This summer, thanks to generous funding from the Honors College, I embarked on my dream study abroad trip. I, with one of my best friends, Lindsey Hazeslip, spent six days in Hong Kong, a day in Macau, thirty-five days in Shanghai, four days in Beijing, twenty-four days in the Philippines, and seven days in South Korea. As much as I would love to, in no way could I ever wholly and justifiably share all of the crazy and phenomenal memories I made with friends and family in just one blog post. Instead, I decided to list all the Must Do’s of the places I visited based on my experiences, just in case you ever chance your way upon these destinations in your next trip.
Hong Kong
- Get a bird’s-eye view of Hong Kong at Victoria’s Peak. (Pro-tip: Save the sweat and ride The Peak Tram all the way up.)
- Stroll around Central District to admire all the architectural buildings.
- Walk around Ngong Ping Village.
- Greet the Tian Tan Buddha, the world’s biggest seated, outdoor Buddha.
- Visit the Po Lin Monastery. Take a peek at the Grand Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
- Explore Tsim Tsa Tsui. (Pro-tip: Book your hotel here. If you pick the right one and get lucky, you could have the perfect view of Hong Kong’s city scape from across Victoria Harbour. It is literally “lit” at night.)
- Visit Disneyland.
- Shop ‘til you drop in Mongkok. Visit street markets like The Ladies Market and Sneaker Street.
- Must Eats: Dimsum, Ice Cream-filled Eggette waffle. Also, Hong Kong Milk Tea is to die for!!
Macau
- Visit Senado Square to get a feel of the city’s Portuguese influence.
- Visit the Ruins of St.Paul.
- Ogle at the luxurious casinos, such as the Grand Lisboa, The Venetian, The Parisian, and Studio City.
- Must Eats: Egg tarts, Portuguese food, and jerky. (Pro-tip: Take all the free jerky samples.)
Shanghai
- Learn Chinese at East China Normal University. ECNU places you in a lively classroom full of other international students. You’ll take reading classes, a listening class, and a speaking class and will learn how to read and write hundreds of words in a short time. You’ll lose sleep and your sanity, but you’ll reap the benefits of this immersion when you gain so much Mandarin fluency.
- Stroll through the Bund to get a waterside view of Shanghai’s signature skyline.
- Visit Nanjing Road, a shopaholic’s heaven.
- Visit Shanghai Disneyland, the newest and largest Disneyland.
- Visit the Shanghai Museum and learn about ancient Chinese painting, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, and more.
- Visit Jingan Temple in the middle of bustling downtown Shanghai.
- Visit Longhua Temple, the biggest and most authentic temple in Shanghai.
- Wander around Tianzifang, Shanghai’s artsy, hipstery district.
- Sing your heart out at a karaoke bar.
- Must Eats: Hotpot, Dumplings, and Chinese KFC
Beijing
- Explore the Forbidden City and its 90+ palace compounds. Soak in the ancient Chinese cultural history while walking through the many museum collections.
- Hike the Great Wall. (Pro-tip: Avoid going after torrential rainfall. Entry to the wall closes because of possible “geological disasters.”)
- Stroll through the Summer Palace with its beautiful lakes, gardens, palaces, and temples.
- Must Eat: Peking Roast Duck
Philippines
- Experience Philippine shopping culture and go mall hopping. (Pro-tip: Best malls are Megamall, SM Aura, BGC, and Greenhills)
- Go food tripping. Food is very cheap, and you can find restaurants of ANY cuisine.
- Explore Intramuros to learn about Filipino history.
- Go swimming in the crystal-clear waters of Panglao Beach.
- ATV through the Chocolate Hills.
- Say hi to the tarsiers.
- Go ziplining through the rainforests.
- Enjoy lunch on a jungle river cruise.
- FILIPINO Must Eats: ….I personally approve of EVERYTHING.
Seoul
- Wander through Myeongdong, and stock up on all the renowned Korean fashion, makeup, and skincare.
- Get lost in COEX mall, Asia’s largest underground shopping mall.
- Have a taste of Korea’s youth culture in Hongdae. Sit and enjoy the many talent-filled street musicians and dancers.
- Cuddle dogs and enjoy a drink at a dog cafe.
- Stroll through Garosugil, a more quiet, high-end shopping district.
- Find specialty souvenirs in Insadong.
- Wear a hanbok and take pictures at Gyeongbokgung Palace.
- Look at traditional houses at Bukchon Hanok Village.
- Check out the futuristic architecture of the Dongdaeum Design Plaza and its 21,000 roses in the LED garden.
- Must Eats: Bibimbap, Jajangmyeon, Bingsoo, Korean-styled fried chicken, Korean BBQ
Bonus for any K-pop fans reading:
- Visit an entertainment company building. You might spot your favorite artist.
- Visit SM COEX Atrium.
- Jam out at your favorite group/band’s concert.
For anywhere you go:
- Remember Walker Percy’s “Loss of the Creature”? Remind yourself to lose the “symbolic complex” that may form before visiting a place. You have sovereignty over your experience, so take this list as a mere suggestion, and venture outside of it to create your own unique memories!
