Athina's journey through China
China through Athina's eyes
If you've ever thought about China as your next travel destination but you're still unsure what to expect, Athina's story is exactly what you need. She works as a travel specialist at KILROY, so she knows better than anyone how to get the most out of your trip. In 15 days, she travelled with a group from Beijing to Hong Kong, stopping for pandas, the Terracotta Army, and a national park that feels straight out of a sci-fi film. What surprised her most? Eating grasshoppers, bullet trains, and just how stunning the nature is.
Curious what it's really like to travel through China as a young traveller, what to watch out for, and which places you absolutely shouldn't miss? Read on!
Meet Athina
I'm Athina, and I've been working as a travel specialist at KILROY since 2022. Travelling has always been in my blood, and every year I'm searching for a new destination to discover! My first big trip was to Australia, where I worked for a while on a Working Holiday and then travelled around New Zealand. That's where it all began, and it's nowhere near finished!
Athina on her trip to China
How long were you travelling and what was the route?
I spent just over 2 weeks in China. I joined a group trip, which is 15 days in total. I arrived in Beijing a bit earlier myself, and I stayed a bit longer in Hong Kong. The group trip started in Beijing, where after a few days we took the night train to Xi'an. This is where you can see the Terracotta Army.
From there, we took the train to Chengdu - if you want to see pandas, this is the place! We only used bullet trains and night trains, because the distances are huge. So from Chengdu, we took the train to Chongqing. It's one of the biggest and most fascinating cities in China. It's super modern, totally different from the previous cities I visited. You'll find buildings with multiple street levels, lifts that take you to different parts of the city, and even a metro line that runs right through an apartment block.
Then we moved on to Zhangjiajie. I was really looking forward to this! It's a massive national park, and it's especially famous for the 'floating rocks' you might recognise from the film Avatar.
From there, we took the train to Yangshuo, my favourite spot! Here you can enjoy the beautiful landscape. And the last stop of my trip: Hong Kong. After travelling through China for 2 weeks, Hong Kong feels very western again. That was actually quite nice.
Yangshuo, China
What was the most impressive moment of the trip?
Walking through Zhangjiajie National Park. Zhangjiajie feels like another world and it's so vast - really special! I've never seen anything like it, so it was incredibly impressive for me. Everywhere you look, there are 'floating rocks', but there's also the glass bridge you can walk across at 300 metres high!
Zhangjiajie National Park
Which place did you find the most beautiful, and why?
Yangshuo is definitely my favourite place I've been. The landscape here is absolutely breathtaking! Everywhere you look, you see unique mountains. There's also the Li River, where you can float through on a bamboo raft.
And unlike the busy cities, Yangshuo is calm and spacious. We hired bikes and cycled through the landscape, riding through the valley between the mountains and the river. It's definitely a must-do!
Another amazing experience was the Impression Liu Sanjie. It's a fantastic show that uses the landscape as its stage - the show I saw was held on the water. These are some of the things you just have to see in China!
Yangshuo, China
What are your tips for a first visit to China?
Prepare your trip well! Because your 'normal' apps don't work here, it's really important to get ready. In China, it's tricky to download new apps, and they're only available in Chinese. So download all the apps you need outside China, so you can switch the language to English.
A SIM card with internet is also a must! For payments in China, you need a specific app, and it only works with internet. Bank cards aren't accepted anywhere, and cash isn't common either.
I also liked travelling with an organised group, because otherwise you'll face quite a few challenges. And you'll still have unexpected experiences! I never thought I'd eat a grasshopper or drink snake wine. I wouldn't do it again, but it's all part of the China experience. ;)
Group trip through China
How did you feel about safety, convenience & communication?
China is really safe - I never felt unsafe anywhere. Communication is a bit trickier, since they don't speak English. But if you have a translation app, you'll get pretty far!
Public transport is well organised. It has to be, with the huge distances you have to cover, but there are plenty of bullet trains and night trains to travel across the country.
Plan your trip to China
If, like Athina, you’re into nature, impressive landscapes and discovering a completely different culture, China is a destination you’ll want on your bucket list. The country is so vast and diverse, every trip feels like a real adventure.
Curious what your journey could look like? Or got questions about sorting apps, transport or safety? Just book a chat with us. We’re happy to help you get started and make sure you’re prepped for your trip. China might take a bit of getting used to, but it’s absolutely worth it.
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