China Travel NIGHTMARES: Which City is Your #1 'HELL NO'?
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Oh my goodness! During the Spring Festival (also known as the Chinese New Year), I visited Chaozhou in Guangdong, where "Paiwang Street" (a bustling pedestrian street lined with memorial arches) was packed to the brim; it was so crowded that it made me doubt the value of life...
If you share the same sentiment as I do about disliking these things:
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Tourist hotspots hailed online as "must-sees" but actually suffocating due to the overwhelming crowds of visitors.
️ Tip: Avoid these places during major Chinese holidays such as the Spring Festival and National Day, when visitor numbers skyrocket. If a visit is necessary, consider going on a weekday or off-season instead. -
Over-commercialized towns whose historical charm has long been lost amidst an abundance of similar souvenir shops.
️ Tip: Many well-known ancient villages cater to tourists by becoming highly commercialized and losing their authenticity. Research other visitors' opinions thoroughly, especially concerning how much of the area's historic essence remains intact. -
Places hyped up with amazing photographs online yet failing in real life to live up to expectations, thereby making one feel cheated.
️ Tip: Professional photos seen online are often manipulated through post-production techniques. Browsing through pictures shared by regular tourists without heavy editing can help gain a more accurate sense of reality.
Join in our venting session: Is there anywhere you have visited in China that left such a negative impression that you vowed never to go back again? -
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Oh man, after reading everyone's rants, it feels like there's nowhere in the whole country worth visiting anymore.
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Haha, exactly! When it comes to travel, it's all about your own personal experience. If you just listen to what others say, you'll end up going nowhere.
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How come no one's mentioned Xiamen? My heart is sinking.
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Someone has.
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Nanjing, a city where you're constantly getting ripped off.
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Maybe you should look for the reason in yourself.
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Chongqing, it's hot pot all over the city. It's like they don't have any other way to cook food.
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There are plenty...
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Xi'an! Xi'an! Such a huge disappointment! I'm utterly disappointed.
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I was just about to go! Tell me, tell me what happened! (Shakes you).
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Changchun, I'd say.
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Chengdu, a place where the only thing I could eat was KFC.
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Really? I've always been so keen to visit. I always imagined Chengdu had tons of amazing street food.
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I've been ripped off in Xi'an so many times, I never want to go back.
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Xi'an, for instance. Remember that incident on the subway where a man aggressively pulled at a female passenger's skirt until she was almost in her underwear? The woman, apparently a teacher, was reportedly forced to resign afterwards. The man? He just got a suspension, no other real punishment. And under the video footage, so many comments were blaming her, asking why she wore such a short skirt. Imagining myself in her position is just utterly despairing.