Beijing Tour Groups: My Official PSA is HELL NO!!!!
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A Tour Group to Beijing? No way! Many of the “recommendations” on Xiaohongshu (a Chinese app, similar to Instagram, where people share travel guides) are just advertisements from tourism agencies. Don't believe them!
Let me tell you how it went; I’m on my return high-speed train and must warn you all.
• For a 4-day-3-night tour, why did we join a group trip? Because my children were about to go back to school, and we made a last-minute decision to visit Beijing. But afraid that we wouldn’t be able to secure tickets due to the popularity of various tourist attractions in Beijing, we turned to Xiaohongshu for guidance. Yet, we fell into the trap of those promotional articles that boasted experiences were "just fabulous" and added a customer service WeChat account.
• The customer service would quote prices and present an itinerary with interesting stops included. After giving a deposit and booking our tickets, we started the journey.
• Upon arriving in Beijing at six o’clock in the morning, we immediately commenced our group tour. As soon as we reached there, the travel agency asked us to pay the remaining fee and also advertised some “optional packages”, which consisted of entrance fees for minor attractions, transportation expenses, a performance, and a shopping spot, that were also “voluntary”. Everything sounded reasonable, right? Now, with Beijing already at our feet, who wouldn’t wish to indulge in sightseeing and experiences?
️ Beware of the traps ahead!• Once we saw our tour guide, she immediately said that each of us had to pay ¥390 extra (children too!) as a "package fee", stating that everyone else had paid. If someone refused, they would be left behind because they couldn’t follow the group and wouldn’t catch up on following days if they didn’t take advantage of this so-called "opportunity". What's worse, it was mandatory to purchase these additional services. Therefore, we took a deep breath and reluctantly paid for what seemed like the first great mistake.
The day's itinerary then commenced:
- ① The Summer Palace:
- Upon entering, the guide promptly regaled us with countless tales revolving around Empress Dowager Cixi, a powerful ruler in late Qing dynasty, leading us to Kunming Lake and then letting us free roam.
- ️ Pay attention: We spent an extra ¥15 to visit the Fragrant Buddha Pagoda, which was not part of the package advertised at ¥390!
- ② Old Summer Palace:
- Once inside, our guide raced through a mere summary of online information available on history. Later, a 20-minute window for roaming around the museum and no more.
- ③ Tsinghua University, Peking University, and "Ice Ribbon" (National Speed Skating Oval, venue during 2022 Winter Olympics):
- Why did we stop at only viewing the exterior? Our guide claimed it to be difficult parking-wise. It was, to put it bluntly, an excuse to save time, with neither reservations or explanations offered of their neglect.
- Lunch:
- We were directed towards a spot near Olympic Park. Despite its acceptable façade, we followed the guide down an obscure staircase into an eerie passageway, ending with an empty dining area.
- It didn't take two minutes before all dishes were served, faster than a buffet.
- ️ Unfortunate Food Tasting: The most notable were slices of duck, numbering eight or nine pieces, which appeared blackened and impossible to enjoy for the entire table of fifteen.
- ④ Olympic Park:
- A short walk post-lunch led us directly into Olympic Park, encompassing locations of well-known landmarks such as Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. The guide traded for tickets to a tour bus that whipped us around while announcing the names of popular spots, then allocated a two-hour free exploration.
- ️ Pay attention: No ticket entrance was included whatsoever, leaving an exhausted us in need of rest once we had traversed through.
On the first day's tour, we arrived at "Golden Dynasty", where an hour-long performance awaited with impressive theatrical effects but uninteresting content.
Translated by a professional translator focusing on Chinese-to-English translation, ensuring the readability and fidelity of the original text.
- ① The Summer Palace:
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I'm stuck in this kind of tour group right now, and it's so frustrating. We had to get up super early just to visit a jewelry store. For anyone coming to Beijing, if you can avoid joining a tour group, please do. Young people can just do their own research and planning; that's enough. I'm really just making things difficult for myself here.
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Next time you book a tour, make sure to ask customer service beforehand: 'Can I skip all shopping stops and optional paid activities?' If they agree and are willing to write it into the contract, you'll be fine. If they won't put it in writing, you're definitely in for trouble! This is advice from someone with 20 years in the travel industry, just for your reference!
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I also booked for National Day, and they said the price wouldn't increase. The deposit was 100 yuan, but I haven't paid it yet.
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Hey sis, could you share which travel agency this was?
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OP, how much did your tour cost? When I went to Beijing, I also used a travel agency. They were upfront about it: there are cheap tours, but you have to go to shopping stops. There are also 'pure-play' (no shopping) tours that cost more. I opted for the pure-play one, and there were no hidden tricks; everything was clearly stated in the contract. You get what you pay for. If you go for a low price, you have to play by their rules. Wonder if everyone agrees?
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How much did you pay per person for your tour?
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This whole thing feels so fake.
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Same here. So angry! How's your situation?
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All these tour groups are just out to cheat you out of your money. You barely get to see the sights; it's all rushed. Their main focus is making you watch some 390 yuan acrobatics show and go shopping. I even booked a so-called 'high-end' tour, and they still found ways to rip me off.
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Is the 'Xiyangyang' tour agency reliable?
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I took my parents on a customized tour, and we had a really good time. They tailored the itinerary to our needs. The only downside was that it was a bit pricey.
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Sweetie, could you recommend one?
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Departing from Kunming, the tour fee is 3880 yuan per person for five days and four nights. Is a tour at this price point reliable?
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That doesn't sound reliable. My grandma and her group booked a similar tour which included round-trip airfare and three meals. But when they were transferring the money, the agency asked for specific transfer notes and extra personal information, claiming the payment wouldn't go through otherwise. It felt really sketchy. I was thinking of just taking my elderly relatives myself, but it seems like even the local tours are full of pitfalls.
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Beijing doesn't really have an off-season; it's just that it's much less crowded when it's not a public holiday. If it's your first time visiting Beijing, I'd still recommend finding a small tour group in advance and making sure you understand the daily itinerary. It's best when you can visit places like the Forbidden City, the National Museum, and others without having to worry about any of the planning – a completely hassle-free experience. Otherwise, you'd have to make reservations for many attractions yourself. With a tour, your meals, accommodation, and transportation are all taken care of. When you arrive at the sights, the driver and guide will sort out tickets and provide commentary. That's what my friends and I did.