14/08/2026

LYFE

LYFE FRIDAY | AUG 14, 2026

21

Riding through Chongqing

T HE roar of engines fills the night air in China’s Chongqing city as tourists awkwardly clamber onto gleaming motorbikes and cling to muscular drivers to star in personalised videos. Teams of sellers hawk their filming services to passersby, many of whom have been drawn to the city and its cyberpunk image by motorbiking videos on social media shot against the neon-lit nightscape. “I flew from Shanghai to Chongqing this morning and the first priority is this shoot,” 30-year old Liu Changqing told AFP, dressed o Tourists chase thrill in Middle Kingdom’s trending biker capital

in one of the heavy motorcycle jackets rented to customers, despite the sweltering heat. “They even have make-up artists to help you,” she said as she mounted a crimson superbike, wrapped her arms around her driver and sped off with a videographer in pursuit. While many Chinese cities have restricted motorcycling, Chongqing has embraced it and become a biker’s paradise. What began with local riders snapping each other to post online exploded last year as tourism to the mega-city of 23 million spiked. Videos using a hashtag related to the trend have racked up a cumulative 1.3 billion views on Douyin – China’s version of TikTok – helping to elevate Chongqing’s motorcycle culture to national prominence and even gaining recognition overseas.

A woman checks her hairdo before going for a motorcycle riding photo and video session in Chongqing.

Manufacturing hub “There is a local saying that if you put a camera at an intersection in Chongqing, every 30 seconds, you’ll see a motorcycle pass by,” said Zhang Yuanming, a 29-year-old motorbike enthusiast and instructor. Zhang attributes biking’s popularity in the city to the prevalence of manufacturers, the rugged terrain and bad traffic. Chongqing has been an industry hub since 1979, when state-owned military equipment manufacturer Jialing began producing civilian motorcycles in the city. Motorbikes quickly became popular and the city now accounts for more than a third of China’s total motorbike production. While many Chinese cities are dominated by electric scooters, which face fewer regulations, Chongqing has remained open to petrol-powered two-wheelers. Zhang, who teaches students to race at a track on the outskirts of the

Multilingual ticketing machines, AI-powered translation devices and customer support in English, French, Spanish and other languages are now widely available at tourist attractions and on major travel platforms. Yet, one detail repeatedly highlighted by foreign visitors is surprisingly simple: Air conditioning. From airports and subway stations to shopping malls, hotels and tourist attractions, reliable cooling has become an essential part of China’s summer travel experience, supported by one of the world’s largest and most reliable power systems. Across social media, videos of foreign travellers sharing their summer adventures in China have become windows through which global audiences are rediscovering the country. Increasingly, visitors are venturing beyond Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen to explore ancient towns, mountain villages and lesser-known cities. What they are finding is more than just a cool place to escape the summer heat – they are discovering a China that is increasingly accessible, welcoming and vibrant. – Bernama people saw that we looked pretty handsome so they started wanting to sit on the back,” 26-year-old rider Li Yan told said, explaining how he now earns up to 1,000 yuan a night from customers. Li’s team has grown to seven members working together to advertise online and to passersby, drive the bikes and edit the footage, with each rider attracting around six to 12 customers a night. Domestic interest has cooled from the craze’s peak last year, but foreign tourists – who now make up around a third of customers each evening – are helping fill the gap as the news spreads overseas. “I saw it was a ‘must do’ in Chongqing,” said Alex Schodorowska, a tourist visiting from Britain, who saw the trend on Instagram. “There’s nowhere with a view like this, with all the lights. I don’t think many places could have the same effect for video,” the 29-year-old said as she waited her turn for a ride.

city, hopes tourism will further burnish the city’s biker reputation. “When (tourists) take photos and videos, they may come to like motorbikes and learn to ride, then buy a bike,” he said. Zhang has also seen increased interest from students since March, when local brand ZXMoto made headlines by becoming the first Chinese manufacturer to win a race in the prestigious WorldSSP class in Portugal. “It’s pushing young people to get in touch with motorcycles,” he said. Roaring business For the local bikers offering videos for tourists, Chongqing’s motorcycle prowess is a business opportunity. The packages of choreographed photos and videos – in which customers are swept off their feet by dashing riders and cruise past the city’s landmarks in slow motion – cost upwards of 200 yuan (RM121). “We used to just make short videos of ourselves. Later, other

A motorcycle jacket rental business owner waits on customers for a riding photo and video service. – PICS FROM AFP

Why China has become hot summer destination for international tourists AS extreme heat grips much of Europe, a new travel trend is taking shape. Increasingly, travellers are looking beyond their own borders in search of cooler summer destinations and China is emerging as one of their top choices. provinces have topped international travellers’ summer wishlists. Booming China travel quarters of inbound travellers now enter the country visa-free. Meanwhile, travel services have become increasingly foreigner friendly.

In Zhangjiajie, a tourist city in central China’s Hunan Province known worldwide for its dreamlike landscape, the peak season for inbound visitors has arrived. Tourists from Europe, Southeast Asia and beyond venture into its Unesco-listed sandstone mountains, where cool breezes and lush forests offer a natural retreat. Benefiting from China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy, the city has opened over 10 passenger air routes linking eight countries and regions. Fast-track immigration procedures and entry to major attractions with just a passport have made travelling in the city more seamless than ever for international visitors. Since the beginning of July, family summer trips to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Scenic Area have surged, with daily visits approaching 10,000 and inbound tourists accounting for over 50% of the total. China’s cooler coastal destinations are also seeing rising popularity. Qinhuangdao, a seaside city in north China’s Hebei Province, has introduced a diverse lineup of summer activities, including sailing, speedboat rides, intangible cultural heritage performances and

With its cool climate and picturesque landscape of green hills and clear waters, Liupanshui City, known as China’s “cool city” in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, has emerged as a favoured destination for foreign travellers escaping the heat. During this summer vacation, more than 20 themed events, including music festivals and rural garden fairs, are taking place across the city, drawing visitors from around the world. Touring the city this summer, Max Slonim, an American tourist, was impressed by the cool and comfortable weather. “Whenever you go to scenic and beautiful places, you can really experience nature and the peaceful atmosphere without huge crowds and long queues,” he said. The broader momentum behind “China Travel” continues to build. During the first half of 2026, China recorded more than 22.91 million inbound visits, up 20.4% year on year. Traditional summer destinations such as Yunnan, Guizhou and Hunan

Liupanshui City is a favourite destination for tourists escaping the summer heat. – WIKIPEDIAPIC immersive VR experiences at the Great Wall Museum. Why China? Behind the tourism boom is China’s steadily expanding visa facilitation policy.

The city received 43,000 inbound visits during the first half of this year, up 50% year on year, while the average stay of overseas tourists doubled from seven days to 15. The trend is especially noticeable among European travellers. European countries account for nearly 30% of China’s top 20 inbound source markets for this summer. Travel bookings have surged 275% year on year, while attraction ticket orders have increased by 20 times. Visitors from Britain, France and Germany alone account for nearly 42% of all European arrivals.

China currently offers unilateral visa-free entry to nationals of 50 countries and has signed mutual visa exemption agreements with 29 countries. Meanwhile, nationals from 55 countries can now utilise the 240 hour visa-free transit programme to enter China via 65 designated ports. International accessibility has also improved significantly. Direct flights now connect overseas destinations with 160 Chinese cities, while more than three