This honeymoon is no ordinary ride — a 40-day cycling trip to Sanya
“Cycling Honeymoon” comics go live on Weibo, winning huge online popularity
Riding off into the unknown is a dream buried deep in the hearts of many youths. Recently, Chen Jiang, a young man from Jiangyin, set out from Wuxi to cycle all the way to Sanya — not only to fulfill a honeymoon trip with his wife but also to chase his own dream of cycling.
Over 40 days, nearly 30 cities, three people (including the groom’s brother as a “witness”), an 8,000-yuan budget, and a journey full of twists and turns. Along the way, Chen Jiang documented the scenery and encounters through more than 50 comics, sharing the trip图文直播 on Weibo. Many netizens witnessed this simple yet crazy honeymoon adventure. Recently, a reporter from Jinling Evening News got in touch with him to hear the heartwarming love story and extraordinary cycling dream.
“Cycling Honeymoon” goes viral on Weibo
Chen Jiang first caught attention when he posted his cycling comics on Weibo under the ID @TianXiaWuHua. Through his posts, Chen documented the “Cycling Honeymoon” with a series of comics showing moments such as getting lost on overpasses, bonding with couchsurfing hosts, and kayaking with his wife by the sea — all of which drew admiration from many netizens. Some called them a crazy young couple, while others suggested Chen should be awarded titles like “Best Husband in Wuxi” or “Model Youth of China’s 80s.”
When contacted via private message, Chen explained why he chose to endure so much hardship for the cycling trip to Sanya. He said, on one hand, it was to give his newlywed wife a unique honeymoon experience, and on the other, fulfilling his dream of cycling across China’s four corners was something he had to do.
Inspired by the film “Kora,” moved by the protagonist’s courage to travel solo to Lhasa, Chen started dreaming of his own cycling adventure. Last year, he and his brother cycled to Tibet. The vastly different culture and stories along the journey made him fall in love with the feeling of being “on the road.” Chen said, “Before going to Tibet, I was just a homebody who could only draw and had never left Jiangsu Province. That trip to Tibet gave me the dream of cycling to the farthest corners of China.”
A 40-day budget trip for three costing just 8,000 yuan
Reflecting on the cycling honeymoon to Sanya, Chen said that it wasn’t until he looked back at his Weibo posts and organized the comics that he realized what an arduous, sweet, and fantastical journey it had been.
On June 22, to commemorate their love and fulfill both his and his brother’s cycling dreams, the trio set off from Wuxi, traveling through Suzhou, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Xiamen, and other cities en route to Sanya. Over 40 days, they cycled about 3,500 km through nearly 30 cities. They arrived in Sanya on August 1, covering a total distance of 3,500 km. Their total expenditure was 8,000 yuan, including the cost of returning and buying a replacement bike in Hangzhou (their previous one had been stolen).
Chen said cycling was slower and tougher than taking transportation, requiring over 100 km of riding each day. But the advantage was that every bit of beautiful scenery could be savored, and each amazing view felt like a hard-earned reward.
“It was a low-budget trip. Other than clothes, we only carried small trinkets and drawing materials from Tibet. We planned to do some street vending or drawings if we ran out of money,” Chen said. In Xiamen, they were hit by Typhoon Saola, so street vending was canceled. Instead, they sought “couchsurfing” via WeChat and Weibo, sleeping on the sofas and beds of fellow travelers. On the return trip, cycling from Shanghai to Wuxi during what was dubbed the “hottest summer ever,” they nearly got heatstroke.
Facing storms together made their love even sweeter
When talking about the challenges of cycling, Chen said the biggest hurdle was the weather. “Either blazing sun or torrential rain. Once we entered Guangdong, it basically rained every day. Our clothes never dried. At our worst, everything in our bags was wet, with no spares. We wanted to keep moving, but the heavy rain made cycling even harder.”
However, Chen and his wife grew even closer through these trials. “In Xiamen, my wife lost her raincoat. I gave her mine, then bought a bottle of water at the supermarket and fashioned a makeshift raincoat from a plastic bag. She found the whole thing hilarious.”
Chen was also deeply moved by the many friends they met on the road. “In Puning, Guangdong, we were caught in a downpour and soaked to the bone. We found a temporary ‘couchsurfing’ host who not only helped us book a room but also gave us 300 yuan for the road and a pack of cigarettes. It was really touching.” In return for the help from couchsurfers, they gave away small gifts from Tibet or drew portraits as keepsakes.
“Many people have cycling dreams they’ve never fulfilled. After hearing our story, they hoped we’d carry their dreams with us on the road,” Chen told us. This made their dream journey even more meaningful.
After Chen’s story spread on Weibo, it moved many netizens. @Sanya Tourism Official Network also posted: “What a unique honeymoon journey — my friends and I are amazed. Welcome back to Sanya!”
Netizen @52vickey commented: The post-80s generation isn’t washed up — they’re the best at chasing dreams and making friends everywhere.
Chen said he plans to cycle to Northeast China next year and will self-publish a comic book of his cycling journeys.
Life is too short not to go wild once in a while
Most people think the most memorable things are the beautiful ones. But that’s not the whole truth — it’s often the crazy things in life that leave the deepest impressions. Isn’t cycling over 3,000 km to Sanya a pretty wild thing to do?
A complete life doesn’t have to include countless experiences. If you’ve been crazy and idealistic in your youth, fought for a goal, maybe achieved nothing — you won’t have regrets. You’ll have been young, then middle-aged, built a family, had a wife and children who love you and whom you love, and still held onto a belief in your heart. When you look back in old age, you won’t feel disappointed.
The landscapes you pass, the love from your partner, the friendships and help from fellow travelers, the tastes of local food, the embarrassment of storms — all these moments weave into stories you’ll never forget. They’re worth cherishing and reminiscing. Perhaps we seem so small and insignificant in this world, but with these memories, it’s as if we possess the whole sky and the richness of a life well-lived. Isn’t that something to be proud of? Isn’t that a feeling of happiness? (Reporter: Xue Lian)