What Is Couchsurfing?
“Couchsurfing,” as the name suggests, means “sleeping on someone else’s couch.” Actually, it’s not necessarily a couch — if the host has a spare room or bed, the “couchsurfer” can sleep quite comfortably. And if you meet a particularly hospitable host, they might even show you around the local sights and treat you to the area’s best food. The term comes from a global couchsurfing website called Couchsurfing. It was founded in 2004 by an American young man named Casey Fenton, inspired by an overseas trip. Before departure, he came up with the idea of emailing a thousand college students to ask for accommodation, and received many responses — which gave him the idea of spreading this kind of experience. Since the launch of the website, it has quickly gained popularity among trendsetters due to its novelty and money-saving appeal.
Amid the current trend of budget travel, a travel method known as “couchsurfing” has quietly emerged in Chongqing...
Would you let a stranger sleep on your couch?
Recently, this reporter tried being a “couch host” and found the experience: totally worth it!
On the day the post went up, 12 men applied — the reporter politely declined.
On December 9, 2012, the reporter posted a message in the “China Couchsurfers” group on Douban titled “Long-term Couch Available in Chongqing.” That day, 13 netizens from Taiwan, Tianjin, Jiangsu, and other regions replied, hoping to sleep on a “couch.” After reviewing the “basic information” of the posters, the female reporter first politely turned down 12 of the male applicants, and finally chose Zhao Qin (a pseudonym), a junior at Xi’an University of Science and Technology.
A private message from this student moved the reporter — “I wonder if I could borrow your couch to rest for a bit? I’m a considerate girl who knows self-respect and respect, and I look forward to your reply.”
For nearly a month afterward — that is, before she flew from Xi’an to Chongqing on a 10% discounted ticket — the reporter communicated with her dozens of times via private message and text, discussing her itinerary briefly and learning about her living habits.
After confirming the couchsurfer hadn’t “stood them up,” the reporter breathed a sigh of relief.
On January 6, the reporter met Zhao Qin at Xinpaifang. The 22-year-old carried a large hiking backpack, with a pair of somewhat worn shoes tied to it. “Hi, here’s my ID,” she said as soon as they met, voluntarily handing over her ID card and student ID to the reporter, which put the reporter’s initially anxious mind more at ease.
Chatting all the way, the reporter took Zhao Qin to their home in Jinketian Nian Cheng, Yubei District — a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment of about 60 square meters, where the reporter lived alone. Prior to her arrival, the reporter had already put away the camera and electronic dictionary originally placed in the living room into their bedroom. While showing Zhao Qin around the rooms, the reporter deliberately avoided the master bedroom, having her stay in the second bedroom directly.
The reporter and Zhao Qin got along like new friends. Late at night, the reporter began to get nervous and didn’t dare bring up sleeping arrangements. It wasn’t until around 11 p.m., when Zhao Qin said “I have to go to Ciqikou tomorrow, going to sleep now,” and went into her room, that the reporter finally returned to their own room — the first thing they did was lock the door tightly.
Then, the reporter started browsing Weibo in bed, ears perked up, listening for any sounds from the next room. Every cough, every light switch from the adjacent room, the reporter could hear clearly. Unable to wait for Zhao Qin’s snoring, the reporter fell into a fitful sleep by 12 a.m. They slept very lightly all night.
At 8 a.m. the next day, the reporter got up, walked to the living room to check that the luggage was still there, confirmed Zhao Qin hadn’t “stood them up,” and breathed a sigh of relief.
Having gained a friend and many fresh stories, the reporter felt it was totally worth it!
“Couchsurfer” Zhao Qin stayed for two days. Ultimately, the reporter still had some reservations and didn’t give her a key to the room. During the day when she went out to sightsee, she would contact the reporter via text before returning, and the reporter would get home before her, so she wouldn’t be left out in the cold. She was careful to keep the place tidy, tidying up the room in the morning and cleaning the bathroom after taking a shower. Though their time together was short, she and the reporter chatted a lot — about the cultural differences between Xi’an and Chongqing, previous couchsurfing experiences, the most memorable things encountered during travels, favorite books and movies...
On January 10, Zhao Qin left Chongqing, giving the reporter a Xi’an shadow puppet card and an apple. She still keeps in touch with the reporter and they’ve made plans to send each other postcards.
As a first-time “couch host,” the reporter’s cost was an empty room and two breakfasts — but they gained a friend, many fresh stories, and two nights that will always be cherished. Totally worth it!
Experience of a Veteran Chongqing Couchsurfer:
Stayed 7 Days in a Hong Kong Mansion Without Spending a Penny
As one of the most active couchsurfers in Chongqing, 37-year-old columnist Shangguan Xiaoguai once stayed for 7 days in a mid-levels mansion in Hong Kong without spending a cent.
At the end of 2009, on the night she arrived in Hong Kong, Shangguan Xiaoguai happened to attend a Hong Kong couchsurfer meetup. Two Hong Kong “couch hosts” she had been in touch with via email also showed up as promised. One was an American living in Hong Kong, and the other was a native Hong Konger. At the meetup, both hosts handed her their keys.
The American’s mansion was located on Victoria Peak in Central, next to a botanical garden. The 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows offered views of Hong Kong’s most bustling scenery. On the second day of Shangguan Xiaoguai’s stay, the American went abroad, leaving instructions for several Filipino maids to take personal care of her.
After staying 4 days in the American’s mansion, Shangguan Xiaoguai then moved to the home of the Hong Kong “couch host.” This host handed her the keys and then went off to work, trusting her completely. She stayed there for 3 days, meeting them only twice.
Slept on Someone Else’s Couch "I Traveled Around Hong Kong and Stayed in a Mansion for 7 Days"
If you’ve seen Journey to the West, you’ll definitely remember Tang Sanzang’s classic line: “Kind sir, this humble monk comes from the Great Tang in the East, journeying to the West to retrieve Buddhist scriptures. Might I trouble you for a place to stay the night?”
More than 1,000 years later, this model of securing a free night’s lodging has been mysteriously popularized by a group of young people today. If this were happening today, Tang Sanzang and his disciples might just share a fashionable name with these youths: “couchsurfers.”
“Borrow your sofa, and I’ll travel the world”—sounds a bit far-fetched? But you might not know that this internet-born form of mutual travel, which relies even more on trust between people, has already garnered quite a following in Chongqing: staying in a half-mountain luxury villa in Hong Kong for seven days without spending a penny; traveling from Chongqing to Paris, having fun for a week with expenses under 5,000 yuan... These seemingly incredible stories are all part of the amazing experiences of Chongqing’s couchsurfing community.
Chongqing Couchsurfing:
With over 200 members, the post-80s are the most active
“Couchsurfing is often a test of trust between people, and it has only gradually developed in Chongqing in the past two years,” said Shangguan Xiaoguai, one of the most active couchsurfers in the Chongqing community. In October 2010, right after traveling from Chongqing to Shanghai, she was planning to fly to Kunming, where another friendly “sofa” was waiting for her arrival.
Traveling the world as a couchsurfer, nearly two years have now passed, and 33-year-old Shangguan Xiaoguai has explored multiple Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia and Laos. She never needs to factor in high accommodation costs during her travels—wherever she goes, she stays on the sofas offered by couchsurfers of different skin colors and languages.
“Globally, almost all qualified couchsurfers share a common home base—a couchsurfing website founded in 2004 by an American guy named Casey Fenton. Today, the site has amassed nearly 2 million users, with many people willing to offer their sofas.” As an active member of the Chongqing couchsurfing circle, Shangguan Xiaoguai explained that every year, hundreds of millions of travelers use this platform to embark on affordable journeys through the couchsurfing experience.
Of course, within this global community of couchsurfers, there are also quite a few people from Chongqing, with over 200 registered members.
In Chongqing, couchsurfers also have their own community. “We have meetups, basically once a month, and our own QQ group. On the global couchsurfing website, we also have a Chongqing group.” Among Shangguan Xiaoguai’s circle, the majority are urban professionals, teachers, university students, and some foreigners living in Chongqing. The post-80s are naturally the main force, with most Chongqing couchsurfers aged between 20 and 30.
Couchsurfing Experiences:
The host trusted me and gave me the keys
“Sleeping on someone else’s sofa while completing my own journey” may sound somewhat unbelievable. Take Shangguan Xiaoguai, for example—she spent a full seven days in Hong Kong, staying in a half-mountain luxury villa every day, yet spent not a single cent. This story is also quite “famous” in the Chongqing couchsurfing circle.
Shangguan Xiaoguai said that at the end of last year, during the peak tourist season in Hong Kong, she had heard that Hong Kong people were rather aloof. “That time, I traveled from Thailand to Hong Kong. A week before departure, I sent out emails online. I wasn’t even sure if I’d get a response, but the next day, two Hong Kong couchsurfers reached out, replying to my email and welcoming me.”
Later, Shangguan Xiaoguai arrived in Hong Kong as planned, and that very evening happened to be a gathering of Hong Kong couchsurfers. The two hosts she had been in touch with via email showed up as promised, very friendly. “One was an American living in Hong Kong, and the other was a native Hongkonger. During the gathering, both hosts handed me their keys. The American then went abroad the next day to enjoy someone else’s sofa.”
It was this experience that allowed Shangguan Xiaoguai to stay in two half-mountain luxury villas on The Peak in Central Hong Kong. “The American who owned the villa lived next to a botanical garden. From the 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows, you could see the most bustling scenes of Hong Kong. Although the owner wasn’t home, I stayed on his sofa as agreed, and several Filipino maids took good care of me as per the owner’s instructions.”
After staying four days in the American’s villa, Shangguan Xiaoguai then moved to the home of the Hong Kong couchsurfer. “That host was also very busy. After handing me the keys, he went to work and left me to myself. I stayed there for three days, but we only met twice.”
Couchsurfing Essentials:
Safety first, politeness is crucial
James, 28, is a French teacher based in Chongqing and one of the earliest batch of couchsurfers. Yesterday afternoon, right after finishing his class, James was already planning his next trip online. Like him, there are many foreigners in Chongqing’s couchsurfing community—most are here to teach or are representatives sent by business organizations. Though busy with work, this doesn’t affect their love for travel. Exploring new places and being happy-go-lucky couchsurfers makes them enjoy life to the fullest.
“Couchsurfing is built on mutual respect and honesty, but to become part of it, you must understand the importance of safety—otherwise, it can be risky,” said James. “First, choose hosts with detailed profiles. Observe their credibility through previous reviews, and prioritize safer options such as same-gender or family hosts.”
At the same time, a couchsurfer’s reputation is also a factor in whether a host is willing to accept you. “If you have bad reviews or no one is willing to vouch for you, it’s very hard to find a sofa. So every couchsurfer knows how to be self-disciplined.”
“Aside from safety first, politeness is also important.” In Shangguan Xiaoguai’s view, as a qualified couchsurfer, there are certain etiquettes that must be followed: “After meeting the host, communicate promptly to gauge their personality and attitude. If something feels off, find a way to back out and look for a hotel instead. Also pay attention to the customs of certain countries, respect the host’s cultural beliefs and privacy during interactions, and maintain cleanliness, courtesy, and personal property safety while staying. If the host only offers accommodation, try to leave before they leave the house and return before they go to sleep.”
One thing couchsurfers absolutely avoid is leaving without saying goodbye. “When leaving, clean up the place you stayed, pack your belongings properly to avoid leaving anything behind, and it’s best to give the host a small gift to express your gratitude.”