Dodge These Tourist Traps in Every City!
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Seeing other sisters' posts, I felt that they were so true, I must share it with everyone!
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Lately, there's been a popular phrase online: "XX (a certain place) is fine, but I won't come back again!"
- It sounds a bit strange, right? Actually, this is a humorous way of speaking here, not necessarily meaning that everything about the place is bad.
- What it means is, the scenery may be beautiful, and the food might be decent enough, but perhaps due to too many people, some experiences failing to meet expectations, or just encountering some unpleasant incidents, it gives one the feeling of "I experienced it, but I won't make a special trip back." —— with just a tinge of grumbling and regret.
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Since many people started sharing their tips on how to avoid “falling into pitfalls” when traveling to Tianshui (a city in Gansu province that became popular recently because of its unique snacks) ...
- To “avoid pitfalls” means sharing one’s first-hand experiences and wisdom so as to guide others away from unfavorable travel experiences.
- For example, some attractions might not live up to the hype, some restaurants might play havoc with tourists, or visiting at certain times and thus encountering large crowds, which can severely mar the experience.
- Now these “pitfall-avoidance posts” are ubiquitous, not only for Tianshui but also big popular cities are making it onto these lists:
- Beijing, Shanghai (two super-large metropolitan centers housing numerous tourists)
- Xi'an (ancient capital of China with the Terracotta Army; a must-go for history aficionados)
- Wuhan, Nanjing (both renowned ancient cities along the Yangtze river)
- Suzhou, Hangzhou (praised for their beautiful gardens, ancient towns, and West Lake)
- Chengdu (the hometown of Chinese pandas, offering overabundance of delicious food)
- Chongqing (mountain city known for its night view, hotpot, and others)
- Yangzhou (with its long-standing culture and exquisite cuisine)
- ...etc. There are many more!
️ Sincere advice for travelers & Points of Attention:-
Regarding such evaluation as “I won't come back again!” :
- Don’t panic! This does not imply that everything about the place is bad.
- What can you do? Read more into what are the specific complaints, which may turn out to be just minor issues that can be easily avoided (such as dining in a particular restaurant, being part of a huge crowd during a certain period).
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Search for “tour pitfall avoidance” guidelines before traveling:
- Why is this important? It's like reading negative reviews, tips for travelers: they help you foresee any potential problems in your travel destination.
- What can you do? Like searching for "[City Name] pitfall avoidance/guide", looking into locals’ or other travelers’ advice you'll plan more effectively thus saving unnecessary effort and money, avoiding useless queues.
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Maintain rational judgment:
- Note: Online recommendations abound with various comments, some of which might just be individual opinions or isolated incidents.
- What can you do? Refer to multiple sources, analyze comprehensively. Don't immediately give up your visit just because of a few bad comments, nor blindly embrace all so-called “ideal” suggestions.
#travel #ChinaTourism #FoodGuide #PitfallAvoidanceGuide
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It seems like every city is getting flagged with 'steer clear' warnings! Are these people reincarnated as human lightning rods or what? Can't they just be more open-minded and accept the good and bad of each city? Why are so many travelers so hostile? The slightest dissatisfaction, and it's 'avoid this, red flag that!' And locals can't even speak up. If we defend our hometown a little, we're attacked, called 'snowflakes,' 'fragile,' or 'easily triggered!'
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Let me summarize some of the reasons I've seen these past two days from those 'human lightning rods' for avoiding Tianshui – they're completely outrageous.
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Especially those posts titled 'Everyone, stay away! Avoid X city!' It's fine to warn about specific issues you encountered, but to just tell people to avoid an entire city? That's insane. And if a local chimes in, they pin comments like, 'Locals, don't bother replying... I'm never coming back...' What's the point of such people even traveling? They should just stay home.
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Exactly, I've seen so many of these. Just today, I saw a post calling Xi'an a 'food desert,' claiming it has no rice, fruit, or vegetables, only meat. Then another claimed the Northwest has no meat either, and people in Shaanxi and Gansu rarely eat it! The comments were like, 'Oh, absolutely, we Northwesterners just live on air.' Apparently, anything can be a reason to 'avoid' a place; these people must be reincarnated lightning rods! And if locals try to say anything, it's immediately, 'See? It IS bad, and they won't even let us say it! Locals are trying to gag tourists and stop the truth!'
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Every city is getting 'steer clear' warnings! Are they all reincarnated lightning rods?
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Wuhan is already used to being bashed.
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'Locals, stop trying to defend it!'
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Right, right, that line is a classic.
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Hangzhou, among the cities I've visited, is already doing a great job, yet there are still tons of people telling others to 'steer clear' of it.
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Exactly. These 'princes' and 'princesses' are never satisfied no matter where they go.
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Don't even get me started! When I'm in Shaanxi, I see posts about avoiding Xi'an all the time. When I go to Suzhou, it's warnings about Suzhou. Wherever I go, there are 'steer clear' advisories for it. I won't list all the places I've visited, but from my experience, I haven't encountered any major 'dealbreakers.' Even as someone who loves savory and spicy food, I didn't find the cuisine in Shanghai or Jiangsu unappetizing. How come there are so many of these 'human lightning rods' around?
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Totally. Lately, I've also been seeing 'steer clear' posts for all sorts of places: Xi'an, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou... basically the entire Jiangsu province is being 'red-flagged.' These 'human lightning rods' should just stay home and not travel.
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They can't even figure out the station themselves and then tell others not to come?! Seriously?
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Xiaohongshu should just rename itself 'The Book of Don'ts' or 'Steer Clear Guide.'
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These 'princes' and 'princesses' constantly flagging things to 'avoid' – they're too much. It's acceptable to complain if the scenery isn't as expected, but they whine about every tiny issue. I've traveled across more than half of China and faced plenty of setbacks. Am I supposed to issue a 'steer clear' warning for every single one? Now, I don't even bother reading guides or posts on Xiaohongshu anymore; there's no point.
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Xi'an these days...