Vietnam – Beijing Kids

Cheap Escapes from the Rush of Golden Week

Andy Penafuerte III — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 07:00:19 +0000

Even though Golden Week is still almost two months away, when it comes to national holiday travel plans, you really cannot start too soon. Anyone who has ever traveled in mainland China during this peak period knows just how much cheaper, easier and maybe just plain wiser it is to barricade yourself at home for the duration with plenty of entertainment and snacks. But that’s not for everyone.

If you have discovered the golden key of going abroad to make the most of the holidays, you may have realized that Chinese tourists have also found that key and are using it more than you. If you are determined to get out of the country at any cost, be ready to pay more than usual, even with the best deals. Check out these relatively affordable escape routes from Beijing but don’t wait until the last day, because they are likely to sell out any minute now.

Busan, South Korea (from RMB 1,180)

Breeze and possibly still swimmable waters will greet you in Busan. The coastline stretches all along the city, lined with shiny skyscrapers interspersed with plenty of green areas. Busan offers an abundance of decent hiking and leisurely walking routes. However, the city is situated in a relatively mountainous area, so even a simple bike ride in the city might bring out some serious sweat. Spend an afternoon in a colorful, cute, art-filled village perfect for your Instagram feed. Sample Busan’s unique, wide-ranging cuisine and seafood. One-way tickets for the last days of September go for a little below RMB 1,200, with the steepest one hitting RMB 1,530 on the weekend. Flights back to Beijing swirl around RMB 1,300 for the first week of October.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (from RMB 800)

Kuala Lumpur itself is slightly boring, too hot and not very pedestrian-friendly for a Southeast Asian city. However, it offers some of the best variety of food. Stuff your tummy with local and Indian delicacies (the Indian community is going strong in KL, so grab a sari and stock up on spices while you’re at the market). Unless you are dying to visit all of the museums in KL, try to designate a day to those urban attractions before sliding over to the beach. Port Dickson is the closest one to the city (45 minutes away), but it may not be as impressive as Batu Ferringhi, which has the right mix of clean water and sandy beaches to make you feel completely removed from overrun national-holiday Beijing. Tickets to Kuala Lumpur almost double in price during the last week of September, but you can squeeze in a few days of beach if you leave on Oct 5 (RMB 809) and come back on the 9th (RMB 1,222).

Bangkok, Thailand (from RMB 816)

Expats and locals in China can all agree that Thailand is the ultimate tropical oasis within spitting distance. Bangkok serves travelers of all kinds, and there are plenty of sights worth visiting in this bustling city. Roam the temples for a day and then sip coconut water straight from the husk (after spicing it up with a cheeky splash of rum, perhaps). Numerous travel agencies are willing to lead you around the beaches and jungles if time is tight. The cheapest tickets to Bangkok go for RMB 816 on Oct 5. If you want to spend more time in Thailand, open your wallet a tad wider and leave on Oct 2 for RMB 1,365.

Hanoi, Vietnam (from RMB 1,270)

No one is judging if you choose to swap the buzz of one city for the buzz of another. Hanoi rests on a lush and seemingly peaceful river, while an incredibly fast-paced (and borderline hazardous) scooter-mounted population zooms about not far from the water’s edge. The city is home to colorful and photogenic scenes and French-inspired architecture. Find more ideas for Hanoi adventures here. Tickets get cheaper in the second half of the week (Oct 5 for RMB 1,270), but if you need more time, aim to depart on either Thursday the week before (Sept 28, RMB 1,906) or Sunday (Oct 1, RMB 2,165).

Bali, Indonesia (From RMB 933)

Bali is great because you can almost step right out of the plane and onto a beach. While they may be lacking in palm trees in Kuta, if you head north (Bali island is pretty small and possible to tour around in three days), you might just find the serenity that is missed in Beijing. While Bali is certainly not the cheapest destination (think: years and years of development for the local tourism industry), you can still hunt down cheap eats in local warungs and markets. If the smell of incense is too intense, hop on a boat to the nearby Gili Meno or Gili Air islands that neighbor Lombok for slow, makeup-free days. (Skip Gili Trawangan unless you’re in Bali seeking new beer pong venues and sports bars.) Tickets to Denpasar (Bali) sell for RMB 933 on Oct 5. Your ideal return date is Tuesday (Oct 10, RMB 1,873). If you’re unable to call in sick for two more days, Sunday tickets are almost RMB 3,000.

Ticket hunting is best performed on Sky Scanner and purchased on Ctrip. If you don’t care about the destination and simply want to get out of Mainland China for a few days, pick your departure date and use Sky Scanner’s great destination-free option by selecting “Everywhere” for the cheapest places that day. A word of caution: you may end up in Khabarovsk Novy (from RMB 772), and we can’t speak to how fun that may be. It could be fantastic for all we know.

Photos: Grasshopper Adventures, The Jakarta Post, Wikipedia Commons, Vietnam Guide

This post first appeared on our sister site, The Beijinger. See more stories from the author here.

Six Warm Places to Visit This Winter

Nimo_Wanjau — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 04:00:19 +0000

Winter in Beijing is one of a kind. This year Beijing is expected to experience one of the coldest winters since 2012. Two to three month-long hibernation like the polar bears isn’t an option. However, packing up and heading to a warmer climate might be what you need to get through the other weeks as we countdown to spring. In our November/December issue we featured four places for families looking to brave the freezing temperatures or those looking to shake off the winter temperature.

Planning a family vacation can be difficult but finding a quick guide of places to visit shouldn’t be. Here are six places we’ve picked:

Hong Kong
Flight: 3.5hours
Ages: All
Hong Kong is the best short flight option to enjoy warm temperatures at low cost. There are a lot of attractions for the family to enjoy such as Hong Kong Disneyland, the Ocean Park, The Peak (panoramic view of Hong Kong), the interactive Hong Kong Science Museum, Space Museum to name a few. The one highlight that shouldn’t be missed is the Symphony of lights. Whether this is your first time to Hong Kong or you are a returning visitor, this feature is one that neither you nor the kids will stop loving. Public transportation, the MTR, makes it very easy to navigate around the city apart from far away places but bus and taxi can get you where you need to go or Uber!

Singapore
Flight: 6hours
Ages: All ages
Singapore is one of the most beautiful cities in Asia if not the world. The kids will be occupied the entire time with all the cool things to do. The biggest attraction is Sentosa Island that has the Universal Studios, S.E.A Aquarium, Dolphin Island, Adventure Cove Waterpark, and more. There’s a free water play area at the Gardens by the Bay. There’s a lot of water activities and aquatic animals to see but there’s also the Singapore Zoo to see other species in the animal kingdom and the Jirong Bird Park. Unlike Hong Kong, a holiday in Singapore comes at a higher price tag from flights, hotels, airbnb, and food. The trip is worth it though.

Malaysia
Flight: 6hours
Ages: All ages
From Singapore one can drive into Malaysia if you have a valid drivers license. A flight from Singapore is 45minutes away but 6 hours from Beijing. Depending on the type of family you are there’s a little of everything in Malaysia to do: visit the Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre near Sandakan, Sabah to get all up close and personal with an Orang-Utan, head to the beautiful beaches of Langkawi, enjoy the tranquility at the oldest rainforest in the world at the Mt Kinabalu National Park, see one of the tallest buildings in the world, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, tour the historic Georgetown in Penang, or explore the tea plantations in Cameron Highlands. Malaysia is home to the Legoland in Asia that accommodates over 70 attraction divided into seven themed parks, a massive water park, and unique themes. There are several theme parks such as the Sunway Lagoon, Des WaterPark, and Mines Wonderland in Kuala Lumpur, A’samosa Water World in Alor Gajah, Burkit Merah Laketown Water Park in Semanggol, Perak. A trip to Malaysia is cheaper than to Singapore but a little more than Hong Kong.

Thailand
Flight: 5-6 hours
Ages: All
From the big cities of Bangkok and Phuket to the smaller areas such as Koi Samui, Railay Beach, Chang Mai, and much more, there’s always a hidden gem for everyone from backpackers to families. Families will enjoy the smaller places as these areas are less crowded and families can enjoy to unplug. In Koh Chang, families can ride on an elephant in the jungle, head to the waterfalls for mangrove kayaking, snorkeling, and sand castles building or beach-combing during low tide for younger kids. In Koh Samui, this is where martial arts lovers can go to the various specialized gyms for a day of hard training then beach bum. It’s advisable to look for a resort or hotel that has a kids club amenities to keep the younger ones occupied. In Chiang Mai, families can enjoy cultural immersion activities, nature hikes, climbing, a visit to the tallest mountain in the country, and enjoy island life. In Krabi, the nearby Railay Beach is perfect for doing nothing but enjoy the serene beaches. For older kids and the more adventurous families, Railay Beach is perfect for rock climbing. Depending on where you want to stay, Thailand can be budget friendly for every family pocket.

Vietnam
Flight: 5-6 hours
Ages: Ages 8+
The place to visit is Ha Long Bay, that’s a few hours away from Hanoi. The truly captivating activity is a visit to the cave and have to rent out a boat to get to the caves. The whole journey there and back to the hotel is definitely a thrill seekers dream come true. The city of Hue is a cultural and historically heavy place to visit and unless your kids are history or cultural buffs it’s best to keep the trip short. This areas is best traveled using a bicycle or motorbike. Ho Chi Minh City’s attraction are the Cu Chi tunnels and the Cao Dai Temple. The historical tours are packed with visits to the war museum, and this is not recommended for children due to the highly graphic nature of the photography and the replicates of prison conditions. The fun side are the three main theme parks, Dem Sen Water Park, Suoi Tien, and Lac Canh Dai Nam.

Philippines
Flight: 6 hours
Ages: Ages 8+
If your family loves water based sports like scuba diving or surfing then this is your primary destinations for the holidays. Beach bumming is a welcomed vacation when taking a break from all the sports. In Boracay, water sports are the major attractions but not the only ones as families can go explore the Bat Cave or hike Mount Luho to see the local wildlife. If you head to tourist favorite, Cebu, then be sure to check out the Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary and the Cebu Happy World Museum, where you can take some hilarious family mementos. Palawan might just be the most beautiful region of the Philippines, and families can snorkel, scuba dive, hiking, caving, zip lining, island hopping, sunbathing, or swimming. The one activity to try is kayaking through the World’s longest underground river that winds though a cave. The travel time to these places and costs make this an investment of how truly do you want to escape Beijing.

Photos: softwerkz.net, augustana.edu, travelfeeder.com, inspire-emagazine.com, wendyperrin.com, tourtovietnam.net