“Dad… Why Do We Keep Going Back to China?”
One evening, Elaine asked me a simple question.
“Dad… lots of people compare China and Japan. Why do we keep travelling to China?”
Before I could answer, Cheers had already jumped onto the map.
“Because China is HUGE!”
I laughed.
“That’s part of the answer.”
“But it’s not the whole story.”
People often ask whether China or Japan is the better destination.
After hearing that question many times, I realised something.
It’s the wrong question.
The better question is:
What kind of journey are you looking for?
We’re Not Comparing Winners
Japan is one of the world’s great travel destinations.
Many friends have recommended it to us, and it’s certainly on Elaine’s future travel list.
But at this stage of our family’s journey, our focus has been different.
We aren’t trying to visit as many countries as possible.
We’re trying to understand one civilisation more deeply.
That civilisation is China.
Every Trip Answers One Question… and Creates Ten More
When we first visited Beijing, we wanted to see the Great Wall.
Instead, we discovered questions.
Why was it built?
Who built it?
How did it protect an empire?
Our next trip took us to Xi’an.
There we learnt how the Qin and Han dynasties shaped the China we know today.
Then came Tianjin.
Hong Kong.
Macau.
Each destination answered some of our questions—but also sparked many new ones.
The more we travelled, the more we realised that China isn’t one destination.
It’s a vast civilisation with countless stories waiting to be discovered.
Elaine’s Note
I haven’t visited Japan yet.
So if someone asked me which country is “better”, I honestly couldn’t answer.
But every time Dad takes me somewhere new in China, I discover something I wasn’t expecting.
Sometimes it’s a museum.
Sometimes it’s an old city wall.
Sometimes it’s simply watching local people dancing in a public square after dinner.
Every trip makes me more curious about China.
And I think that’s why Dad keeps bringing me back.
China Isn’t One Experience
One thing that surprised us most was how different each city feels.
Beijing introduced us to imperial China.
Xi’an felt like travelling back to the beginning of the Chinese empire.
Chengdu slowed us down with tea houses and a relaxed lifestyle.
Hong Kong showed us another side of Chinese history.
Macau blended Chinese and Portuguese influences in fascinating ways.
Even the food changed from one region to the next.
Travelling across China often feels less like visiting one country and more like exploring many different regions connected by thousands of years of shared history.
Cheers Asks…
Cheers looked puzzled.
“So… are we trying to finish China?”
Dad smiled.
“I don’t think anyone ever really finishes discovering China.”
Every journey teaches us something new.
And that’s exactly what keeps us coming back.
Which Country Should You Visit First?
If your dream is peaceful gardens, traditional inns and a compact itinerary, Japan may be the perfect first trip.
If you’re fascinated by ancient history, vast landscapes, regional cultures and watching a civilisation unfold across different cities, China offers an incredible journey.
There isn’t a wrong choice.
They’re simply different experiences.
For our family, China became more than a holiday destination.
It became one of the best classrooms Elaine could have.
As an old Chinese proverb says:
读万卷书，不如行万里路
“Reading ten thousand books is not as valuable as travelling ten thousand miles.”
We’ve found that to be true.
Dad’s Reflection
Cheers asked me one last question.
“Dad… will we visit Japan one day?”
“Of course.”
“But not because we’re looking for something better.”
“We’ll go because every country has its own stories to tell.”
For now, though, we’re still discovering China’s.
And somehow, every journey leaves us with even more questions than when we arrived.
That’s why we keep coming back.
Final Thoughts
People often ask us why we’ve travelled to China so many times.
The answer is surprisingly simple.
Not because we think China is better than somewhere else.
But because every visit helps us understand a little more about one of the world’s oldest continuous civilisations.
At ChinaTravelBug, our goal isn’t to tell you where to travel.
It’s to share why China continues to inspire our curiosity—and perhaps spark a little of your own.
