magnus’ positive vibe and commitment to quality content.
2. @keint_shanghai
I don’t know much more about Keint than what his Instagram bio reveals, but what I do know is that he takes absolutely spectacular photos. I love the content in his feed, which mainly consists of stunning masterpieces, as well as his Insta stories with more casual, lifestyle related material. Keint posts a variety of portraits, nature, architecture, travel and cityscapes. His account is particularly interesting for photo geeks and just anyone who appreciates beautiful images.
3. @shanghaicoffeedaily
Shanghaicoffeedaily roams through Shanghai’s endless cafés, posting lovely pictures with her wonderfully entertaining impressions of the establishments she visits. As expected, she offers followers great tips on where to get a nice (and not so nice) cup of coffee.
4. @nomfluence
Nomfluence is run by Rachel, a Shanghai based writer, photographer and food critic who so kindly provides us with excellent restaurant tips accompanied with gorgeous food photography. This account is worth following for the mouth-watering food pics alone, even if you’re not based in Shanghai.
5. @shanghaicomune
Shanghaicomune is a feature account, which means it posts other Instagrammer’s Shanghai shots, including my pic below. By tagging photos with #shanghaicomune, you have the chance to be featured and showcase your images to a larger audience of Shanghai lovers. There are many Shanghai-themed feature accounts, but I particularly like this one because of the variety of images and styles.
Honorary Mention: @gerhard_official
Gerhard is an expat living and working in Shanghai, and his breakfast pictures are some of my absolute favorites on Instagram. I love the minimalistic style of his feed in general, but his overnight oats and other food “art” is just too good. Bravo Gerhard!
There you go, a few fun, inspiring and informative Shanghai Instagrammers to follow! And while you’re at it, don’t miss my account @shanghaistablog as well. Cheers!