For the more adventurous souls, there's no better time to hit the road than during this May Day holiday. And what better way than in the comfort of a recreational vehicle. I went for a ride and checked out this increasingly popular trend in China.
Fishing gear, beer, cigarettes, barbeque skewers, and sunscreen, all in the quintessential Western chariots of leisure transportation.
No matter if it’s white-haired retirees travelling for a warmer winter, or families with kids heading for an adventure in the surburban park, you are probably familiar with the idea: a motor vehicle equipped with living space and the amenities found in a home. In Chinese, it’s called "fang che", which literally means a “house car”.
RVs have a long and glorious history in the West. In the recent decade, Chinese with a love of the outdoors are learning to embrace the American and Western RV culture. Since the holiday has arrived, why not step on board and travel with us?
RV is about being spontaneous and making choices on the go for those who want to stay in the relative comfort of your own home. Now RVs are getting more and more popularity in
China because you can travel and relax on holidays without having to worry about making hotel reservations in advance. These compact RVs are specially popular, because they drive like a regular sized vehicle, and also, they are not subjected to large-sized vehicle restrictions on the Chinese city roads.
RVs are gaining Chinese people’s favour nowadays because they speak to the Chinese value centered on the family. You can pretty much drag your entire family inside this vehicle with no problem.
Inside, this place really feels like home away from home. Here you got the living space and a table big enough for four people, and you got a flat screen TV. And you have the kitchen space, a sink, nice water pressure, and of course, an electric stove on the side. Plenty of storage places all around the cabin.
In western countries, the RV lifestyle is particularly popular among senior citizens. Many of them have often sold their homes and travel to warm climates in the winter. That’s why RV manufacturers are optimistic about China: With the country’s first generation of modern entrepreneurs getting set to retire, for the first time in Chinese history there are people with money, and time.
"China is a developing market with an expanding middle class who we believe have a large interest in pursuing the RV lifestyle," said Guan Jingzhao from Gentech Specialty Vehicle. "We must admit that there is much more to be done to build the infrastructure in China to support RVs. However, China appears to be interested in making those changes."
The fact is, now there are even RV communities in Beijing. Members head out with family or friends to mountains or lakes for a relaxing weekend. It’s these entheusiasts that have led the push for better roads, service areas, campgrounds with water and electricity hook-ups, and even government regulations.
Many see RVs only as luxurious items at auto shows, but for a group of five-six individuals, renting an RV for 1,500 yuan per day seems reasonable, not to mention the thoughtful designs and gadgets for travellers.
"There are indeed a lot of functions packed in this vehicle, probably more than you can imagine. For example, the multi-functional window. If you want to take a nap, just lift the window shade. In summer the screened layer can be pulled down to guard against mosquitoes, and basically, you can open it to any angle," Guan said.
In coastal provinces such as Shandong, Zhejiang and Fujian, as well as popular tourist regions like Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, small, local companies are starting to invest in building campgrounds for those travellers in RVs.
Maybe it won’t take long before one can actually afford a vehicle like this with family and friends, and enjoy a worry-free road trip in China. After all, it’s a terrific feeling to get out of the steel-and-concrete cities and embrace nature.
