China Trip: A First-Timer's Adventure
This was my first time traveling independently in China, and it completely changed my perspective! Previous trips had been... less exciting, to put it mildly. This time, I was already planning my return before I even left. Seriously, I was hooked!
1. Flights, High-Speed Rail, Hotels, and Attractions
I booked everything for this China adventure through Trip.com. They do add a small fee (around 60k VND) for each high-speed rail ticket. However, the convenience was worth it!
Trip.com was great at providing real-time updates on check-in gates, baggage claim carousels, and departure reminders. They even created a daily itinerary for me to follow. The downside? Getting a response from hotel via Trip took some time, and their chatbot needs some work.
On my return trip, I had a long layover in Chengdu, and the airline arranged a wonderful overnight hotel stay. It was perfect!
Hotel Booking Tips:
- Policy Check: Carefully review the "Guest Accepted" section in the hotel policy to make sure they accept foreign guests.
- "Hi China" Hotels: These hotels are usually in prime locations, near attractions, and have good ratings. Keep an eye out for this label.
- Free Airport Shuttle: Many hotels offer free airport shuttles, which can save you money and time. Consider this perk when booking.
2. Getting Around
I relied 100% on Alipay for payments and Amap (the English version) for navigation. It was a lifesaver!
- Bus & Metro: Each city has its own transit card, so you'll need to open a new one for each location. The metro lines are numbered, making them super easy to navigate.
- Bike Sharing: Open HelloRide within Alipay, follow the instructions, and scan the QR code on the bike. Easy peasy.
- Taxi: Book taxis directly through the DiDi mini-app in Alipay. I always used the English names of my destinations, and it worked flawlessly! No need to copy and paste Chinese addresses.
Important DiDi Tip: Only Premier DiDi services or higher have fixed prices. Discount Express or Express are just estimates, and you might be charged extra for waiting, tolls, or even traffic jams. Choose wisely!
3. Food Adventures (Hangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu)
The food was generally good, even the best I've had in China! Here are some highlights and lowlights:
Dishes I Might Skip Next Time:
- Longjing Shrimp: Hangzhou specialty of shrimp with Longjing tea. Sweet and tender, with a distinct tea aroma. Unfortunately, the aroma was a bit too strong for me, and the sour dipping sauce didn't quite hit the mark.
- Nanjing Duck Vermicelli Soup, Duck Blood Soup, Salted Duck: The vermicelli noodles are the star – chewy and delicious. The rest was just okay.
- Tea Egg: Meh. Again, that tea flavor...
Must-Try Dishes:
- Liver Noodles: Delicious, cheap, and the sauce is perfectly balanced! A total win.
- Hairy Crab Noodles & Crab Xiaolongbao: Delicious, unique, and worth the splurge.
- Fried Xiaolongbao: I forgot the exact name, but it's like fried xiaolongbao. So tasty!
- Soybean Milk: Sounds weird, but I loved it! Fragrant and soothing, with a bit of sugar at the bottom. Don't be like me and drink it all before you realize the sugar is there.
- Pastries in Shanghai: Seriously amazing. The bakeries are meticulous, adorable, and smell divine. I tried several shops, and they were all fantastic.
- Strawberries: Seriously sweet! I bought them two days in a row, eventually buying a whole box.
- Milk Tea: The teas have a delicate, fragrant flavor that's refreshing.
Also, I bet Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Nanjing would be breathtaking in spring or autumn. The cherry blossoms, tulips, and other flowers would be unforgettable.
Conclusion
China is affordable, easy to get around, and has every type of scenery imaginable. Plus, it's relatively close to Vietnam (depending on where you're going). In my opinion, it's a fantastic travel destination.
Of course, you'll need to invest some time, become best friends with Google Translate, and might feel a little clumsy if you don't speak the language. But hey, I was too! It's all part of the fun.
```