{"id":1991,"date":"2026-04-17T07:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T07:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/99chinatravel.com\/?p=1991"},"modified":"2026-04-17T07:00:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T07:00:06","slug":"i-traveled-across-china-to-see-the-truth-full-documentary-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/99chinatravel.com\/?p=1991","title":{"rendered":"I Traveled Across China To See The Truth (Full Documentary)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EbrJxh_OQrM\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>China is the most misunderstood country I&#8217;ve visited. After visiting 80 countries, I spent a week traveling across the country. Join me in this full China documentary to find out what modern China is really like as an American who lives in Germany.<\/p>\n<p>The journey starts in the megacity of Shanghai \u2014 secret local food, massive buildings, surprising people, and even the world&#8217;s fastest public transport. From there, I take the high-speed train to Hangzhou  \u2014 the train turned out to be even faster than a plane! And Hangzhou was just as lively as Shanghai, if not more so. My wife and I burn our mouths with some spicy food at a random local restaurant, see what a Chinese Hilton hotel is like, and take the metro over to the city&#8217;s main site \u2014 Xi Lake (West Lake).<\/p>\n<p>The next day we head to the airport for a 3-hour flight deep into China&#8217;s tropical south\u2014to a region right on the border of Laos and Myanmar called Xishuangbanna. Stepping off the plane, everything changes. The cold, efficient megacities of the north are replaced by sticky jungle heat, palm trees, and the laid-back vibe of the Mekong River. It feels like an entirely different country. We explore the massive local wet markets (complete with wild mushrooms and some serious Sichuan peppers), compare it to a modern grocery store, and even try a traditional ear-cleaning massage.<\/p>\n<p>The next day,  I get my first-ever Chinese haircut before heading across the river to eat a massive riverside BBQ and dive headfirst into the sensory overload of the Starlight or Gaoshuang Night Market \u2014 one of the biggest and most vibrant night markets in all of Asia.<\/p>\n<p>By the end of this journey, my assumptions were completely shattered. The headlines had it wrong; the real China isn&#8217;t clinical or soulless\u2014it&#8217;s vibrant, complex, and incredibly human. From little things like figuring out if Starbucks or Luckin&#8217; is better, to aiming to understand the entire culture and history of China \u2014 I&#8217;d never been more surprised.<\/p>\n<p>And the biggest shock of all? Wait until I reveal the final price breakdown for the entire week at the end of the video. World-class infrastructure, amazing food, and comfortable hotels cost us a fraction of what you&#8217;d expect. Enjoy! <\/p>\n<p>\u2705Subscribe to join me on the journey: http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@DavidGTravels\/add?sub_confirmation=1<\/p>\n<p>\ud83c\udfa5 Watch the full journey here: https:\/\/youtu.be\/EbrJxh_OQrM<\/p>\n<p>Travel Products I Like:<br \/>\n\ud83d\udc4d Protect your trips with SafetyWing travel medical insurance \u2014 I recommend always traveling insured (in China and beyond!) \u2192 https:\/\/safetywing.com\/nomad-insurance\/?referenceID=26309358&amp;campaign=vang-vieng-integration&amp;utm_campaign=vang-vieng-integration&amp;utm_source=26309358&amp;utm_medium=Ambassador<br \/>\n\ud83d\udcbb In China you want a VPN, I use Surfshark VPN, you get a discount using my link \u2192 https:\/\/get.surfshark.net\/SH4Cz<\/p>\n<p>Watch Next:<br \/>\n\ud83c\udf5aCheck out my journey onwards into Laos (Southeast Asia) here \u2192<br \/>\n\ud83d\udcb8 Learn how to visit China for $39 a day too, check out my travel hacking videos here \u2192 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLlHFWceWhDiSyjUh9srpeM8Dz9kV59w14<br \/>\n\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddf3More videos from China \u2192 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLlHFWceWhDiTJbkK7U370q6Y8VhXniqS5<br \/>\n\ud83c\udf0fMore videos from other parts of Asia \u2192 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLlHFWceWhDiRJ9O3rcanCE3pmKhZgS8TX<br \/>\n\ud83c\udf0eThe best budget destinations 2026 \u2192 https:\/\/youtu.be\/xtKHrwNJyGQ<br \/>\n\ud83c\udf0fThe cheapest cities for 2026 \u2192 https:\/\/youtu.be\/o7wJ4dzwr2M<br \/>\n\ud83c\udf0e More travel videos from around the world \u2192 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLlHFWceWhDiT1IRpAGBoPx1fJjVRGlOmf<\/p>\n<p>00:00 China: World&#8217;s Most Misunderstood Country?<br \/>\n01:55 Arrival to Shanghai Pudong and airport hotel (My first mistake in China)<br \/>\n03:46 Shanghai Maglev &amp; Metro (The world&#8217;s fastest public transit)<br \/>\n10:49 I was wrong about China<br \/>\n11:28 Shanghai Hilton Hotel: not what I expected<br \/>\n12:59 Exploring Shanghai: Everything I knew was outdated<br \/>\n24:47 Issue with high-speed train from Shanghai to Hangzhou<br \/>\n25:30 Shanghai Hongqiao Station only has Starbucks<br \/>\n26:41 Chinese fast trains are no joke<br \/>\n30:51 Getting to Hangzhou and hotel surprise<br \/>\n32:50 Spicy spicy dinner I would eat again<br \/>\n36:10 Testing the Hangzhou Metro<br \/>\n37:32 West Lake (Xi Lake) at night and&#8230; light show?<br \/>\n41:36 Dealing with polluted air in China<br \/>\n42:49 Taking a domestic flight in China: better than expected?<br \/>\n48:29 Arriving to Xishuangbanna blew my mind<br \/>\n49:13 Hotel in Xishuangbanna (totally different)<br \/>\n50:53 Park, Local market, grocery store, dance competition, what is this city?!<br \/>\n58:51 Local lunch and Luckin&#8217; Coffee<br \/>\n1:00:35 Mekong River, Local take on China and ear cleaning<br \/>\n1:07:50 Chinese haircut, crossing the Mekong, temple, and mediocre barbecue<br \/>\n1:16:25 German and local take on China + world&#8217;s biggest night market??<br \/>\n1:20:21 I was really really wrong about China<br \/>\n1:21:15 Why China is insanely cheap ($39 a day!)<br \/>\n1:22:27 Just the beginning<\/p>\n<p>By the way, this description contains links that I believe you may receive value from. Each purchase or sign up using an affiliate link gives me a small amount of compensation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>China is the most misunderstood country I&#8217;ve visited. After visiting 80 countries, I spent a week traveling across the country. 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