Warning! Came for a good time sightseeing... LOL, NO. 😢
-
Ah, I truly regret it! On my first visit to Hangzhou, instead of following my sister's lead and exploring the city at our own pace, I opted for a package tour with a guide hoping for a more professional travel experience. (I was silly not to make this decision myself, as it would have been far better to stay out of this tour!)
- This morning, I visited Lefeng Pagoda (雷峰塔, Leifeng Pagoda), an iconic ancient tower admired for its picturesque landscape. Fortunately, this portion of the visit proved enjoyable, with good photos taken.
- (Note: Lefeng Pagoda is a renowned ancient pagoda known for its scenic beauty.)
- However, after lunch, everything changed abruptly when we were forcefully led to 'ZheDa Tea Polyphenols' (浙大茶多酚), a coercive shopping site where tourists are pressured into purchasing overpriced tea products. Though the name suggests a connection to Zhejiang University, this place is primarily oriented towards tourist purchases.
- (Note: "ZheDa Tea Polyphenols" sounds like a Zhejiang University research product but often refers to high-priced tea selling hotspots aimed solely at tourists.)
Warning: Coercive Purchasing Situations
-
A severe matter occurred when no one from our group decided to buy anything at this teas store, resulting in salespeople and guides secretly insulting us in dialect (dialect spoken among Hangzhou locals), referring to us as "waste" or "garbage." Thankfully, one of the group aunts could understand their language.
-
Furthermore, while headed to Lingyin Temple on the way from the shop, our guides continued with the pressure tactics, constantly urging us to purchase more items such as saying "you must consume", "don't buy just a little". They even went onto mention other tour groups had car accident fatalities in an attempt to scare tourists into purchasing.
- (Note: Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺, Lingyin Temple) is one of Hangzhou's most famous ancient temples. )
-
One kind aunt within the group tried to express her concern, which resulted in being verbally taunted by the tour guide during the journey, making the atmosphere extremely intimidating due to this event.
-
When arriving outside Lingyin Temple, the mood on the vehicle became terribly frightening. Out of fear, I decided to leave earlier without entering the temple on my own.
- Additional Note: Loss of personal safety and financial losses
-
The guide refused to refund the entrance fee of Lingyin Temple that I had already paid for earlier.
-
When informing him that I was leaving, he even taunted me with the implications of "missing out on good luck," "be cautious about bad luck" - this made me speechlessly annoyed.
- (Good Fortune (福气, fúqi) signifies positive blessing whereas Bad Luck (倒霉, dǎoméi) alludes to misfortune. These traditional Chinese ideas are part of the beliefs held locally.)
In conclusion, it is best to avoid tour groups as much as possible and explore personally. This unfortunate experience has left me with great distress.
To add on, though our alleged "Fortune-bringer" (Guide自称“吉祥”, self-styled as Auspicious/Lucky). At first, I thought he was a decently pleasant person, but as the day went on on the road, the only feeling I had from him was fearful…
- This morning, I visited Lefeng Pagoda (雷峰塔, Leifeng Pagoda), an iconic ancient tower admired for its picturesque landscape. Fortunately, this portion of the visit proved enjoyable, with good photos taken.
-
I just went through the exact same scam today. The only difference was we actually went in with the guide. Once inside, we were somehow forced to pay another 30 RMB for tickets. After a few of us paid, they herded us into a shop to buy flowers and lanterns, insisting it was mandatory. My companion, who's usually very frugal, ended up buying five flowers and some lanterns, spending 700 RMB. The whole Lingyin Temple trip cost us nearly 1,000 RMB.
-
What I did afterward was collect evidence and file a complaint with the platform, using pretty strong language and stating I'd report them to the Hangzhou Culture and Tourism Bureau and the Consumer Council. The platform manager then refunded all our in-trip expenses and even offered an additional free tour. However, I'd completely lost trust in them, so I only accepted the refund. You could try reporting to the platform first.
-
Didn't that 'long-time Hangzhou resident' you know warn you about joining tour groups?...
-
She's usually busy with work. I actually just had a sudden two-day break and decided to visit Hangzhou since it was nearby. I didn't do much planning or give her a heads-up. Being quite introverted, I didn't want to trouble her to go out of her way to show me around. Later on, I really enjoyed exploring by myself, just taking the bus route around the lake.
-
Next time you want to 'really enjoy your trip,' you don't necessarily need a tour group. You can be your own group! Just find a private guide to take only you (and your family). —From a guide who often leads private tours for families and individuals.
-
Why even bother with a tour group in Hangzhou? Just spend a few minutes on Xiaohongshu to check out some guides. They clearly list what to avoid and what's recommended.
-
Tours from Meituan or Ctrip? They're absolutely terrible.
-
Lingyin Temple tickets are personalized and non-refundable. You can just visit the temple and then take a bus back down the mountain. Smart travelers never join tour groups; they go wherever they please. With a smartphone, how could you possibly get lost?
-
I've been to Hangzhou countless times, always on my own. There's really no need to join a tour group for any destination.
-
Was this by any chance near the boat dock? The kind where they approach you right as you get out of a taxi, claiming their tour is cheap? I said I'd go in and check it out first, but he kept insisting there were no attractions inside. I almost fell for it. Luckily, I didn't go with them.
-
These days, with Gaode Maps for navigation, Xiaohongshu for travel guides, and Ctrip for booking flights and hotels, there's absolutely no need to join a tour group. The only time you might need one is for a guided explanation.