China – My First Solo Trip After Couple Backpacking

To write this, I had to dig pretty far back into my memory — cue 2018: freshly single, first solo trip, and looking for somewhere familiar but still challenging.
China was the obvious pick. My third visit, but my first time alone.

I knew China was not a “just book and go” destination. You needed a visa, plenty of cash (this was pre-Alipay-for-foreigners), a reliable VPN, and a quick Mandarin refresher (which I took in school because Spanish felt too… meh).

Beijing – Culture Dose

Second time in Beijing, and even though I had ticked off most big sights before, there was still plenty to see. My introduction to solo hostel life? A small, mixed dorm with no window and questionable cleanliness.
I’d done backpacking the year before with a boyfriend — we had skipped hostels then (big mistake), so this was my “welcome to budget travel” moment.

Still, hostels have one unbeatable perk: meeting people. On night two, I met Jovy and hit it off right away. We grabbed dinner, wandered the local markets, and chatted the night away. I only had two days in the city, so I kept it light: Wangfujing Street for snacks and people-watching, and a peaceful stroll through Beijing Park. Worth it.

Shanghai – First-Timer Sights

Shanghai felt like a different planet from Beijing — modern, multicultural, and buzzing. The plan after arriving was to explore my hostel’s neighbourhood and hit the Bund for sunset.
The streets were a spectacle in themselves, and when I finally saw the Bund, I felt tiny and completely overwhelmed in the best way.

My “must-see” list didn’t stand a chance. Instead, I let myself wander, ducking into random streets and soaking it all in. Yuyuan Garden and the Shanghai Museum stuck in my memory — but the real magic was just… walking.

Somewhere here, I realised those people who say travel changes you aren’t exaggerating. Solo travel gave me freedom, self-confidence, and the joy of doing exactly what I wanted. Still… Beijing kept the top spot in my heart.

Guangzhou – Back to the Source

Guangzhou was my first international trip years ago — a school trip, first flight, first everything. This time, I was there for nostalgia. I stayed in a BnB (privacy, bliss) but quickly remembered the chaos of navigating a city where most people spoke Cantonese instead of Mandarin.

I hit my old favourites in one day and, thanks to sweltering heat, decided to shake up my itinerary. Cancelled one night, changed my train ticket, and set my sights on Hong Kong.

Hong Kong – Confused but Curious

From Guangzhou, I took the train — and wow. So much legroom, so comfortable.

If I thought Shanghai was crowded, Hong Kong laughed in my face. I had booked another hostel (clean, thankfully) and set off on foot. The luxury here was wild: high-end shops, luxury cars, and people dressed like they’d just stepped out of a magazine.

Reunited with Jovy, my new friend from Beijing, who’s originally from Hong Kong. She took me to a traditional restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, where we squeezed onto a table with strangers and had the best fish ever.

Victoria Peak at sunset was magical, plus, I got to skip the queue. Of course, I forgot food and water (rookie move), and prices at the top were… let’s just say not budget-friendly. But fireworks from the Peak? Worth every hungry minute.

My last day was all about dim sum, shopping, and the evening light-and-music show by the bay. Short trip, but not a goodbye. More like “see you later.”

Beijing – Tattoo Mission

My final stop: back to Beijing, but this time with a clear mission. I had a tattoo appointment booked at Newtattoo Studio — hands down the best studio I’ve ever been to (but bring your Mandarin skills; only one artist speaks decent English).

This round in Beijing, I stayed near Wangfujing Street. Perfect location — everything was walkable, and it meant I could grab late-night snacks without effort. My hostel was better than my first stay, but still had that “budget accommodation character”

Sanlitun, where the tattoo studio is located, is an upscale neighbourhood filled with high-end boutiques and polished locals. I remembered from my first visit that there was a French crêperie nearby, so naturally I stopped there before my appointment. Nothing says “ready for needles” like a buttery crêpe.

Now, here’s the fun part: in China, the tap water is not safe for cleaning a fresh tattoo. That meant after my session, I had to haul myself to the nearest supermarket, buy a giant 5L bottle of water, and carry it all the way back to my hostel to keep my new ink clean. (This was pre-second-skin days) Imagine me, walking through Beijing in summer heat, cradling a water jug with a fresh and sore tattoo. 

The next day, my energy was low, so I took it slow. I wandered Wangfujing one last time, picked up my final souvenirs, stocked up on snacks for the flight, and spent the rest of the day people-watching from a shady spot in the park.

Highlights:

Beijing 

  • Wangfujing street 

  • Qian men

Shanghai

  • Nanjingroad 

  • The bund 

  • Yuyuan

Guangzhou 

  • Yuexiu Park 

  • Shamian Island 

  • Canton Tower 

Hong-Kong 

  • Victoria Peak 

  • Tsim Sha Tsui bay walk

Overall:
This trip was nothing like I imagined. I learned a lot, met new friends, tasted new foods, and discovered that solo travel was my new normal.

So… where to next?