by Silvia Torriti

More and more young workers in Chinese cities are taking advantage of the weekend to travel outside the country at least once a month. Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Russia are the most popular destinations, but some are even venturing overseas on gruelling tours with very tight schedules.

Milan (AsiaNews) - A new way of enjoying free time at the end of the working week is spreading among Chinese Gen Z. According to a survey conducted by the Houlang Research Institute, more and more young workers in Chinese cities are taking advantage of the weekend to travel abroad at least once a month.

This is a form of “extreme” tourism that requires considerable physical and mental stamina: it is no coincidence that those who practise it are referred to on the web as “weekend special forces soldiers” (zhoumo tezhongbing).

To many, it may seem pure madness, but those who have tried this type of experience say that, although short, it is extremely rewarding, to the point of becoming a real lifestyle. What's more, it can be done without asking for days off work, saves money and avoids the busiest tourist periods, which usually coincide with the National Holiday on 1 October and 1 May.

The destinations chosen for these lightning trips are usually reachable in about six hours, with departure strictly between 6 p.m. on Friday and 12 noon on Saturday and return by 9 a.m. on Monday.

It is also preferable that they have efficient urban transport and that tourist attractions are concentrated in a single area, so as to reduce travel time. Among the destinations that best fit these characteristics are undoubtedly Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Russia.

The more adventurous dare to go overseas, provided they arrive back at the office on Monday or Tuesday morning at the latest.

Brian, as he is known, works as a product manager for an IT company in Shanghai. Despite his very stressful work schedule, he never misses a chance to travel abroad at the weekend, to the point that it has become a real hobby.

Last March, for example, he organised a themed tour to discover one of Japan's three main hot springs, in the town of Gero Onsen.

He left Shanghai Pudong Airport at 11 a.m. on Saturday and landed in Nagoya at 2 p.m., from where he took a train to his hotel, just in time for dinner and a fireworks display.

On Sunday morning, he visited the village of Gassho, near Gero Onsen, and in the afternoon he headed to Osaka for some shopping. He then went to the airport to wait for the first flight on Monday morning that would take him back to Shanghai, in time to clock in.

The total cost of this short trip to Japan is not as high as one might imagine, being less than 3,000 yuan (approximately £360). According to Brian, it is paradoxically more expensive to go skiing in Chongli, a district located in the northern province of Hebei, 1,400 km from Shanghai. On the other hand, the young product manager is aware that travelling, like any other hobby, necessarily involves a financial investment.

Xu Yang, a teacher at a middle school in Beijing, also likes to spend the weekend in the Land of the Rising Sun from time to time. Although he has winter and summer holidays to travel, he prefers to use his free time at the weekend, both because it is cheaper and because he considers it an excellent way to relieve stress and recharge his batteries.

In addition, there are scenes that can only be admired at certain times of the year, such as the red leaf season in Kyoto, which falls between the end of November and the beginning of December.

In the past, one of his favourite destinations was Kota Kinabalu, a city on the island of Borneo known for its exotic atmosphere and breathtaking landscapes. Reachable in just a few hours from Beijing, thanks to the recent launch of a direct flight, this Malaysian destination is characterised by a large Chinese population and is one of the most popular destinations for weekend adventurers.

The cost of a return ticket to Kota Kinabalu is relatively cheap, at around 1,500 yuan (approximately £130), but it is possible to find cheaper options.

Marshmallow is the pseudonym of a Beijing-based blogger specialising in “wool trips”, themed itineraries dedicated to discovering local textile traditions and craftsmanship. She visits more than a dozen countries every year and often shares tips on social media for saving money on weekend trips.

Another interesting story is that of Tian Ye, a technical employee from Shanghai. After giving up his passion for badminton due to physical problems, he took up photography as a hobby. With the aim of capturing seagulls, he bought a plane ticket to Yantai, on the north-east coast of China, for only 400 yuan (about £40). This sparked his passion for weekend travel, which soon took him beyond national borders.

Despite his hectic work schedule, which often keeps him in the office until 10 p.m., he boards a plane at 6 p.m. sharp on Fridays, armed with his camera and hiking backpack. For Tian Ye, “no matter how positive your attitude towards work is, there will always be stress that needs to be released through sport, travel or other activities”.

However, the honorary title of “king of soldiers” (bingwang) in this world belongs to travel blogger Stark. Employed as a programmer in a large factory in Shanghai, his social media profile boasts an average of 43 countries visited per year, including Myanmar, Greece, Austria and Scotland.

But his most impressive feat was seeing three national parks in the United States in two days: Zion Park, Bryce Canyon and Valley of Fire State Park. The fact that he had to ask for a day off does not detract from the achievement, given his great perseverance and enviable resistance to jet lag.

Despite the enthusiastic accounts of the “weekend special forces soldiers”, there is no shortage of critical comments on the web about this form of “extreme tourism”. Many wonder whether it can really be called a holiday, considering the limited time available and the fast pace, and doubt that it is really worth travelling abroad for just 48 hours.