Spitting Fire at My Tour Guide Was SO Satisfying!

[Abraham Kris]

Hey, everyone! If you just joined us now, be sure to check out my previous two posts first.

• Continuing our “wonderful” journey — Day Three

  • After leaving the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (an ancient site where Emperors worshipped heaven), we were shockingly amazed by some insider tips from other tourists in the group. We made a decision straight away – for the subsequent famous tourist spots, we would no longer follow our guides and their senseless wandering around; we must set off on our own!
  • Our next destination was the Summer Palace, which used to be the Emperor’s summer residence – a vast and beautiful imperial garden that looks like something out of a dream.
    • The guide stuck to her usual routine and said we couldn’t run wild after entering on our own, but we still followed her into the premises before heading our separate ways. We then happily wandered about taking photos everywhere, as there really were so many beautiful sights to capture.
    • When we met up with other members of our tour later, we asked them how they had enjoyed the place while showing them pictures we had taken. To our shock, they claimed they hadn't been allowed in anywhere near some of the sites we took photos at - the guide just moved them around aimlessly outside without actually leading them in!
    • Warning alert, friends! There’s a pitfall worth noting while traveling with tour groups here!
      • The issue: Some guides may cut corners and avoid taking you deep into a scenic spot just so they can save time and for various other reasons.
      • Solution: After entering a tourist site, try making your own plans to explore its core attractions, as long as you get the time and meeting place clearly confirmed with the guide first, to avoid getting lost.
  • We then visited the ruins of Yuanmingyuan (the legendary “garden of gardens” which was set ablaze and turned into the wreck you see today). This park of ruins, with relics and historical remnants, gives one sense of immense cultural history.
    • Our guide for Yuanmingyuan did say we could explore it on our own, but she only gave us 40 minutes!
    • Oh right, I forgot to mention, guides do seem to rush tourists through many important locations like the Great Wall or the Summer Palace with limited time, barely letting anyone absorb the grandeur and beauty of China’s rich cultural heritage.
    • The ruins of Yuanmingyuan are vast, with no way that 40 minutes would suffice! We had wanted to get tickets to see areas they were working on rebuilding, but not enough time remained for that…
    • Another warning: Time may not be sufficient!
      • The issue: Tour groups often impose too short visiting times at famous spots.
      • Solution: Do some research ahead of your visit, learn the size of the site and the must-visit landmarks. If the scheduled time seems inadequate, just go directly to the place or two you most want to see, or consider opting for a tailor-made tour.
  • The next “visit” on our itinerary was to “peek at” Tsinghua and Peking University (China’s top 2 universities which are equivalent to your nation’s Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, or Yale).
    • Guess what? We just sat on tour buses and passed by from the outside while glancing at their gates… That was it!
    • Warning: Be careful about “glimpses!”
      • Issue: Certain “glimpses” listed on travel itineraries aren’t much more than a quick glance from tour buses.
      • Solution: If there’s a “glimpse” spot that interests you very much, find out the exact process of visiting it before you go.

Stay tuned for my next rant. I guarantee this will be my final rant!
I simply couldn't hold back any longer – I had to vent! #Beijing #GuideTricks #MalaysianFriendsTravellingChina

[Franklin Weimann IV]

What happens if I leave the tour group?

[Darren Sawayn]

It's not a big deal if you leave. You can just explore on your own and then meet up with the guide later.

[Reginald Ziemann]

It's clearly a large tour group. They're trying to cram a customized two-day itinerary into a single day.

[Katrina Ziemann]

You should book a private custom tour for just your group to have more time, or simply explore on your own. These tours with large, mixed groups often don't offer a very good experience.

[Miss Alison Collier]

If language isn't an issue for you, you really don't need to join a tour group.

[Mr. Carlton Johnston]

Heads up: This Beijing tour guide claimed to be from Ctrip but was actually an unlicensed, unofficial guide. He was from Northeast China, didn't provide good explanations throughout the tour, and even argued with tourists. The itinerary just skimmed over the actual attractions, with the main focus on extended stops at 'cultural creative' shops and pastry stores, clearly just trying to get people to buy things.