1.5-Month Slow China Travel Adventure

We didn’t exactly sit down and plan a 1.5-month adventure. It started with a problem: we couldn’t move into our new rental in Singapore until mid-February, thanks to the joy that is international relocation. With two kids who’d never been to China, Spring Festival just around the corner, and a restless mom (me) itching for movement—it turned into the perfect excuse for a grand detour. When my parents offered to drive their car from Henan to join us in Yunnan for part of the trip, it felt like the perfect setup—I could travel, the kids could explore their roots, and I’d have some much-needed help wrangling a toddler and a baby.

Initially, Yunnan was a weather-based decision. Traveling with two little ones is chaotic enough—I didn’t want to toss winter sniffles into our travel chaos. The promise of sunshine and mild weather made Yunnan an obvious choice. After enjoying Yunnan's natural beauty and delicious food, we didn’t want the adventure to end just yet. So instead of flying back to Singapore from Kunming, where we had started our trip, we made a bold decision: drive across the country to my hometown in Zhengzhou. This way, we could visit more places along the way and give the kids a glimpse of where I grew up. Plus, we could return the car and have my parents fly back to Singapore with us to help with the big transition.

What started as a regional trip snowballed into a cross-country adventure.

Leshan, Emei, and Zhangjiajie weren’t part of the original plan—they were last-minute stops that conveniently aligned with how far we could go before a kiddo meltdown. With no strict itinerary and a desire to keep things manageable for the kids, these stops felt just right. And as it turned out, they brought us some of the most memorable moments of the entire trip: steaming hot springs, jaw-dropping mountain views, and plenty of spicy local dishes. Not your standard vacation route, but absolutely unforgettable.

Where We Went

Over 6 weeks, we wandered through:

• Yunnan – from bustling Kunming to the charming ancient city of Jianshui, the quiet terraced hills of Yuanyang, tropical Xishuangbanna, and mountain towns like Dali and Lijiang

• Sichuan – hot springs in Emei and the towering Buddha of Leshan

• Hunan – the misty peaks of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

• Henan – my hometown, Zhengzhou, full of memories and surprising changes

     

Why Slow Travel?

Rather than racing through a checklist of must-see sights, we made our own travel rules:

• Stay longer, experience deeper.
• Let the kids nap when they need.
• Pick places with a kitchen whenever we could—some days, rice and eggs were easier than introducing spicy tofu to a 3-year-old. It helped the kids settle in and gave us a taste of home wherever we went.
• Do whatever felt right—like the time we ditched our itinerary and spent a whole afternoon watching spring festival shows and my dad caught over 3lb of fish from nearby pond.

What You Can Expect from This Blog Series

I’ll be sharing stories, tips, and family-friendly itineraries in a five-part series:

1. The Yunnan Diaries – Ancient towns, rice terraces, and jungle adventures
2. Sichuan & Hunan Mini-Series – A hot spring detour and Avatar-like cliffs
3. Home Again – Reflections from visiting my childhood city
4. What We Learned – Tips for slow travel with kids (and keeping your sanity!)

Whether you’re a parent, an expat, or someone dreaming of your own midlife reset, I hope these posts inspire you to take the scenic route—wherever you're headed.

Stay Tuned!

If you’re new here, check out my first post about why we hit pause on our lives and pressed play on something new. The next post will take you into the heart of Yunnan, where our adventure truly began.