Destination: Canada
Girlfriend Lineup: Li T and her best friend Chen Jie. They call themselves Old Li and Old Chen. Together, they have traveled across Europe, Thailand, Maldives, and more. They once served as tourism ambassadors for Canada and in 2012, embarked on a polar bear exploration trip in Manitoba, Canada.
For those born in the 70s and 80s, memories of traveling with girlfriends can be traced back earliest to elementary school spring outings. While the essence of girlfriend getaways hasn’t changed much, the destinations and gear have upgraded immeasurably.
More and more Chinese women, just like the four ladies in *Sex and the City*, are leaving the men behind and flying off to their own versions of A Thousand and One Nights—shopping, spa, gourmet food, taking photos, checking out cute guys… No need to put up with the nagging of men, just endless gossip and insights shared between friends on the road.
Wei Xiang, director of the China Leisure Economics Research Center at Beijing International Studies University, conducted a survey on the leisure behaviors of Chinese women. The results showed that Chinese women's leisure activities often mix with household chores, and even when going out, leisure is combined with family rather than being purely for leisure purposes. In recent years, however, more and more Chinese women are beginning to pursue the joy of independent leisure, especially noticeable among the high-income group.
From the tourism market perspective, there aren’t many travel products specifically designed for women. Some travel agencies may offer promotional discounts at destinations popular among women. According to Liao Weiyong, Deputy General Manager of CYTS Aoyou.com’s Business Unit and Chief Operating Officer, urban white-collar women are becoming more independent and increasingly value their own leisure needs and quality of life. Before the year’s end, Aoyou.com launched a special series titled “Women Rule,” with this edition themed “Girlfriends’ Fun Battle,” offering a discount of 1,000 yuan off per booking.
But not all girlfriends are suited to travel together—the differences in personality can be magnified on the road. Several groups of traveling girlfriends all mentioned the word “compromise” unprompted. The right amount of compromise can make the journey much more comfortable. Of course, it’s best to choose travel companions with similar personalities from the start, so neither the trip nor the friendship ends up in shambles. Gossip is a timeless topic among women—you can fangirl together, critique hot guys, and more. Xu Wei, editor-in-chief of *Fashion COSMO*, says that a chance encounter is really about the feeling it brings, filling the trip with anticipation. If a handsome guy invites you for coffee, Chinese girls don’t have to be too reserved or nervous—as long as it’s safe.
Sharing Intimacies, Learning to Compromise
Xu Wei: There are many travel guidebooks out there, but none tailored specifically to what women enjoy in travel. More and more women around me are traveling with their female besties because women generally love luxury and enjoyment, prefer naturally beautiful places, and might not even really like skiing—but they’d still be happy to sip coffee at a ski resort.
Switzerland is perfect for traveling with good friends. We made wonderful memories, like drinking coffee in the mountains, touring Swiss countryside in horse-drawn carriages, having fondue in a little car, or getting spa treatments together. All four of us are married, but traveling with your spouse is a different experience from traveling with girlfriends. After marriage, women shouldn’t devote all their energy to family life—there are many ways to live.
Traveling with girlfriends feels even better because you have the space to talk freely about anything—men, complaining about husbands, venting—also a way to de-stress.
Jin Yunrong: Traveling with girlfriends is a novel experience. When you go out together, there’s a lot of compromising involved. You also get to see things from another woman’s perspective. For example, my husband and I never went skiing, but my girlfriends encouraged me to try something new.
The topics and feelings women share with each other are different from those shared with men. On our trips, we’d discuss insights from work, cheer each other on, and talk about intimate matters because we felt relaxed and could pour out our emotions. The most memorable was when we stayed in a little wooden cabin with snow falling outside. We were all in our pajamas in this shared space—the easygoing, warm feeling was unforgettable.
When four people travel together, roles naturally divide. For instance, I’m the team leader holding the map and reminding everyone of meeting times; Xu Wei’s running around with a voice recorder asking all sorts of questions. Chen Li always has her DSLR camera taking photos; Li Jing is in charge of candid shots and telling jokes.
■ Girlfriend Travel Experience
【Girlfriend Travel Tips】
In Switzerland, we had to eat out for 10 nights and wanted to wear ten different outfits, but actually only brought two tops and one little black dress. The trick is to mix and match with scarves, shawls, and earrings to create different styles. These items don’t take up much luggage space but elevate your outfit. You can also bring pointed-toe mid-heel ankle boots—they’re dressy enough for events yet comfortable to walk in.
【Girlfriend Travel Tips】
Safety is key when traveling with girlfriends. Avoid sketchy areas at night, book hotels away from train stations or places with high foot traffic, and stay away from casinos. Financially, you can split hotel bills individually and do the same for flights, then divide larger expenses evenly when you return. As for small costs like meals and snacks, don’t sweat the small stuff.
Satisfied with the photos the other took of you
My old friend Chen and I met in 2009 because of photography. We both loved the photos the other took of us, which led us to travel together to many places. But traveling as a duo does come with a challenge—taking group photos is tough—so we mastered the art of selfies.
During our polar bear trip in Canada, we visited Green Gables Heritage Place on Prince Edward Island, the former home of famous Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery. Since the release of her classic *Anne of Green Gables* in 1908, the house has been known as “Green Gables.” It displays the clothes and memorabilia of Anne and her best friend Diana—a great spot to take photos with your bestie as a testament to your friendship.
To see polar bears, you ride in a tall tundra vehicle—the high base allows bears to pass underneath, minimizing disturbance to their habitat. Drivers also avoid idling unnecessarily to not startle sleeping bears with engine noise. So, while watching polar bears, you have to suppress your excitement—unlike in Provence where you can freely express yourself. Taking photos also requires finding the right angle from inside the vehicle.
【Girlfriend Travel Tips】
Book a hotel close to Gyeongbokgung Palace and other commercial areas for convenience. Each girlfriend having her own strength makes the trip fun. Lanlan loves drawing and sketched all the interesting moments of the Korea trip in a childlike comic style.
Girls’ Common Joy
For a great trip, someone in the group should be a know-it-all. Xiaoxi prepared an extremely detailed travel guide before departure, obsessively covering tons of details and even creating a Chinese-Korean-English language reference. Our trip mainly focused on Seoul—to experience its fashion and food and explore Korean drama filming spots. Girls always find unique fun when traveling together—for instance, we watched local Korean dramas on TV until 3 a.m., even though it was all in Korean, we had a blast, and were still energetic for the next day’s adventures.
■ Girlfriend Travel Recommendations
Hiking
Enjoy the Great Outdoors in Style
Recommended by: Switzerland Tourism
Route: St. Moritz – Zermatt – Crans-Montana – Gstaad – Bern
St. Moritz is a climatically pleasant alpine resort located at an altitude of 1,856 meters in the Swiss Alps, featuring ski slopes over 3,000 meters above sea level, and is considered the “Mecca of alpine skiing.” It serves as the departure point for famous panoramic trains such as the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express. Though nestled among the mountains, it has long been a renowned holiday destination for royalty and aristocrats from around the world, boasting the highest number of five-star hotels in Switzerland. In addition to numerous fashion boutiques, shoppers can also find sparkling gemstones, stylish designer furniture, and fine wines.
Crans-Montana is situated above the Rhône Valley and is a representative mountain resort in the French-speaking region, with high-end brand name stores lining its streets. Colorful hiking and off-road mountain biking are popular activities here, and it is also a winter ski destination.
Culinary Experiences
Cooking Class in a Flower Field
Recommended by: Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions
From March to May each year, the Dutch landscape is “flooded” with flowers, and colorful flower fields stretch like ribbons. Hotels around Keukenhof offer various types of package deals, among which Hotel Van der Valk, just a ten-minute drive from Keukenhof Park, has specially launched discounted packages for Keukenhof this season. For a small fee, the hotel’s shuttle service provides pick-up and drop-off.
Additionally, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, De Culinaire Werkplaats offers a novel culinary and dining experience. Located opposite Westergasfabriek, it combines a design studio, workshops, restaurant, cooking kitchen, bakery, and gallery, along with some other “mysterious” elements. They create modern meals and snacks—innovative foods that sometimes come with inventive ways of eating. Guests can dine in a relaxed environment and join cooking workshops to learn how to make modern dishes.
Restaurants
Feminine-Style Restaurants
Recommended by: Atout France (French Tourism Development Agency)
The profession of chef has long been dominated by men, but nowadays many talented young women have joined the field, competing with top chefs. In Paris, several well-known restaurants with a feminine touch welcome food enthusiasts. Auberge Flora, a new restaurant opened by Flora Mikula in the Bastille district, also functions as both a guesthouse and a restaurant.
Moreover, some of the most sought-after restaurants in Paris today are those set up in former fish shops, bird shops, or dairy stores. These venues retain their original décor while adding the charm of renovation. Le Plongeoir, a tea salon by the Hermès boutique, is located in a former Art Deco-style swimming pool and is very fashionable. Two trendy Argentine restaurants, Anahi and Unico, are housed in a former butcher shop.
Vacation
No Newspapers, No Shoes
Recommended by: Bangkok Vanguards Travel
Koh Kood, the southernmost island in eastern Thailand and the country’s fourth largest, still retains pristine tropical rainforests, breathtaking freshwater waterfalls hidden in dense forests, traditional fishing villages, crystal-clear blue waters, and white sandy beaches—like stepping back to a time when Thailand was a lesser-known holiday paradise.
The development and design of Six Senses Soneva Kiri adopt a fully natural, eco-friendly construction philosophy, using pine wood, eucalyptus, and Malay giant bamboo as building materials, perfectly integrating the resort with the surrounding landscape. Coupled with luxurious smart modern facilities, warm and refined service, and the “No News No Shoes” philosophy, it offers female travelers a perfect getaway experience away from the hustle and bustle.