Beijing | Chengde | Tianjin | Gubei
8D7N Vacation in China
Spanning centuries even before the official establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, countless cultures steeped in just as much history and landscapes ranging from neon-lit skylines to great walls spanning miles, China is beautiful in the most chaotic and overloading way. I absolutely love China and, after this trip, I have no doubt I will retire in the country. Something about everyone around you speaking Chinese and the fantastic food… it’s all unbelievably appealing
Over the course of 8 days, following a Chan Brothers group tour, my family and I visited multiple famous landmarks and ticked many a item off our bucket lists. Be it travelling via Tianjin Bullet Train, trying authentic Quanjude Beijing Roast Duck or climbing the Great Wall of China, I hope that our experiences will not only be interesting to read about, but will also help you plan your own trip to China, if that’s what you’re looking for.
This series of posts will encompass our experience following the Chan Brother’s tour package, any tips and tricks we’ll be able to impart following our visit and, hopefully, an interesting read. You’re currently visiting what I like to call the “Master Post.” At the bottom of this post, you’ll find links to individual entries for each of the 4 major destinations we visited. This master post will give you an overview of how we planned the trip, what worked, what didn’t, tips for getting around, and our general thoughts on China. Should you wish to read about our experiences and thoughts about China’s countless landmarks, attractions and food in accordance to province, skipping all this boring administrative stuff, do scroll to the bottom of the post.
Otherwise, without further ado, here’s my best shot at sharing with you the wonders of the People’s Republic of China
Trip Itinerary
As mentioned previously, this trip follows a Chan Brothers Tour Package, headed by a local guide with 30 or so years of experience named Mao (毛）and a tour leader named Huangshan (黄山). Our tour group consists of 24 people, making it a relatively large group but still cater-able at the same time. The group was split into 6 families and, for meals, each table would usually house 2 families.
Although there is an itinerary provided (which you can find HERE), it will be rather inaccurate due to changes made.
| Day | Date | Where to Where | Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | 11/Jun/2025 | Singapore –> Beijing (~6 Hour Flight) | Wanda Realm |
| Thursday | 12/Jun/2025 | Tiananmen Square | The Forbidden City | Jingshan Park | Temple of Heaven | Wangfujing Street | Wanda Realm |
| Friday | 13/Jun/2025 | Summer Palace | Sanlitun (Free and Easy) | Golden Mask Dynasty Performance | Wanda Realm |
| Saturday | 14/Jun/2025 | Beijing –> Tianjin (~2 Hour Drive) Italian Style Town | Guwenhua Street High Speed Train –> Beijing (~30 Minutes) | Wanda Realm |
| Sunday | 15/Jun/2025 | Beihai Park Beijing –> Gubei Water Town (~2 Hour Drive) Day Tour | Simatai Great Wall | 古北水镇大酒店 |
| Monday | 16/Jun/2025 | Jinshanling Great Wall | Chengde Mountain Resort | Free to enjoy Gubei Facilities | 古北水镇大酒店 |
| Tuesday | 17/Jun/2025 | Boat ride through Gubei (Optional) | Go-karts (Optional) Gubei –> Beijing (~2 Hour Drive) 798 Art Street | Free and Easy | Kuntai Beijing |
| Wednesday | 18/Jun/2025 | Beijing –> Singapore (~6 Hour Flight) |
So, there are a lot of differences from the itinerary we followed and the itinerary we were sent. This is down to a lot of adjustments over the years by the tour guide himself and the amount of time we spend at each location, hence the time we have left. This isn’t usually too big a deal given you’re still getting what you paid for, no worries about that.
All of the hotels are selected and booked by the tour leader, meaning no waiting around for rooms. Same goes for your meals, the coach, a 50-seater bus, and tickets to any attractions. This makes following a tour group, especially in China where most attractions lie behind tickets which sell out like hotcakes and heightened security, extremely easy. I could not imagine going about this trip solo, frankly.
However, do not be dissuaded by my word if you’re more of a solo traveller. We met a lovely Singaporean family on the Simatai Great Wall of China during our stay in Gubei. He kindly took some time to chat with us and told us that he was on this trip with his family. They rented their own car, spoke Chinese and navigated on their own, even trying Quanjude a few days ago as of meeting them! It’s not impossible to travel alone, but I don’t doubt a lot of bookings and preparation has to be done. Kudos to them!
Travel Tips, Tricks, “Do’s and Don’ts”
With that being said, whether you’re planning a trip solo or booking a group tour, there’s still many a thing you need to know. Here are some essentials
- People DO NOT use cash in China, and I do not over exaggerate when I say this. Everywhere you to go shop or eat, the standard is either WeChat Pay (微信 / Weixin) or Alipay. Do set this up before arrival or you’ll have a tough time straight out of immigration. WeChat has become almost a staple in China, used for tipping, sending money, communication, paying etc etc.
- That then comes with the reminder that China blocks many of the apps you use. Instagram, Twitter, Whatsapp, Telegram, even Google. However, China only blocks websites and apps through internet infrastructure inside its borders. If your internet is still technically “foreign,” like roaming data from Singapore or Malaysia, you can bypass the firewall. So long as you’re connected to any form of Wifi in China though, the ability to use those apps slips away. Another reason to set up your WeChat or practice social (media) distancing!
- As always, take note of the weather. We were lucky enough to enjoy our vacation between two major weather warnings (38 celcius and 40 something celcius), but that fortune may not carry over to everyone. Furthermore, when it’s cold, it’s very cold. Pack a jacket, a good umbrella and ensure you drink a sufficient amount of water. Heatstroke is a possibility if you don’t take care of yourself.
- Although I will make a point to mention this later, security checks in China are widespread. Always carry your passport on you and be prepared to have your sling bag or backpack checked whenever you visit a major landmark. These security checks are akin to those in airports, for reference. It’s not too invasive or thorough, but it can cost you time and problems if you’re not prepared.
- Coming from personal experience, if you’re studying in Singapore, the Chinese the locals is speak is manageable. However, if you’re on a tour, I can’t guarantee you’ll understand it all. If you don’t speak Chinese, translation apps may suffice for basic interaction, but don’t expect to have a fun time. However, even for those who understand Chinese, Beijing locals do have an accent to their speech. It’s nothing unmanageable, but the accent does cause them to speak faster than we do in Singapore.
- Finally, most importantly, censorship and surveillance is a very real thing. There is no point trying to be funny by making a lowkey joke about the protests at Tiananmen Square. Don’t poke the bear. Listen to your tour guide carefully.
Review, Retrospective and Conclusion – Visit China?
If you’re here in need of some convincing, I’d say yes, absolutely.
I’m of the opinion that China is a place you have to visit at least once in your lifetime. It’s beautiful, clean, efficient, safe and so rich in culture and history. Even with 8 days in the country, paired with a lovely tour guide who spoke endlessly on the history and the nature of the country, I still feel as though I’ve barely scratched the surface. There’s so much that’s fascinating about the country which you’ll likely hear me ramble on about if you read my following posts on each location.
Of course, it’s not going to feel like visiting Japan or Europe, China’s political landscape has shaped how the country takes to tourism and that’s easy to see. While that difference can be off-putting, don’t let that stop you. China, despite everything you may have heard, is worth visiting. Don’t let all the propaganda sway you. Always form your own opinions, and that starts with giving it a shot,
Personally, as a Singaporean, I’ve of course heard unendingly about China. Primarily, I have a love-hate relationship with the language of the country, as most Singaporean students do. Even though I am not from China and have never been, I don’t lie when I say I feel a certain sense of belonging visiting the country. It’s the feeling of being in a country where people speak a language you understand rather than Thai or Malay. It’s the feeling of being in a country your ancestors lived in. The feeling of being in a country where the history interests you deeply.
Patriotism at its finest.
Location Specific Blog Posts – Continue your journey
As mentioned before, here are the links for the posts which cover specific locations. Given the itinerary that you’ve read above, you may realise that there is a bit of unevenness in terms of things to cover for each location. For example, in Chengde, we only really visited the Jinshanling Great Wall and the Chengde Mountain Resort. Apologies for that, but we’ll help where we can! The posts below will consist of a lot of rambling on things that I learned or find interesting, including the history of China
Also, I am a photographer and all photos used will be mine, all of which unedited. Hope you enjoy!
- Beijing – Past and Present, Capital of China
- Tianjin – Colonial Past, Diversity in China
- Gubei – Tranquil Preservation of Tradition
- Chengde – Emperors’ Escape
Here is a collection of my favourite photos from China. It should be accessible as is.