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A 10-Day Xinjiang Itinerary: Journey Through China's West

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Finding My Family on the Other Side of the World

Discover the best of Shanghai beyond tourist destinations! Wander through the European-styled French Concession, sing your heart out at KTV, take a surreal walk from Old Shanghai to The Bund and sip happy hour cocktails at the 91st floor of Park Hyatt Pudong. And for a truly unique experience, check out Goryeo, a North Korean restaurant where fake smiles and brainwashed conversations are the norm. Join us for some wild and memorable times in this ever-changing megapolis!

The Top Things to Do in Shanghai, China

The Fabryk

When we first spotted the sketchy building after endless trekking up and down Chongqing, China’s massive hilly terrain, I was sure I had been catfished.

But after punching in the door code, swinging the door open, a little oasis of heaven emerged out of nowhere.

The true genius award goes to the person who can transform the truly vile into something tranquil and beautiful like this place.

Don’t judge a book by its cover; and maybe don’t judge a hotel by its hallway at first.

Have you ever been catfished by a hotel?

#hotelreviews
#travelchina
#chongqing
#travelmemories
#unexpectedfinds
#hiddenparadise
#dontjudgeabookbyitscover
#hotelvibes
#travelunexpected
#beautifulplaces
#offthebeatenpath
#travelblogger
#chinalove
#instatravel
#exploringtheworld

Did We Just Get Catfished by Our Hotel?

Our next stop on our Yunnan, China adventure was Jingmaishan (景迈山), a part of Pu’er in China and an area most famous for cultivating tea starting over 1,000 years ago (the oldest know tea cultivators, as a matter of fact). 

Tag along as we get invited into random guest houses and learn the local tea-making process, watch “sunrises” over the tea plantations, and go to some villages deep in the Jingmaishan area where we meet members of the Dai (傣族) and Blang (布朗族) ethnic minority Groups - the original cultivators of Pu Erh tea (普洱茶). 

Near the end of the video, Fabio gives his HONEST first impressions of China after being in the country for a few days.

Come along with us as we experience the real China (the rural China that few Westerners get to see).

Sections
00:00 - Intro/How We Got to Jingmaishan
02:56 - Our “Loose” China Plans
04:46 - Touring a Tea Factory (which doubles as a guest house)
06:26 - Our First Tea Ceremony
08:55 - Heading to Watch the Sunrise
11:09 - Our First Local Breakfast
11:56 - Village 1 (A Dai Village) - 糯岗老寨
16:52 - Having a Local Lunch
17:59 - Village 2 (A Blang Village) - 翁基
21:14 - Fabio’s First HONEST China Impressions

Locations: 
The General Area - Jingmai Mountains 景迈山
Smaller Villages within Jingmaishan - 糯岗老寨 and 翁基

Follow along for more China and Travel adventures:🌍 
Website: https://thefabryk.com/destinations/china
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefabryk/

Support our channel through these links (at no extra cost to you):

🏡 The guest house we stayed in Jingmaishan: 
Lancang Tea Youxiaoju Inn - https://trip.tp.st/s12eWng5

✈️ Find your flights to China:
Skyscanner - https://bit.ly/3K1w9DfTrip.com - https://trip.tp.st/XcaGxagP

🩺 Travel Insurance: 
Genki - http://www.genki.world/with/thefabryk

🎵  Easy Video Editing:
CapCut Pro - https://www.capcut.com/capcut_pc_web/fission_receive?code=ypPpvj62681037&lng=en

🎧 Music in this video: 
Epidemic Sound - https://share.epidemicsound.com/ao2ybc

#chinaadventure
#yunnanchina
#jingmaishan
#puertea
#chinesetea
#teaculture
#travelchina
#offthebeatenpath
#teaexperience
#teaceremony
#daipeople
#blangpeople
#culturaltravel
#ruralchina
#chinavlog
#fabioandryan
#sustainabletravel
#authentictravel
#asiatravel
#chinatea
#travelseries
#yunnantravel
#mountainlife
#slowtravel
#teatour
#ecoexplorer
#teaplantation
#teatime
#chinastories
#traveldeep

We Visited the BIRTHPLACE of Tea in Yunnan, China 🇨🇳

This might be the weirdest spa in the world…or the best. You decide!

Ever soaked in a steaming hotpot? In Kunming, China, you can literally bathe in a giant soup bowl, chill in a teacup, and even find a bathroom shaped like a boot.  

In addition, they have lots of “normal” pools with different scents and benefits (we loved the rose and milk pool).

The place:
📍金方森林温泉 (JinFang SenLin WenQuan) in Anning (west of Kunming)

Would you try this? Let me know in the comments!

#chinaadventures #kunmingtravel #hotpotspa #weirdplaces #uniquespas #thermalbaths #visitchina #travelasia #offbeattravel #unusualdestinations #spaexperience #hotpotlife #quirkytravel #bucketlistadventures #relaxationgoals #explorechina #soakingspa #funtravelspots #thingstodoinchina #hiddenchina

Soaking in a Giant Hotpot?! This Spa Is INSANE! 🇨🇳

After spending a month in Laos, we took the China-Laos Railway...thanks to the suggestion of our Chinese friends...to cross the border into China! 

Our first stop? Jinghong (景红), the heart of Xishuangbanna in Yunnan province.

Yunnan is known as one of the most beautiful regions in China, famous for its diverse ethnic cultures and warm climate. While Ryan has lived in China before (and has fallen in love with Yunnan before), this is Fabio’s first time, so what will our first impressions be? 🤔

Join us on this vlog adventure as we explore Jinghong’s top attractions, including: The lively Gaozhuang Night Market, The stunning Manting Park and The golden Buddhist Dajin Pagoda Temple.

China is a whole new world for us, and we can’t wait to share this journey with you! 

Subscribe for more travel stories! 

Have you been to China? Let us know your favorite places in the comments!

CHAPTERS:
1:16 – Boten: The Last Stop in Laos Before China 🇨🇳
3:34 – Crossing into China: Passport Control 🛂
4:36 – Jinghong Railway Station: Train Experience 🚆
5:56 – Checking In: Our First Hotel in China 🏨
7:22 – Exploring Manting Park 🌳
8:14 – First Impressions of China 👀
13:00 – WeChat 101: The App You Can’t Live Without (in China) 📱
14:42 – Gaozhuang Night Market: A Feast for the Senses 🌙
19:10 – Las Vegas Vibes in China 🎰
20:02 – Our First Chinese Dinner 🥢
23:34 – Day 2: Getting a SIM Card in China 📅

Follow along for more travel adventures:🌍 
Website: https://thefabryk.com/destinations/china
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefabryk/

Support our channel through these affiliate links (at no extra cost to you):

🏡 Where we stayed in Jinghong:
HomeInn (highly recommended for a night or two): https://trip.tp.st/yvH2LRWF

📲 Our recommended eSim:
Get it from Trip.com, honestly Airalo did not work really well, but this one worked fantastically (and you don't need a VPN): https://trip.tp.st/XWyOpJYk

🏞️ Prebook Manting Park Tickets:
https://trip.tp.st/GvqEHMFX

✈️ Find your flights to China:
Skyscanner - https://bit.ly/3K1w9DfTrip.com - https://trip.tp.st/XcaGxagP

🩺 Travel Insurance: 
Genki - http://www.genki.world/with/thefabryk

🎵  Easy Video Editing:
CapCut Pro - https://www.capcut.com/capcut_pc_web/...

🎧 Music in this video: 
Epidemic Sound - https://share.epidemicsound.com/ao2ybc

#ChinaVlog #Xishuangbanna #Jinghong #Yunnan #ChinaTravel #BackpackingChina #TravelVlog #MantingPark #GaozhuangNightMarket #BuddhistTemple #SoutheastAsia #LaosToChina #ChinaLaosRailway #DigitalNomad #GayTravelVlog #HiddenGems #DajinPagoda #ZongfoTemple

The China We Never Expected in Xishuangbanna 🇨🇳

Private video

After surviving a bout of food poisoning, Fabio and Ryan took a friend’s advice and headed deep into the mountains of Yunnan...into Ximeng, the heart of Wa culture.

But… who are the Wa people? And why do they worship ox skulls?

They’re one of China’s 55 ethnic minorities, but beyond that, you won’t hear much about them. This video takes you to the borderlands of China and Myanmar, where life looks, sounds, and feels like another country entirely.

From traditional dress to mysterious rituals, we explore a culture that few outsiders have ever heard of....let alone visited.

🎥 Come with us to Ximeng, where the roads are winding and the culture runs deep.

Sections:
00:27 | Off to Ximeng – bus from Lancang 🚌  
01:28 | First look: what's with all the ox heads? 🐂  
04:24 | Lunch at a Wa restaurant 🍜  
06:28 | Who are the Wa people? 🎎  
08:52 | Exploring the eco-tourism zone 🌿  
10:04 | Hiking the ox head hills 🏞️  
13:46 | Stroll around Mengsuo Longtan Lake 🌊  
15:42 | Wa-style drinks – cheers! 🍶  
16:56 | Dinner round two – more Wa cuisine 🍲  
17:52 | Leaving Ximeng + eco travel talk ♻️  
20:28 | The truth behind the Wa & the ox heads 🔍  

Follow along for more China and Travel adventures:🌍 
Website: https://thefabryk.com/destinations/china
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefabryk/

Support our channel through these links (at no extra cost to you):

🏡 The hotel we stayed in Ximeng: 
Ximeng Hongshangjia Hotel - https://trip.tp.st/MrosAN4D

✈️ Find your flights to China:
Skyscanner - https://bit.ly/3K1w9DfTrip.com - https://trip.tp.st/XcaGxagP

🩺 Travel Insurance: 
Genki - http://www.genki.world/with/thefabryk

🎵  Easy Video Editing:
CapCut Pro - https://www.capcut.com/capcut_pc_web/fission_receive?code=ypPpvj62681037&lng=en

🎧 Music in this video: 
Epidemic Sound - https://share.epidemicsound.com/ao2ybc

#WaPeople #Ximeng #YunnanTravel #ChinaEthnicGroups #HiddenChina #CulturalExploration #IndigenousAsia #BorderlandsChina #ChinaVlog #TravelChina #OffTheBeatenPath #YunnanCulture #ChinaMinorities #EthnicChina #RemoteChina #UndiscoveredChina #WaCulture #AsianTribes #WaTraditions #BackpackingChina #WaCommunity #CulturalPreservation #WaEthnicGroup #ChinaUnseen #AsianBorderlands #WaFestival #WaTraditionalLife #ExploringYunnan #ChinaHiddenGems #LostTribes

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