China is NOTHING Like You Think…

China is NOTHING like I imagined. And the more of this country I see, the more I question how much we really know about places we've never visited. In this China travel vlog, we're exploring the breathtaking Cangshan Mountain range in Dali, Yunnan. Days 2 and 3 of our surprise trip to China take us on two incredible hikes, reaching around 2,100 metres above sea level, with some of the most extraordinary mountain scenery I've ever experienced. I came to China with certain expectations, shaped by the images, headlines and conversations I'd grown up seeing in the West. But Yunnan is showing me a completely different side of the country. Vast mountain ranges, beautiful landscapes, peaceful surroundings and incredibly friendly people. This isn't the China of towering skyscrapers and futuristic cityscapes that so often dominates what we see online. And it leaves me with a bigger question: how many opinions do we form about entire countries without ever setting foot in them? *EXPLORING CANGSHAN MOUNTAINS, DALI – YUNNAN, CHINA* Over two days in Dali, we head into the magnificent Cangshan Mountain range for two hikes through some truly breathtaking scenery. At around 2,100 metres, the scale of the mountains is difficult to put into words. Everywhere you look, there's another view that makes you stop and take it all in. Yunnan has already challenged so many of my expectations of China. The landscapes, the people, the atmosphere and the experience of being somewhere that feels so different from the picture I had in my head. *WHY I'M QUESTIONING WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW ABOUT CHINA* I think there's something worth considering when it comes to travel. We can spend years forming opinions about countries based on news coverage, social media, politics and other people's experiences, without ever questioning where those impressions came from. I'm not suggesting that visiting somewhere means you suddenly understand an entire country, or that we should ignore its complexities. But I do think there's value in going beyond the familiar narrative, listening to people, experiencing different cultures and seeing places with our own eyes. The world is far bigger and more complicated than the version of it we consume through a screen. This is only our second instalment of eight days travelling through Yunnan, China, and I'm already discovering a side of the country I never expected. If you're interested in China travel, exploring lesser-known destinations, hiking in China, incredible natural landscapes and seeing a different side of the world, I hope you'll enjoy coming along. *IN THIS VIDEO:* Exploring the Cangshan Mountains in Dali, China Two breathtaking hikes in Yunnan Province Hiking at approximately 2,100 metres elevation Incredible mountain views and natural scenery Meeting friendly locals and experiencing everyday China Discovering a different side of China beyond its famous cities Reflections on travel, media, culture and our perceptions of the world 📍 Location: Dali, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. Subscribe to follow the rest of our China adventure as we spend eight days exploring Yunnan, discovering its landscapes, culture, people and places that have completely challenged what I thought I knew about China. #ChinaTravel #China #Yunnan #Dali #HikingInChina