2025 College Student's Secret List

Savvy student ID holders tearfully recommend these! Explore budget-friendly cities with tips for stunning photos that will blow up your social media. Follow this guide for your graduation trip! 👇 🌊 Qingdao: The Ultimate Seafood and Beer Fiesta A seaside paradise only 5 hours from Shanghai by high-speed rail! The Wutong Tunnel in Badaguan is more dreamy than any filter; wear a JK uniform for a Japanese-style photoshoot that's simply divine 📸. Must-try: Fresh scallops from the Tuandao Farmers Market for ¥15/jin, then find a beer house to cook them. The combination of garlic, scallops, and fresh Qingdao beer is to die for! In the evening, head to No.3 Bathing Beach to catch the fluorescent sea. The waves, carrying blue tears, lapping at your feet are more romantic than the Disney fireworks 💙. 🌶️ Chongqing: The Bewildering 8D City Where Navigation Fails Tired of the crowds at Hongyadong? Duck into the old Baixiangju residential building and capture the same corner featured in "Better Days". This magical 24-story walk-up houses tailor shops and hot pot restaurants. Foodie alert: Tikan Noodles under the residential building, alkaline noodles topped with offal and a fried egg, so delicious you'll lick the bowl clean! In the evening, take Line 2 and watch the light rail pass through buildings, the river breeze transforming your hair into that of a movie star. 🎨 Quanzhou: A Minnan Culinary Explosion in the City of Gods A hidden gem next to Xiamen! Hop on a retro "Xiaobai" electric shuttle for ¥2 and randomly disembark to encounter the magical coexistence of Guandi Temple and the mosque. Must-try: Vinegar-marinated pork in Shuimen Lane paired with Four Fruit Soup. The sour, crispy, and savory flavors combined with the icy and refreshing agar-agar jelly will take your taste buds on a rollercoaster ride 🎢. Skip the crowded Xunpu Village! In front of the red brick houses of Wulin Ancient Village in Jinjiang, transform into a Nyonya for ¥40 and take photos that will garner likes for three months. 🍜 Xi'an: A Guide to Carb Overload Head to the Xiaonanmen morning market early for oily tea, fried dough twists, and mirror cakes for ¥5 each. Squatting by the city wall to enjoy them is the authentic local experience. Avoid the crowded Ever-bright City and head to the film studio for industrial-style photos. Use rusty projectors as props, and everyone on your social media will think it's a new exhibition at 798 Art Zone. Hidden gem: The redbud flower wall at Guangren Temple blooms in April. Wear a Hanfu and film a transition video; the flower petals falling on your skirt are breathtakingly beautiful 🌸. 🍲 Chaozhou: Awaken Your Taste Buds with Traditional Flavors A 2-hour high-speed rail ride from Guangzhou takes you to a foodie paradise! The fermented bean curd chicken wings on Paifang Street are bursting with flavor. In the evening, watch the "bridge-breaking" light show on Guangji Bridge, where the 24 pavilions reflected in the Han River resemble a fairy palace. Student tip: Find the uncle making beef balls in Jiadi Lane and experience the joy of hand-beaten beef balls for ¥20. They're so bouncy you could play ping pong with them 🏓. 🌟 Tips 1️⃣ Beat the crowds: Arrive at popular attractions early at 7am or late at 8pm to enjoy the place all to yourself (tried and tested!). 2️⃣ Transportation hacks: Take an overnight train and use shared bikes. The money saved is enough for three big meals. 3️⃣ Social butterfly tip: Team up with fellow travelers in the hostel lobby for meals and unlock hidden menu items.