During this trip to Vietnam, I specifically set aside a day to revisit the Cu Chi Tunnels, a place I had been to back in elementary school. I still remember how small I was at the time — crawling through the tunnels felt effortless, almost like exploring a secret playground. It was exciting and fun. Returning this time, however, I realized just how unbelievably narrow the tunnels actually are. I bumped into the walls countless times and finally reached the end with an aching back and sore waist.
亞洲
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a must-visit destination in Chengdu. It serves as a conservation and research center dedicated to giant pandas. The entire park is designed with bamboo forests and natural woodland, providing pandas with a habitat that closely resembles their natural environment. Giant pandas are a species native to China and are mainly found in the mountainous regions of Sichuan, the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi, and parts of Gansu. There are currently more than 1,800 wild giant pandas, and they are classified as a vulnerable species. So far, the Chengdu Panda Base has successfully bred more than 200 giant pandas.
Tibet has always been near the top of my travel bucket list. During a trip to Nepal two years ago, I visited a Tibetan refugee settlement in Pokhara, where I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Tibetans living in exile. That experience deepened my desire to one day set foot in Tibet. This year, I finally fulfilled one of my long-held dreams.
For travelers from Taiwan, there are two ways to enter Tibet: by plane or by train. I had heard that the scenery between Xining and Lhasa is breathtaking, so for this trip to Tibet and Mount Kailash, I decided to “enter Tibet by train and leave by plane.” I’ve put together seven practical tips about taking the Qinghai–Tibet Railway for anyone planning a trip to Tibet:
