In 48 hours, you managed to learn everything about China and the Chinese!!!
Well done, you're impressive.
After 6 visits of 4 to 6 weeks each, I still haven’t discovered any of that. Guess I’ll have to go back...
Too bad—I loved China. The Chinese people, their hospitality, their cuisine, the landscapes, etc.
Back from a month off the beaten path (Sept 2018). Met a max of 20 Europeans during that month. Thankfully!
I was welcomed in China much better than in France! The charming hotels, 3-4 stars, were magnificent!
Do you prefer Kerala? Are there still Hindus working in hotels there? And is Indian cuisine less spicy than Chinese? Weird! I never had any issues in China, but I did with Indian food!
I’ve traveled to almost all Asian countries, always making sure to avoid tourists.
And well, I’ve never been disappointed in any country.
The only downside to China is the cost of travel if you don’t want to run into tourists.
And a guide is essential—just like in Isère if you speak German. On the other hand, 50% of Chinese people speak or understand English!! I’ll definitely go back to China, probably to the North.
And there you have it. You were probably just there at the wrong time in China!!
Americans complaining that servers in France don’t speak English???????? Poor things!!
I work in transportation and I don’t consider myself their servant........ too many people forget they could say thanks to Rochambeau, Lafayette, or Admiral de Grasse (among others), otherwise their independence?????????
In a few years, there will be 1 billion French speakers on Earth.
In the USA, English is being caught up by Spanish; I speak Spanish and many Americans understand it (at least a little).
To wrap up, a little respect means learning at least a few words of the local language... you don’t just show up in someone’s country like it’s conquered territory!
I went to Vietnam and studied Vietnamese for two years out of respect for the people... I spoke Vietnamese and they answered me in... French...... respect doesn’t kill anyone!!!!!!
I needed to get that off my chest, but stop insisting that English is king!!!!!!!!!
Of course, saying that English is king bothers me too.
But it is—except, say, in Vietnam or with older people who spoke French with me.
I visit an Asian country every two years. And I can’t learn Russian, Chinese, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Persian, Mongolian, Kazakh, etc. But one advantage in all these countries is that university students speak or at least understand English. So for me, it’s the only way to communicate! Still, it’s an advantage!!
According to the International Organisation of La Francophonie, in 2014, French was the fifth most spoken language in the world with 274 million speakers, representing 4% of the global population (one in 26 people). Out of these, 212 million used it daily (+7% between 2010 and 2014), representing 3% of the world's population (one in 32 people). Estimated at 284 million in 2015, the number of French speakers is expected to reach nearly 700 million by 2050, or 8% of the global population (one in 12 people). Additionally, 85% of these French speakers will be in Africa due to demographic growth.
!!!!!
Absolutely!!!!! You're right!!
I can assure you it’s very much practiced again in Vietnam, Laos, and even in Russia, which I know well...
I won’t even mention Lebanon......
In Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and other parts of Kazakhstan, Russian is common... (since I'm from the region, I know it well)
I can assure you that learning a little Russian is within your reach—just a good basic foundation? (like "Russian right away," for example) without any advertising😉
I encountered all these situations during my dozens of trips to China. For the spice, after some hesitation, they’d ask, and you’d just remember the point of the question.
When it comes to queues, there are actually rugby matches—but they’re non-violent, just firm. You’ve got to stand your ground just as much as they do, and it goes smoothly. Some train stations even have perfectly orderly lines!!!
On the other hand, the police *do* know violence! One evening, returning from Tiananmen Square on the subway, two Chinese men were arguing. Normal, right? Except in Chinese, it must’ve been more serious. Their wives tried to calm them down, but no luck. At the next station, a police patrol (who must’ve already been off duty) got an order from their officer, and in 10 seconds, the two hotheads were THROWN onto the platform like a sack of dirty laundry. Their wives had no choice but to follow, despite their protests. Doors closed, subway left.
Encounters with kids: In a village where no white person had ever set foot, they’d come up to stroke my arm to feel the hair!
It’s not that I don’t want to go back—it’s the visa hassle that puts me off. Before, in Hong Kong, I’d hand my passport to the reception desk at 8 AM and by 2 PM, I’d have a 3- or 6-month visa for 80 yuan. Now, you’ve got to fill out six pages of forms and get a one-month visa for 100 € in two weeks. Last time I tried, I gave up because I wanted to enter on foot from Laos and didn’t have a flight ticket—neither inbound nor outbound.
With the rise in living standards, China doesn’t need foreign tourists anymore. They’ve got plenty of customers right there, which explains the scramble at the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an!
For those who don’t get it: there’s a shared border between Laos and China, but no continuous transport. So you arrive by shared taxi from one side, exit Laos, and hike up the hill on foot to reach the stunning Chinese border post, where you’re very kindly welcomed to go through the automated check. Once you’re out, you’ll find a bus to Mengla.
We actually visited China in May 2016. It was a small-group organized tour (there were just 3 of us). We had ideal travel conditions: guides who took great care of us, a travel partner who was of Chinese origin and spoke Mandarin, which allowed us to meet up with one of her Chinese friends in Shanghai. She showed us around the area, and we had long conversations with her...
So we loved it!
I don’t remember struggling particularly in lines, whether at the Terracotta Army, taking the train, or domestic flights. At any rate, nothing worse than what you’d experience in Paris.
Of course, the Chinese have certain behaviors that might bother us (it’s China, not Europe), but they’re usually very kind to Westerners. I was definitely frustrated by not being able to communicate (beyond a few words of English) with people who stopped us on the street—you could tell they wanted to connect. We made do with exchanging photos and gestures.
It’s true that the authorities can be quite strict (hard for a French person to understand), and you notice it when walking around cities, but it probably explains why you feel completely safe there. Walking back to your hotel through Shanghai’s central train station and its surroundings at midnight is nothing like doing the same thing at Gare de Lyon in Paris...
To wrap up, we really enjoyed every restaurant we tried, and the dishes were rarely very spicy. For example, I remember that on our first night in Shanghai, we went out alone to a restaurant near our hotel and had no trouble choosing our dishes—we found them delicious. Still, we couldn’t help but eye a table of Chinese people enjoying what looked like huge crayfish. They noticed and offered us the same dish. It was really nice of them, especially since, as we suspected, it was amazing.
All this to say, we’d really love to go back to China, and we’re actually planning to do just that in 2019 with a trip to Yunnan.
For me, all your "negative" experiences (behavior, communication, understanding) are exactly why I L-O-V-E-D China and would happily go back!
I never felt oppressed or pushed around... I found the Chinese people ready to help, and I got a lot of help during some pretty stressful moments!!! Plus, they didn’t hesitate to share their food with me: on the train, in lines, etc.
Their curiosity and the way they openly stare made me smile! And I think they have a great sense of humor!
When it comes to communication and the difficulty of making yourself understood, I think that’s all part of the adventure! 😛
I traveled solo without a tour and I’d do it again, but next time more in the southwest of China to discover even more of the countless landscapes in this beautiful country!
🙂
Hello,
For me, my experience was the same as yours. My husband and I went to China alone in September 2013. We visited 6 provinces, using domestic flights and then taxis once we were there. We’d heard so many bad things about China that we went with some apprehensions. But once we were there, all our worries disappeared. We found the cities less noisy than in Vietnam, where we’d stayed for 2 months in 2009. In China, the many motorbikes are electric and glide silently. The people are calmer. They gather in squares to dance, make music, and sing. We found that charming. In Vietnam, life is perpetually noisy—it starts at 7 in the morning with loudspeakers blaring long speeches, and if they’re near your hotel, good luck waking up gently. Then there are the horns, trumpets, and countless motorbikes... As for the people, it’s all about commerce, commerce, commerce. When you walk into a shop, the salesperson follows you with a commercial smile, and if you leave without buying anything, they give you "the look." In China, we found them much cooler. It’s true that when they see foreigners (especially blond ones), they stare intensely, kids want to touch you, and some people even wanted to take photos with us. It didn’t bother us—in fact, we liked it. They try to help you on the street when they see you looking at a map. Sure, their English isn’t great, but as I always say: we speak "Marseille English," and they speak "Chinese English," and we managed just fine!!!!!!!
For meals, I don’t remember having anything horrible. On the contrary, in Kunming, we found a "luxury" hotel (at an interesting price), and the breakfast was amazing—a buffet that went all around the restaurant, with absolutely everything, and it was all excellent.
We’re planning to go back to visit other provinces because it was such a wonderful trip.
On the other hand, 2 months in Vietnam is too much—by the end, we couldn’t stand being there anymore.
Just to be clear, this is our personal experience, the same as yours, and I’m not trying to convince anyone or start a debate.
Best regards,
Anapo
But I’ll add that yes, it’s true they sometimes cut in line, but mindsets are changing, and the younger generation is increasingly adopting behaviors we see in the West.
For example: when I was at Hongqiao Airport, an elderly woman cut in front of me in line, and she was with a young man (her grandson???). I made a sound with my mouth to show my annoyance and get their attention. The grandson noticed, pulled his grandmother back behind me, and apologized. At first, the elderly woman didn’t understand the young man’s gesture. He said something to her, and she apologized with gestures and smiles... I really saw the clash of behaviors!
So, as others have said in this discussion, don’t hesitate to let them know you’re upset if someone cuts in line...
It’s also a cultural thing. For some, it’s just normal to, say, push past everyone to get on the bus.... My mom came from Poland to Canada in the '80s, and she told me that no one lined up to board a bus: a bus would arrive, and you just wanted to get on as fast as possible (especially in winter), no matter if it was through the front or back door—you just had to get on, period. When she arrived in Canada, she was surprised to see people lining up nicely and boarding through the correct door (in Montreal, you board at the front). So you have to adapt to where you are.
When I was in China and saw people rushing toward the subway doors, honestly, I didn’t hesitate to push a little too to get on.
But I’ll add that yes, it’s true they sometimes cut in line, but mindsets are changing, and the younger generation is increasingly adopting behaviors we see in the West.
For example: when I was at Hongqiao Airport, an elderly woman cut in front of me, and she was with a young man (her grandson???). I made a sound with my mouth to show my displeasure and get their attention. The grandson noticed, pulled his grandmother back behind me, and apologized. At first, the elderly woman didn’t understand the young man’s gesture. He said something to her, and she apologized with gestures and smiles... I really saw the clash of behaviors!
So, as others have said in this discussion, don’t hesitate to let them know you’re upset if someone cuts in front of you...
And it’s a cultural thing. For some, it’s just normal to, for example, push past everyone to get on the bus.... My mom came from Poland to Canada in the 80s, and she told me that no one lined up to get on a bus: a bus would arrive, and you just wanted to get on as fast as possible (especially in winter), no matter if it was through the front or back door—you just had to get on, period. When she arrived in Canada, she was surprised to see people lining up nicely and boarding through the right door (in Montreal, you board through the front door). So you have to adapt to where you are.
When I was in China and saw people rushing toward the subway doors, honestly, I didn’t hesitate to push a little too to get on.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do! 😉😛
Hello,
You’re much younger than I am, and your comment is very accurate.
For my part, at my age, I ask myself: can we really call people rude in other countries when we see the lack of manners that’s become widespread here over the last three decades? It seems like it affects a lot of people because, in reality, that’s just how life is now. Of course, if you have good manners yourself, you shouldn’t let others walk all over you, and (as you say) you should gently put people in their place.
Best regards,
Example: When I was at Hongqiao Airport, an elderly woman cut in front of me in line with a young man (her grandson???). I made a sound with my mouth to show my displeasure and get their attention. The grandson noticed and pulled his grandmother back behind me, then apologized. At first, the elderly woman didn’t understand the young man’s gesture. He said something to her, and she apologized with gestures and smiles...
Same scene at Chengdu Airport. I was quietly waiting my turn behind the yellow line when a woman ducked under the elastic barrier to step up to the counter (where someone was already being served 😎). I turned and started to call her out, but her son (?), looking really embarrassed, immediately pulled her back into line. A pretty classic case of reverse generational transmission!
It’s better to react in the moment than to just stand there like a fool in line and wait until you’re back home to vent your frustration online. 🙂
Scary!
I’ve been living in Shanghai for 6 months now and plan to stay. I’ve never experienced the situations you’re talking about, but I often overhear French tourists saying things like Chinese people spit on the ground, are hypocritical, etc. I went to university in Strasbourg and then Paris, and I saw way more spitting on the sidewalks there than here. The vast majority of Chinese people I know are extremely courteous, and you can build really strong friendships with them. But first, you have to stay humble, listen, and learn. I totally get why a horde of loud, never-satisfied French tourists would get what they deserve. Plus, it sounds like you took a "budget" trip—otherwise, why would you need to do your laundry at a laundromat? The cost of dry cleaning in hotels here is absolutely negligible compared to France, even in high-end hotels!
As for your opinion on the food, complain to your travel agency, but don’t insult the Chinese. And don’t be surprised if you got jostled in the most tourist-packed places. You won’t be going back to China? Well, I hope you’re right...
I’m currently planning a trip to Japan with my two kids.
Before going any further, my main question is about the budget. While flights are pretty straightforward—just compare prices—when it comes to daily expenses, I have no idea what to expect.
We’re thinking of traveling between mid-July (around the 19th, give or take 2-3 days) and mid-August (returning by August 20th at the latest).
Duration: 15 days (though we could stretch it by 2-3 days if it makes sense price-wise).
Family of 4, including two kids aged 9 and 12.
Before we had kids, we used to travel pretty "rough" and book things on the spot (we often took basic flights), but this time, it might be trickier. That said, we’re not looking for luxury—just somewhere decent to sleep and shower so we can save money for as many activities and sightseeing as possible.
For those who’ve recently had a family trip like this or are familiar with Japan, I’d love any advice—especially what a reasonable daily budget might look like (or at least the absolute minimum to make the trip feasible).
Thanks in advance!
P.S.: I’ll admit I struggled a bit with the categories, so if this post needs to be moved, no problem! ;-)
I’m starting to think about a trip to Japan, though I haven’t yet decided on the exact duration or itinerary, and I have a few questions for those who know the country well or have traveled there recently.
First, about getting around: what do you think are the most economical and reliable ways to travel across Japan and move between cities? I’m thinking of trains, overnight buses, domestic flights, regional passes, etc. I’m not necessarily looking for the fastest option, but rather a good balance between cost, simplicity, and reliability.
I also have a question about the return ticket. Since I don’t yet know how long I’ll stay in Japan—or even if I’ll return directly to France (I might continue to another Asian country)—is it mandatory to have a return or exit ticket before entering Japan? Would a ticket to another Asian country suffice?
Regarding accommodation, I usually prefer staying in youth hostels rather than hotels. Are hostels easy to find all over Japan, including outside Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka? And what’s the average budget per night for something clean and well-located?
Finally, I’d like to get an idea of the overall budget for the trip. Is Japan still relatively affordable when traveling simply, or do expenses add up quickly? I’m mainly thinking about:
transportation between cities;
local transportation;
youth hostels;
food;
potential domestic flights.
My plan is to travel fairly freely, without necessarily booking everything in advance, so I can adjust my itinerary or stay longer in places I like.
If anyone has traveled this way in Japan, I’d love to hear about your experiences, tips, and maybe an idea of the daily budget to expect.
Hi there,
I’m planning my trip for May. Here’s my itinerary for 4.5 days in Seoul:
May 5: afternoon at Mangwon Market, Mangridan-gil, Han River
May 6: Gyeongbokgung, Tongin Market & Seochon, Bukchon, Insadong, Jogyesa Temple, and Ikseon-dong
May 7: Namdaemun Market, Deoksugung Palace, stroll along Cheonggyecheon, Seoullo 7017, Hongdae
May 8:Changdeokgung + Changgyeonggung, Gwangjang Market, Jongmyo Shrine, Jongno Boulevard for the big parade
May 9:Morning in Gangnam, Bongeunsa, Namsangol Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower Plaza
What do you think of this itinerary? Is there anything I should add, remove, or swap out? I tried to keep travel time to a minimum, but I might be missing something. I’d love to hear all your thoughts—thanks!
Philippe
According to my calculations, I’ll be in Zhangjiajie on Monday, November 16th. I adjusted my itinerary to avoid the weekend.
I’m wondering:
1- Do I need to book the park entrance in advance (like, is there a visitor limit?)
2- I plan to take the elevator and maybe a cable car (I’ll walk the rest—I’m in good shape). Should I book those too, or can I sort it out when I arrive?
3- On Wednesday, November 18th, I’m aiming for Tianmen Mountain. Same question—do I need to reserve? I read it’s under construction right now. And apparently, it’s line C.
3 bis - Also, is it possible to go all the way to the top by bus only, without the cable car, and finish on foot?
Hi,
My departure is coming up soon—two months backpacking in Taiwan, so much to discover! I’d love to hear about your travel experiences.
My main interests are meeting people, understanding how things work, hiking, and nature in general. I’ve also done a lot of reading about Taiwan’s complex situation.
I do stone sculpture.
I also want to visit Orchid Island for its history.
Marie
Hi everyone, I’m preparing for a one-month trip in October. I’m traveling solo and would love to explore the countryside, but I’m also wondering if there are any themed urban hikes or walks. In Japan, I did some themed city tours, especially by bike.
Thanks for any tips you can share!
Marie
Hi,
Our trip is planned for 20 days in Japan next April. We have a free subscription that would allow us to use 35 GB (I’m a bit confused), but we also need to be able to make phone calls with a French couple traveling with us for a few days, and that seems impossible due to cost... Any solutions for using GPS while keeping those 35 GB? Used to traveling in Southeast Asia, we usually rely on local SIM cards. Is it easy to do the same in Japan?
Thanks for your help!
Best,
Tialou
I’m looking for advice from seasoned travelers about a roughly one-month trip to Japan.
From late October to late November 2026.
We often travel in Southeast Asia but have never been to Japan.
Based on what I’ve read, I’d love to hear your thoughts on:
- Is traveling day-to-day, without booking hotels or trains in advance, possible in Japan?
(I’ve read many travel journals and blogs that say everything was booked way in advance… but that’s not how we usually travel.)
- Will the Japan Rail Pass be worth it for us?
(According to an old simulator, I’m looking at around 400 € for trains compared to 570 € for the JRP.)
Here’s our rough itinerary (which may change):
- Arrival Osaka: 3 nights with Nara
- Hiroshima and Miyajima Island: 3 nights
- Kurashiki or Naoshima: 2 nights
- Himeji: 1 night
- Kyoto: 4 nights
- Kanazawa: 2 nights
- Takayama and Shirakawa-go: 3 nights
- Around Mount Fuji: 3 nights
- Tokyo with Nikko: 6 nights (no theme parks)
Departure from Tokyo
I’m currently in the process of booking my hotels.
I have a question about these two apps. I’m planning to use trips.com to book my trains (if I understood correctly, that’s the best way to do it).
Is there any advantage to booking hotels with trips.com, or can I keep using Booking? (I’m used to the interface.) My hidden question is whether it’ll work smoothly when I’m there (for new bookings or retrieving the ones I’ve already made).
I’ve booked my flight ticket to China, arriving in Hong Kong and departing from Chongqing.
I have 27 nights there.
Here’s my draft itinerary:
Hong Kong arrival (minimum 3 nights + 1 night for Macau)
Shenzhen (1 night – immigration, day and night city visit)
Guangzhou (2 nights – 2 days of sightseeing)
Yangshuo (3 nights – 2 full days)
Passing through Guilin (0 nights – 1 day)
Longsheng or Longji Rice Terraces Green (2 nights)
Sanjiang (1 night)
Kunming (1 night)
Dali (2 nights – 1 day of sightseeing)
Lijiang (2 nights – 1 day of sightseeing)
Shangri-La (1 night)
Chengdu (2 nights – 1 full day for Buddha)
Zhangjiajie (4 nights – 4 days)
Chongqing (2 nights)
I have an efficient travel style (I wake up very early and generally move quickly).
I don’t want to see the Stone Forest in Kunming because it looks too much like the Tsingy in Madagascar.
What do you think?
Thanks for any kind of feedback.
Hi,
July 2026: I’m writing to you from Dali.
First, I got scammed on Booking—AI-retouched photos. No tourists at this hotel (Yishanju Designer Hotel), and the reality was horrible: dirty, with a disgusting breakfast. It’s better to use Trip.com here.
Next, the old town was an infernal cacophony, packed with tourists who shoved past without a care. Some vendors harassed you to buy things. All the stalls sold the same cheap plastic junk or other uninteresting stuff. The beautiful scenery was ruined by vendors lining 100% of the alleys. Impossible to walk, crushing heat, nothing good to eat except fresh fruit. Horrible experience.
Day 2: We went to Cangshan Mountain by cable car—the ride was short and nothing spectacular. We were at 2,600 m.
My plan was to see Erhai Lake. Unfortunately, I followed the advice of an AI chatbot: take the boat at Langkan Dock. The Didi dropped us off in the nearest area, which was full of charming little alleys but packed with Chinese tourists. The three-wheeled yellow cabs zoomed through the narrow streets, forcing you to hug the walls, on top of the scooters and other pedestrians to deal with. Crossing the neighborhood was hellish and suffocating. Once out, we hit the "corniche," which was also packed with Chinese tourists. The lake’s edge was all pebbles, and everyone was standing around taking photos. I was with my 5-year-old son. I would’ve liked to sit down and let him play with stones by the water, but it was clear we didn’t belong. They were even shoving each other for a shot! There were no boats in sight. In short, we’d had enough, and there was nothing interesting there either.
On the way back, we had to cross that maze again under the scorching sun. My son was braver than me—I even had a little dizzy spell from all the chaos. Add to that Dali’s altitude (2,200 m), so altitude insomnia, fatigue, and vulnerability during the day...
The restaurants weren’t inviting—the staff served sticky rice in a little bucket. The dishes were wrapped, and you had to figure it out yourself. After that, they ignored you completely, even if you were the only tourist.
On the 3rd day, it was time to leave for Shaxi. I hope to see beautiful villages. But honestly, I’m exhausted by this atmosphere where everything is complicated, communication is never smooth, noise is everywhere, and the behavior of some Chinese people is abusive...
Silver lining: not a drop of rain in 4 days and blue skies.
I couldn’t visit the villages in southern Yunnan because of rain and storms there...
But I was expecting to see a few more tourists.
For April or May 2027, we’d like to find a student guide if possible to show us the best spots and services and guide us around the country for 2-3 weeks on our first trip there.
We’re missing key info to plan this trip, especially recommendations from people who’ve enjoyed places that aren’t necessarily touristy but more intimate.
Thanks in advance
Next year, we’re celebrating 20 years of marriage (and travel 🙂), and we’re looking for something new, pretty legendary, and something the teens will enjoy too.
The family council has settled on Japan for now. And it’d have to be a summer trip—no choice there.
The catch: I keep reading that August isn’t the right season for southern Japan. It’s hot, humid, and there’s a risk of typhoons… Okay, but what does that *actually* mean in practice? Are there any travelers who’ve been there during this time? Is it *that* unbearable?
We’re pretty familiar with Southeast Asia—last year, we dealt with scorching heat in Vietnam and insane humidity, plus a typhoon we experienced from a distance, and visiting Angkor in the blazing sun. Is it worse than that?
Hey there,
In the sea of VPNs, I'm looking for one to use in China for just a month (free or paid). Which one should I pick? All the ones I've found are for several months or even a year.
Hi,
I’ve always been used to exchanging my money (€) in town no matter the country (with a "mini exchange" at the airport if needed).
I can’t find any recent posts on this topic from the last few years.
Does anyone have any insights on this? Intrinsic benefits, best places to exchange, etc.?
I arrive at Tokyo Haneda on a Friday around 12:30 PM, and my first night is very close to Shinjuku.
Thanks.
Here are some tips from our 6-week trip (summer 2026) to China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. We traveled as a family of four with two kids aged 15 and 12.
I hope these notes help other travelers!
CHINA
General
You’ll need to download and set up a few apps:
- Alipay and WeChat for payments (I didn’t withdraw a single bill the entire trip)
- Didi for taxis
- Amap = Chinese Maps (works great, especially for subways)
- A translation app (we used Papago, but it sometimes gave weird results)
- Google Lens for translating menus or signs—super handy.
- HelloRide for bikes
- Gemini and ChatGPT for everything: understanding daily life, enhancing visits, checking the weather, finding things.
- HomeExchange if you want to lower travel costs (few listings in Asia except in big cities, often expats)
- Trip.com is very useful, even essential, for trains, domestic flights, and hotels. Like Booking.com, the more you book with them, the more perks you get. So I’d even suggest checking flight tickets on this site, even if it’s a bit pricier. However, buying train tickets is complicated because (1) they only open 15 days in advance, and (2) they sell out fast. Trip.com just promises to buy them as soon as they’re available but doesn’t always succeed. It’s stressful and might force you to change your plans, especially if you’re aiming for a sleeper car and there are no seats left. Watch out for station names—many cities have multiple stations, including a high-speed rail one outside the city.
For internet, we got the Asia plan from Holafly. It worked but seemed much slower than Chinese internet. I regretted not buying a Chinese SIM card because without internet in China, everything is VERY complicated (money, transport, etc.).
For the firewall, we used ExpressVPN, but it wasn’t always reliable. A bit disappointing. Ask ChatGPT for tips with screenshots to improve the settings.
Since we only had one SIM card with internet, we couldn’t rent shared bikes. If I were to do it again, I’d get a SIM for each person, even the kids, because distances in cities are huge. We walked *a lot*. Same goes for buses—it’s tricky with just one internet connection. Better to have a phone per person with internet.
Book your visits as far in advance as possible—they often sell out.
Watch out for power banks: if they don’t explicitly say "3C," they’ll confiscate it. Even if there’s a little airplane logo.
Shanghai
In the evening, the streets leading to the Bund from the metro were so crowded that police were out in force blocking roads. Arrive early. We went around the north side.
Suzhou
Be careful—there are two stations (common in China), and the high-speed rail one is 45–50 minutes from the old town.
The Humble Administrator’s Garden was *packed*—we don’t recommend it. It turned into a marathon day from Shanghai (almost 4 hours from our hotel to the garden).
Beijing
Forbidden City: Don’t go—I know it’s a shame, but it’s too crowded. I couldn’t buy tickets on the official site because of the kids’ passports. We ended up with a guided tour, the only way to get in (tickets sell out fast). The visit was disappointing—bad guide *and* massive crowds. You’ll queue a lot to enter and see certain areas. You’ll be checked often, so pack your bags carefully.
Great Wall at Mutianyu: Crowded. Two hours by bus, and even though we arrived early, people were already leaving! I really think the best option is to leave your big bags in Beijing and stay overnight near the Wall. That way, you’ll have it to yourself a bit more. For transport: get off at Tiananmen Square metro and look for buses with official guides in bright yellow-green vests. No need to buy tickets online—they made me cancel mine to rebook on the spot. Buses leave when full. Note: the cable car and chairlift are separate—if you want to go up one side and down the other, you’ll need different tickets. The endless queue for the toboggan ride put us off.
Quick tip: Incredible swimming spot in Beijing—on the north shore of Houhai Lake, you can swim by crossing the barrier. We did it twice with about ten other people. Bring a swimsuit!
Shapotou Desert
Amazing, but it gets *very* hot in the afternoon. We had a tent (not an air-conditioned bungalow), which was unbearable during the day. We hung out in the restaurant.
The paid activities are fun, except the camels—they look sad. The real highlight is the evening and sunset. The only downside: you can’t explore the desert alone or far—they don’t rent 4x4s, for example.
We stayed at "The Desert Camping Hotel of the Proprietress of Shapotou." They were lovely.
Zhongwei
Gaomiao Temple and its underground: Fun and short—you’ll see quirky Buddhist hell paintings.
Xi’an
Terracotta Army: We took a Didi because for four people, a car was almost the same price as four shuttle tickets. It was packed—chaotic to see properly.
We visited the halls in order: 3, 2, then 1—a good choice.
Hua Shan Mountains: Left before sunrise to arrive when the ticket office opened (7 AM, I think). We were shocked to see so many people already coming down.
45 minutes by bus to the west cable car, then 15 minutes up.
We did the west, south, east, central, then north peaks (in that order) before taking the other cable car down (you can buy the ticket at the top). A beautiful day.
In the city, check out...
Chengdu
Panda Research Center: Like Hua Shan, plan to arrive when the ticket office opens. Already *tons* of people, and it moves fast to see the big pandas before their nap. Have them drop you at the west entrance (not south), or you’ll have to walk uphill.
Leshan Giant Buddha: Interesting. The trip is a bit long (metro, then train, then city bus, then shuttle on-site). We didn’t take the boat option but walked. In the end, you only spend a few minutes at the Buddha’s feet, but it’s a nice day out.
Hotel tip: Panda Enjoy Home Hotel Apartments (Chengdu East Railway Station Dongda Road Branch). The view is insane, and the neighborhood is super convenient and nice. 646 CNY for 2 nights.
Swimming: The municipal pool is an interesting experience, but don’t expect to swim—no one does. Everyone just splashes around where they can stand. The hours are a bit odd, with a break in the late afternoon.
Kunming
The bike path along Dian Lake is pretty and often well-protected from cars. But like everywhere in China, it’s *packed*. Not much to say about visits—the flower market is a wholesale market, not very interesting. The ethnic minorities museum closed right in front of us.
All the big malls are good for shopping.
Dali
We thought we could bike around the lake in two days. Wrong on two counts: First, the lake’s edge is blocked to traffic and reserved for bikes (or tourist mini-buses). So you’re stuck on the main road, which never gives you a view of the lake, with all the trucks and cars. Doing 120 km like that wouldn’t make sense, in our opinion. The rice fields around are nice but not as impressive as elsewhere, so Dali isn’t worth it for that.
The old town, all restored, is pretty but *packed*—thousands of people, especially in the evening.
Hekou (Vietnam border)
Comfortable train from Kunming. In the parking lot, a bus (not well-marked, but Didi is an option) takes you to the border in 15–20 minutes. Short wait at both border posts. Fun to see the two lampposts near the border line: the Chinese one is new, modern, with a surveillance camera (of course), while the Vietnamese one is old and a bit rusty.
VIETNAM
General:
- You’ll need the Grab app for taxis
- Very disappointed with 12Go—it doesn’t show all buses, never connects you with the company, and refuses refunds. Try booking directly with companies like FUTA Bus instead.
- Credit cards are often accepted (supermarkets and modern stores), otherwise, you’ll need cash
Lao Cai
2 km between the border and the train station.
The sleeper bus to Hanoi with Sao Viet is well-organized—it works.
Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum closes early (10:30 AM, I think).
Women’s Museum: Very good, not too long
Temple of Literature: Beautiful, fairly quick
This is where you should buy souvenirs, clothes, and knockoffs—the prices are reasonable, and the sellers are nicer than elsewhere. We recommend Cho Dong Xuan.
Tu Long Bay
We did 2 days, 1 night (so really 24 hours on the boat) with Parfum d’Automne (French-speaking agency), which put us on a Cycad Cruise boat. Cost: 300 € per person—expensive, but it was amazing, super luxurious, and the buffet meals were delicious. We don’t regret the splurge. The only downside: no swimming in the bay (but there’s a pool on the boat). To swim, you’d need a 3-day, 2-night trip to an area not protected by the maritime park.
Phong Nha
If you didn’t do the northern mountains due to time or weather (like us), Phong Nha is a great stop for a motorbike ride. It’s beautiful, especially the mountains west of the city toward the caves.
There are two (small) swimming spots at the Botanic Garden—a pleasant 45-minute walk without stops.
Hotel tip: Sunbeam Village (very friendly, pool, breakfast by the river, motorbike rentals)
Da Nang
Hotel tip: Meridians by Hsuite—you’ll have the beach almost to yourself. You’ll still need to walk 15–20 minutes to the hyper-touristy area if you want to rent surfboards (150–200k VND per hour).
The beach is beautiful, and the water is 30°C—great for a break on a long trip, especially since all transport goes through Da Nang.
Hoi An
45 minutes from Da Nang, so it’s easy to visit in a day, especially since the city isn’t that big and it’s *very* hot.
Cooking class: MS Hanh cooking class—great (the market tour is a bit useless). We don’t recommend the "basket boat" tour—it’s a bit sad on a big brown pond with elderly guides.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ben Thanh Market is a nightmare: starting prices are exorbitant, and the vendors are aggressive. Don’t go.
The War Remnants Museum can be really tough for kids.
Can Tho
Avoid this city. We made the mistake of going to see the floating market—don’t.
Chau Doc
No Grab in the city, but regular taxis.
One day is enough if you go early to the forest and the mountain in the late afternoon.
250k VND per person for the forest and its canals (45 minutes by motorbike)
The sunset at Victoria Nui Sam can be magnificent if the clouds cooperate.
Cheap and good restaurant: Quan Nem Nuong Sau Hiep
Hotel tip: Homestay Khoa (2,250,000 VND for 3 nights)—adorable hostess, full of tips, clean rooms.
The speedboat to Cambodia is more comfortable than a bus. Book with Hangchau a few days in advance—payment in cash on the day (1,640,000 đ).
CAMBODIA
General:
- Issues with the "Bakong Tourists" app—we had to go to a big bank to load money onto it. We barely used it afterward.
Phnom Penh
For us, a day and a half is enough if you want to spend more time elsewhere.
Markets close early (around 6 PM) and are less interesting than in Hanoi, for example.
The Royal Palace has a break from 11 AM to 2 PM, but there aren’t many people in the afternoon.
Siem Reap
Trip with Capitol company—the bus is basic but cheap. Departs at 10:15 AM, 7-hour ride.
Angkor entrance fee: 62 USD per person for a 3-day pass. Tickets are picked up at Angkor Enterprise.
Renting two 125cc motorbikes: 10 USD each, plus 7 USD for gas.
By bike, it took me 25 minutes to reach Angkor Wat’s pools. A basic city bike rental was 1 USD per hour.
Short circuit by motorbike (in reverse): 7 hours with stops everywhere.
Grand tour by tuk-tuk: Only 5 temples, 4.5 hours.
If you want to see lots of monkeys, they’re grouped west of Bayon.
For the temples, we asked Gemini (AI) at each stop to point out details that might interest kids (who can get bored with the repetition). It gave fun facts and things to look for—great for the little ones.
Hotel tip: The Five Senses, run by a Frenchman, Bruno, who knows Cambodia inside out and organizes tours.
Restaurant tip: Wild (only spring rolls, but *so* many varieties—delicious and cheap)
Watch out: 1 hour to the airport, 50 km from the city.
Show tip: The Phare Circus
We’re arriving as a group of three in Tokyo on Saturday, October 17th, then heading straight to Kyoto by direct train.
On Sunday and Monday, we’ll explore Kyoto, and in the evening, we’ll take a train to Osaka to spend the night.
On Tuesday, we’ll pick up a rental car at Itami Airport for a 6-day/5-night road trip around Shikoku:
- 2 nights in the Iya Valley
- Thursday morning, we’ll head to Matsuyama for 2 nights.
- Saturday, we’ll visit Mima (town, a few temples + overnight stay) and return on Sunday to drop off the car in Osaka.
We’ll leave very early on Monday the 26th by plane for Aomori in northern Honshu, where we’ll pick up another rental car at the airport for a 5-day/4-night trip:
- Day 1: Tsugaru Peninsula (Takayam Inari, Cape Tappi, Kanita); overnight in Kanita
- Day 2: Ferry transfer to the Mutsu Peninsula (cliffs, Lake Usori); overnight in Shimofuro
- Day 3: Head to the Hakkoda Mountains and onsens galore; overnight TBD
- Day 4: Return the car in Aomori by noon and explore the city before taking the train to Tokyo in the evening
We’ll spend Friday night in Tokyo, wander around on Saturday, and head home on Sunday.
Thoughts on the road feasibility of this trip? We’ll be there right in the middle of Koyo season, so it’ll be busy...
I know it’s a lot of driving, but there are two of us who can take turns. We’re not afraid of driving, even in the mountains and on the left side! Just wondering, are we going to be rushing, or is this manageable? AI says it’s all good, but it’s not the one driving...
Any tips for booking accommodations in the Iya Valley? Not many places have email addresses or websites (I know Booking.com exists, but not all listings are on there... and given the season, I think it’s better to book ahead!). Same question applies for northern Honshu.
For the rental car, I’m thinking of going with Alamo since at least it’s in French and straightforward, but are there any direct rental companies with user-friendly websites (Toyota Rentacar, ugh... 🏴☠️)?
Another question: With so many trains, is it even necessary to book them in advance? Can we just go to the ticket counter and grab seats on the spot?
For paying for the rental car, do we need a credit or debit card?
I booked my trip from May 5 to 26, 2027. I’m starting to plan my itinerary and look for hotels (I know it’s early!). While I’ve found some in Seoul and Busan, I’m noticing that elsewhere—like Yeosu—most hotels aren’t available (on Booking.com, for example, almost all are unavailable). AI tells me not to worry because hotels in South Korea only open bookings 6 months in advance, so it’s normal to see most of them unavailable on booking sites.
Could you confirm this for me and, of course, reassure me (!)? Thanks so much.
philippe
We’re back from a one-month trip to China and wanted to share our itinerary. Hopefully, this can give future travelers some ideas for exploring this beautiful country.
Beijing → Temple of Heaven / Forbidden City
Jinshanling → Great Wall
Zhangjiajie → Tianmen Mountain and Heaven’s Gate
Wulingyuan → Avatar Mountains / sandstone pillars
Fenghuang → riverside houses
Ping’an → terraced rice fields
Tiantouzhai → village / rice terraces
Yangshuo → Li River / karst mountains
Shanghai → skyline with the Oriental Pearl Tower
Our travel journal is available on our travel journal, written day by day. You’ll find lots of photos and some travel tips there.
I’m starting to look at neighborhoods in Seoul, and I’m leaning toward staying in a hotel in Insa-Dong—I’ve spotted one really close to Unhyeongung.
Is this a good area—nice and convenient for exploring the city?
Otherwise, I’ve also found another hotel in Yongsan-Gu, right near the station of the same name. Is that station useful for getting around Seoul?
Since I’ll be in South Korea for nearly two months, I plan to spend at least a week in Seoul to recover from jet lag (it takes me a while to adjust...). So, I’d love a neighborhood that’s pleasant and a hotel not too far from a subway station.
Hi there,
I’d like to do this cycling route over 2 or 3 days. I’m struggling to figure out and find a (good) bike rental that lets me start in Onomichi and drop off in Imabari. Can anyone help with great tips for rentals and accommodations along the route? How do I get back to Onomichi afterward?
I’m back with my detailed itinerary for 20 days in South Korea—it’s my first trip to the country. Our idea is to experience a more rural and cultural Korea. Here’s the rough plan: Seoul for 4 nights at the start and 1 night at the end, Gurye for 4 nights, Suncheon for 4 nights, Namhae for 4 nights, and Gyeongju for 2 nights. The goal is to pick a base and explore the surrounding areas. What do you think of this itinerary? Anything you’d change?
thanks
hi everyone, we're heading out for a 12-day trek in the Japanese Alps. We're bringing freeze-dried meals like we always do. We just found out that importing meat is banned, even freeze-dried. Is that true? We already bought them. They're commercially made freeze-dried meals. Online, it's not specified that they have to be "commercially made" because you can make your own freeze-dried food. And since we've heard they're really strict in Japan, can anyone confirm this for us? thanks
