Countryside wanderlust

Scroll through TikTok or YouTube, and "China Travel" posts are no longer all neon-lit skylines and crowded landmarks. Instead, rice fields, local food markets and mountain homestays are drawing growing attention on Western social media.

The phenomenon, often described as "country walk", marks the latest shift in the "China Travel" trend: after exploring the country's megacities, more foreign travelers are venturing off the beaten path in search of slower, more authentic experiences.

Many are not just sightseeing. They are learning to make tofu, joining traditional festivals and spending time with residents, turning rural travel into a more personal encounter with Chinese culture.

Several factors have fueled the trend. In recent years, China's countryside has undergone a remarkable transformation, with improved infrastructure, better connectivity and upgraded public services making rural areas more accessible and attractive to visitors. Expanded visa-free entry policies and streamlined transit procedures have also made it easier for foreign travelers to explore destinations beyond the country's major cities.

"When overseas content creators cycle along clean village roads, stay in courtyard-style boutique homestays, and interact with farmers livestreaming on smartphones, the impact of what they see and experience firsthand cannot be offset by any biased written reporting," commented Global Times.