Stories of our journey.

Episode 4 of our 8D7N Yunnan trip ends in Kunming (昆明). After Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La, Kunming felt like a completely different side of Yunnan. More urban. More modern. More shopping. But still full of old streets, cafés, local food and interesting neighbourhoods. We had rain during part of the trip, so Kunming became a really good example of how easy the city is to explore even when the weather isn’t perfect. In this vlog, we explored Nanping Street, Nanqiang Pedestrian

Episode 2 of our 8D7N Yunnan trip takes us from the ancient streets of Lijiang all the way up to 4,680 metres on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山). This part of Yunnan was probably one of the most memorable sections of the entire trip. We explored Lijiang Ancient City, stayed high above the old town with views towards Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, reached the 4,680m viewpoint, visited the turquoise waters of Blue Moon Valley, tried traditional ethnic clothing and spent the follow

Our Yunnan trip started with a long travel day from Kuala Lumpur to Kunming, then onward by train to Dali. This first episode covers our first few days in Dali — from Dali Ancient City and Longkan Wharf to Xizhou Ancient Town, Zhoucheng, Majiuyi Village and Shaxi Ancient Town. If you’re planning a Yunnan itinerary and wondering what Dali is actually like, this vlog gives you a good idea of the pace, scenery, transport and places you can realistically fit into a few days. Watc

If you enjoy art or want to discover something quieter in Suzhou, stop by Wu Zuoren Art Museum (吴作人艺术馆). It's a relatively small museum hidden along Dinghui Temple Lane (定慧寺巷), close to Suzhou's famous Twin Pagodas 双塔. And the best part? It's completely free to visit. Who Was Wu Zuoren? Wu Zuoren (吴作人) was an important Chinese painter who was born in Suzhou and spent much of his early life here. He worked across oil painting, Chinese painting, watercolor, sketching and callig

If you're visiting Suzhou, Shantang Street (山塘街) is one place I'd definitely save for the late afternoon or evening. This is one of those places that looks nice during the day... but once the lanterns and lights come on beside the canal, that's when Shantang Street really comes alive. Traditional white houses. Stone bridges. Boats moving slowly through the canal. Red lanterns reflecting on the water. If you're looking for that classic Jiangnan water-town atmosphere, this is o

If you're visiting Suzhou for the first time, Pingjiang Road (平江路) is one place I definitely wouldn't skip. This is probably one of the best places to experience the classic 江南 — Jiangnan side of Suzhou. Small canals. Stone bridges. White traditional houses. Old alleyways. Boats slowly passing through the water. And plenty of little cafés, snack shops and stores hidden along the street. If Guanqian Street shows you the lively centre of Suzhou, Pingjiang Road gives you the Suz

If you're visiting Suzhou for the first time, Guanqian Street (观前街) is one of the easiest places to start. It feels like one of the main commercial centers of Suzhou, with restaurants, shops, snacks and plenty of people around — even at night. We stayed nearby at Manji Hotel (漫季酒店), so Guanqian Street became one of those places we naturally passed through again and again. And honestly, the location was really convenient. What Is Guanqian Street? Guanqian Street is one of Suzh

If you're doing a Shanghai citywalk, don't skip Wulumuqi Middle Road (乌鲁木齐中路). It's not a huge street, but this small stretch has a surprising number of interesting shops, cafés and little places worth stopping for. We came here after Anfu Road, then continued towards Huaihai Middle Road. For me, it's one of those streets that's perfect as part of a walking route rather than a standalone destination. What Is Wulumuqi Middle Road Like? Wulumuqi Middle Road feels much more neig

If you're already visiting Wukang Road (武康路), I definitely recommend continuing your walk towards Anfu Road (安福路). We came here directly from Wukang Road, and the atmosphere changes pretty quickly. Anfu Road feels much more young, trendy and fashion-focused, with cafés, lifestyle stores, boutiques and plenty of people just walking around and hanging out. It's one of those streets that doesn't need a huge attraction. You come here because the whole area is fun to explore. What

Planning your first trip to Shanghai and wondering what places you actually need to visit? After travelling around Shanghai multiple times, these are the places I would personally recommend — from the famous skyline and traditional gardens to neighbourhood streets, architecture and some quieter spots that many first-time visitors miss. This isn't just a list of Shanghai's most famous landmarks. These are places we've actually visited, photographed and explored ourselves. If y

If you're already walking through Hefang Street (河坊街) and Dajing Alley (大井巷), keep going until you reach Hangzhou Drum Tower (鼓楼). This is a really easy landmark to include because it sits right at the end of that old-town walking route. What Is Hangzhou Drum Tower? Hangzhou Drum Tower, or 鼓楼, is a historic gate tower in the old city area of Hangzhou. The site has a long history and has been rebuilt several times over the centuries, so what you see today is a restored version

If you're visiting Hefang Street (河坊街) in Hangzhou, don't just stay on the main tourist street. Walk into Dajing Alley (大井巷). This short historic alley connects the Hefang Street area towards Drum Tower (鼓楼), and personally, I think it's one of the prettier little streets to walk through in this part of Hangzhou. We visited in April during spring, when many of the shops had flowers decorating their storefronts. The whole street looked ridiculously pretty. 😂 And there's also

If you're exploring the old part of Hangzhou, Hefang Street (河坊街) is definitely worth walking through. Compared with nearby Nan Song Yu Jie (南宋御街), Hefang Street feels much more lively and touristy. Think: street food traditional snacks souvenirs tea shops Chinese medicine stores handicrafts and rows of traditional-style buildings packed with people. I’d recommend visiting Hefang Street and Nan Song Yu Jie together since they're basically part of the same historic area. What

If you're exploring central Hangzhou, Nan Song Yu Jie (南宋御街) is a nice place to slow down and walk around. Also known as Southern Song Imperial Street, this historic street gives you a completely different side of Hangzhou from West Lake or Lingyin Temple. Here you'll find old-style buildings, traditional shops, local snacks, cafés and small stores along a long pedestrian-friendly street. I'd recommend pairing it with Hefang Street (河坊街) since they're right around the same hi

If you're looking for something casual to do at night in Hangzhou, Wulin Night Market (武林夜市) is an easy place to add to your itinerary. Food stalls, snacks, drinks, handmade goods, little accessories and plenty of people walking around — it's basically the kind of place you come to after dinner when you're not ready to head back to the hotel yet. We stopped by during our Hangzhou trip and I think it's worth visiting if you're already around central Hangzhou. What Is Wulin Nig

If you're visiting Hangzhou, City Balcony (城市阳台) is one place I definitely recommend adding to your itinerary. Especially at night. This is one of the best places to see the modern side of Hangzhou — completely different from West Lake, Lingyin Temple and the traditional parts of the city. And most importantly: This is one of the best places to watch the 钱江新城 Qianjiang New City Light Show. If you have one free evening in Hangzhou, I'd come here. What Is City Balcony 城市阳台? Cit

You can't really visit Hangzhou without visiting West Lake (西湖). But instead of only walking around the lake, one experience I definitely recommend is taking a traditional: 西湖手摇船 — West Lake hand-rowed boat. We took one of the popular scenic routes around West Lake for around two hours, slowly travelling through quieter parts of the lake while a boatman rowed us along. And honestly, this is probably one of the nicest ways to experience West Lake. What Is a hand-rowed boat (手摇

If you're visiting Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, there's another temple nearby that I really recommend: Shang Tianzhu Faxi Temple — 上天竺法喜寺. Personally, I think this was one of the most beautiful temples we visited in Hangzhou. Yellow temple walls. Dark tiled roofs. Red lanterns. Trees and mountains surrounding everything. And because the temple is built upwards along the hillside, every time you climb another set of stairs, you discover another courtyard or building above you.

If you're visiting Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, there's another temple nearby that I'd definitely add to your morning: Lingshun Temple (灵顺寺) — better known as 天下第一财神庙, or the “No. 1 God of Wealth Temple.” We went here first thing in the morning, took the cable car up Beigao Peak (北高峰) before the queue got busy, visited the temple, rang the bell eight times for good wealth... …and then continued our day at Lingyin Temple. It actually makes a really nice Hangzhou temple route. 2

If you're visiting Hangzhou, Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺) is one place I would definitely put on your itinerary. Hidden among mountains and trees near West Lake, Lingyin Temple feels completely different from the busy parts of Hangzhou. You don't just come here for one temple building either. The whole area includes Feilai Peak (飞来峰), ancient Buddhist carvings, forest paths and several temples surrounded by greenery. If you only have a few days in Hangzhou, this is one of the places