Travel vloggers Liu Yuxi (left) and Liu Hongjia enjoy a beautiful morning in the verdant Ganjia grasslands in Gansu province last year. Hitting the road in a camper van is a growing trend. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)
Recreational vehicles are increasingly popular for those who want the journey of a lifetime, Wang Qian reports.
When COVID-19 disrupted many people's vacation plans in 2020, travel vloggers Liu Yuxi and Liu Hongjia packed up their stuff in a camper van and hit the road. The vehicle acts as a small mobile home with infinite possibilities.
In June 2020, they started the "Rolling 30" journey, driving 14,380 kilometers from Shanghai to the Tibet autonomous region along National Highway 318 in 100 days to mark them turning 30.
Last year, they explored the ancient Silk Road route, campervanning from Beijing to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The trip was named "Rolling Silk Road".
"During our journey, every time we opened our van door, the whole world laid in front of us, from the hustle and bustle of city life to breathtaking pristine natural landscapes," Liu Yuxi says.
The couple, Liu Yuxi and Liu Hongjia, from Beijing, is among the increasing number of "van home" travelers in China, who pursue freedom, simplicity and a connection to nature
She still remembers the excitement when Mount Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest, was framed in their van's backdoor. It felt like the mountain was close at hand, as if it was a neighbor.
"It was the moment that I realized although our van is small, it can lead us to a world that is big," she says, adding that the journey had changed their lives.
The couple, from Beijing, is among the increasing number of "van home" travelers in China, who pursue freedom, simplicity and a connection to nature.
Across the country, the sales of recreational vehicles surged last year to 12,582, about 43 percent more than the previous year, according to the latest report released by China Automobile Dealers Association. The number was 4,541 in 2017.
China's first self-built RV hit the road in 2001, according to Zhou Sen from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. He says that after 20 years' development, the country's RV and camping business is set to take off with sales in the sector growing in double digits for the past five years.
On social media platforms, like Bilibili, Douyin and Xiaohongshu, thousands of van life vloggers have posted videos about their new outdoor lifestyle.
If you search "RV" on Bilibili, you will find more than 56,000 videos, which have been viewed more than 570 million times.
Known as Xiaomo and Ahou on Bilibili, Liu Yuxi and Liu Hongjia's account has posted more than 200 videos, attracting 250,000 followers.
Mount Qomolangma is framed in the van's rear door during the couple's 100-day journey from Shanghai to the Tibet autonomous region along national Highway 318 in 2020. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)
Rolling home
Turning 30 may cause a moment or two of reflection for some people, but for the couple, it was time to try something new. When COVID-19 made traveling abroad almost impossible in 2020, the couple in Beijing tried their best to continue their trips－buying a camper van for 130,000 yuan ($20,510) to undertake a comprehensive exploration of the country's various landscapes.
The conversion of the vehicle into a mobile home cost them another 100,000 yuan and about six months, according to Liu Yuxi. With a 5-square-meter living space in the van, they started their "Rolling 30" adventure in June that year.
"The journey lasted 100 days and cost us about 35,000 yuan, which was cheaper than other ways of travel," Liu Hongjia says.
Cost-effectiveness is what most people care about, but for the couple, freedom behind the wheel gives their adventure a special appeal.
"Usually, a 'common' vocation is planned down to the minute, such as when to get to the airport, to check in and out the hotel and rush to catch a train. There is no such stress in our journey," Liu Hongjia says.
"On an RV trip, you can do things at your own pace. You can go or stop anywhere you want, anytime you want," he says, adding that it can sometimes take you off the beaten path.
Take their driving in Xinjiang for example. In mid-September, when they planned to drive from Turpan to Urumqi, reaching Kanas in Altay for its most colorful season－autumn, a fellow RV traveler told them that in his eyes, Jiangbulake (Jiangbrak) was the place that best represented Xinjiang. So they changed their plans－and drove to the grasslands.
"Most people who we met on the road have been friendly, and left us with many heartwarming moments," Liu Yuxi says.
Meaning "Source of Holy Water" in Kazakh, Jiangbulake scenic spot is located in Qitai county, about 420 kilometers from Turpan. It contains golden wheat fields and green grasslands, and snow-capped mountains. It was where they captured the end of autumn.
Besides the freedom, Liu Yuxi thinks RV travel is well suited for her husband, who is also a photographer.
"As a photographer, he often wants to capture the beauty of nature, such as stars or sunset in the desert. A camper van can take him to a good spot for photos and even allow a rest while using time-lapse photography," she says.
For the couple, RV travel has been a good option to live a balanced life, combining their travel blogging work, interest and life together while minimizing the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Liu Hongjia marvels at the starry night sky in Ngari prefecture, Tibet autonomous region, in 2020. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)
Growing trend
In the past several years, the country's RV business has developed rapidly. An increasing number of people with time and money have caught on to the joys of RV vacations.
Yang Xu, a 38-year-old Beijing resident, is one of the growing group. He started his RV trips around China in September 2020.
Before the age of 30, Yang had been devoted to his work, owning a company, and kind of attained "financial freedom".
"I am not a material person. Not happy with my busy life at that time, I made a choice between my career as a businessman and my dream as a traveler. I sold most of my shares to my partner and began a four-month journey in my SUV from Mohe in northernmost China's Heilongjiang province to Tibet," Yang says, adding that the trip has broadened his perspective about life.
The journey planted a seed in Yang's heart－to own an RV and drive around the country. It was realized in August 2020, and his mobile home cost him about 400,000 yuan, including its conversion.
"For long-distance travelers, who go on the road for more than 100 days a year, the RV is an economical option," Yang says.
He says that there is a popular saying among them: "Keep going, you're getting there."
Every month, he flies back to Beijing to reunite with his wife and two daughters. If there is a holiday or school vacation, his family will fly to where he is.
"Before hitting the road, I barely had any time to be with my family, but now, my daughters are proud of their father who keeps traveling," Yang says.
His travel vlogs on Bilibili have attracted about 770,000 followers. A Bilibili user named Mutou comments that most people don't have the courage to get out of the comfort zone. Giving up a stable job, to pursue freedom, can be daunting but once you take the first step, the world will be different.
"No matter what your dream is, once you have the condition, do not hesitate to realize it," Yang says, adding that his next big plan is to drive his RV from Asia to Europe.
There is one group who may feel that their time has come. Those in retirement or approaching it, with a grown-up family, may feel that the golden years present a good opportunity for travel and adventure.
Su Min, a 57-year-old housewife who went viral on social media in 2020 for her solo road trip escaping the family, bought her own RV recently with a loan and support from her daughter.
"In the past, there was nothing that really belongs to me, but now I finally got 'a home' under my name," Su says, trying to hold her tears back.
According to data from 21RV, a domestic business platform providing RV-related news, people aged between 40 and 59 accounted for about 63 percent of the respondents who are interested in RV travel.
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Policy and facilities
Van life has taken the world by storm. Forbes magazine dubbed 2020 as "The Year of RV Travel". In the United States, RV ownership is at a record high with 11.2 million households owning an RV last year, up 62 percent over 6.9 million households in 2001.
The figures indicate that there is still plenty of room for growth in China with a population of about 1.4 billion.
In December, the Ministry of Public Security amended the country's driver's license regulation, introducing the C6 license, specifically for those who are authorized to tow trailers. The regulation became effective on April 1.
Industry insiders take it as a clear sign that China is aiming to legitimize the industry and giving a nod to the growing recreational vehicle market.
Before the new C6 license, many travel trailers were used for destination camping in rented sites.
A lack of these sites is preventing even further growth. According to 21RV's data, as of December, there were 1,063 campsites across the country, with only 500 of them offering water and electricity for vehicles.
Liu Hongjia agrees that finding a decent campsite has not been easy.
"Even if there is a campsite, the price for a vehicle costs more than most of us expect, ranging from 150 to 300 yuan per day," he says, adding that, most of the time, they will find a parking lot in a scenic spot or a highway rest area, where they can get water and even electricity.
Liu Yuxi does admit that the infrastructure in the sector has expanded rapidly, though there is more to be done.
"When we traveled in Xinjiang and Tibet, the parking lots of most scenic spots have been quite large, with really good toilets providing hot water," she says, adding that some even have charging stations.
According to the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), China will promote the development of the RV and campground sector and launch a batch of self-driving routes for RV travelers.
"In three to five years, RV travelers will have a better experience on the road," she says.
Contact the writer at wangqian@chinadaily.com.cn
