We recently took a free trip with UTO vacations and well, was it free? Is UTO vacation a scam or is it just the Chinese government trying to take us on a shopping trip? Will we see the real beauty and culture of China? Join us as we take our first-ever organized tour and see if this is a fail or a win.
Back in 2022, I got an offer for a free—well, $1—trip to China and Thailand. Sounds too good to be true? Well, everything was included except for airfare. So we went ahead and signed up for it and we paid $460 for Chinese visas.
Then we read the reviews: “It’s a scam,” “it’s a bait and switch,” “there’s terrible customer service,” “UTO will change our travel dates.” Now we’re worried. And sure enough, they did switch our travel dates, but we were able to accommodate them.
The Visa Process and Arrival
Then came the Visa process. Oh, the Visa process; it took months of emailing and paperwork. We got our visas 2 days before our trip. But then our trip is finalized and we nervously head to the airport.
We have an hour and a half left of our 13-hour flight. We land in Beijing and first off, we notice how efficient and automated everything is in China. We use Didi, which is China’s Uber, to get to our hotel.
UTO had promised four-star hotel stays, so we were curious to check out the Warm Springs Hotel. And sure enough, it’s a four-star hotel. Because the hotel sits on a hot spring, each room has one of these spa rooms where the mineral water is piped in. This is a great way to start our day after a 13-hour flight.
Beijing: Crowds, Culture, and Cameras
Beijing has a population of over 21 million. It’s very crowded; there’s lots of pushing and touching and it’s something you have to get used to. Fortunately, Tiananmen Square is so spacious you don’t have to worry about crowding here.
Our guide gave us headsets so we could wander around and still hear him. There are so many cameras in the city; our guide said there are no hidden spots in Beijing. The Forbidden City is a must-do in Beijing. When you’re in Beijing, it’s obvious that it’s a communist country.
Some of the sites we visited are optional, which means you have to pay more to see them. The Golden Mask Dynasty show is an optional tour that we highly recommend.
If you are used to the bright lights and chaos of Times Square, Beijing offers a similar intensity but with a distinct cultural flavor.
The Government-Sponsored Shopping Stops
UTO’s China tour is sponsored by the Chinese government, so they provide cultural tours of Chinese industries, which also provides shopping opportunities.
The Jade Factory: The first one is a jade factory. The products were beautiful, it was mildly interesting, but we didn’t buy anything. We were a little annoyed that we had to wait for the others in our group to finish their shopping.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Center: More government sponsors—the traditional Chinese medicine center. Doctors tried to sell us on Chinese herbal medicine, but they did send in a group of foot massagers. Anyway, that was totally worth it, but the only thing we bought was the tea for soaking our feet.
Silk Factory: Back on the road and a stop at the Suzhou silk factory. The silk-making process is actually interesting, but that sales pitch—this lady sold hard. We did buy a silk bed set.
Pearl Factory: We are off again this morning on our way to Hangzhou, but first stop at the Pearl Factory. My wife is getting strong-armed here. These sales people were hardcore, but we bought nothing.
Latex Factory: This was our least favorite government-sponsored visit. While they tried to sell us some latex, most of us just took naps on the bed.
Shanghai and High-Speed Experiences
Shanghai is an interesting mix of modern skyscrapers on one side of the river and 19th-century French-inspired on the other. This optional river cruise is the highlight of Shanghai.
We’re going on a magnetic levitation train, one of few in the world. They call it their Maglev. It should go up to like 440 mph. We’re only going to go like half that speed. We’re going pretty fast—180 miles an hour. That was pretty wild. No engine, no conductor, it’s all computer control, just a bunch of magnets turning on and off.
If you enjoy efficient travel, you might appreciate the comparison of Lufthansa vs Delta for your international flights to get to these destinations.
Thailand: Temples, Elephants, and Canals
Our next country we’re heading to is Thailand. One of our favorite parts of the tour were the streets of downtown Bangkok. We took a longtail boat ride. The monitor lizards were scary. This canal ride was so different from China; we got to see all sides of Bangkok.
Our hotel had a rooftop pool with incredible views of Bangkok. The Asiatique market had some great shopping. The dinner cruise had buffet-style food that was just kind of “meh,” but the views were well worth it.
Our day in Pattaya offered two options tours: a day on Coral Island or the Elephant Sanctuary. Guess which one we picked? The guides went over the rules to make sure we were safe around the elephants and the elephants were safe around us. Then we meet them with snacks. We made vitamin balls for them to eat, then gave them some mud facials. Yes, I’m in the water with this big boy.
We loved our time at the elephant jungle sanctuary and spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach. At night we headed into downtown Pattaya. While the beaches are beautiful, they have a reputation for partying. It’s not really a family-friendly place.
If you are considering tropical destinations, you might wonder is Hawaii overrated compared to the beaches of Thailand. Just make sure your documents are in order; dealing with a moldy passport could ruin your trip before it starts.
Dining Experiences: From Hot Pot to Peking Duck
The complimentary breakfast was delicious at the hotels. Now it’s time to meet our bus, our tour guide, and our group. We headed to a residence for a local lunch. After lunch, one of the cooks showed us how to roll dumplings—not my skill set.
Back at our hotel, there was a room selling luxury knockoff goods. It was a little strange and we didn’t buy anything, but we did buy the Peking Duck.
Our last morning in China, we checked out this sweet little park across the street from our hotel and had a seafood Hot Pot lunch before heading to the airport. Food is fabulous and there’s some really good shopping.
Exploring Suzhou and Wuxi
Our tour guide Shei gave us the history on the ancient Chinese gardens at Masters of the Nets. Another government-sponsored stop, the Embroidery Institute, was actually very interesting to see these artists at work. This piece will take a year and a half to finish.
Time to check out the Radisson Suzhou and see if it’s four-star—yep it is. Wuxi is known as a water town and they’ve been using these ancient canals for hundreds of years. This optional Canal tour is one of the best things that we did. Nanchang Street is one of Wuxi’s most ancient streets filled with vibrant shops and restaurants. You can play with cats in this cat cafe or just buy one from this cage. Our room at Grand Park Wuxi does not disappoint.
The Knockoff Market in Shanghai
This is the knockoff market and they’re known for high-end brand knockoffs. It’s a bargainer’s paradise and I’m not ashamed to admit that we came away with quite a haul.
Another great optional tour is the Shanghai Acrobatics show. The performance was breathtaking and a highlight of our time in the city.
Cultural Stops in Thailand
On our way to Pattaya, we stopped off at Buddha Mountain where there’s a Golden Buddha that’s lasered into the mountain. It’s 358 ft tall and it was fascinating. So were these monks that we had some conversations with. Another four-star hotel and the best part—right on the beach.
We had the evening free in Bangkok and we chose to head to the Thai boxing rings. It was an intense and culturally immersive way to end our time in Thailand.
The Verdict: Is UTO Vacation a Scam?
We had a great time in China and Thailand, but would we recommend UTO as a tour? Well, here are the pros and cons.
Pros and Cons Breakdown
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unbeatable Price ($1 base + fees) | Poor Customer Service from UTO |
| Visited All Major Highlights | Government Sponsored Visits (Shopping traps) |
| Great Hotels & Guides | Not a Lot of Free Time |
| Easy Logistics | Bad Reputation (Bait & switch concerns) |
We chose to do almost all the optional tours. The hotels and tour guides were great, and it’s very easy to get around on a tour. However, UTO does have a bad rep. Is UTO vacation a scam? Technically no, because they deliver on the trip, but you have to be prepared for the aggressive sales pitches and lack of flexibility.
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