A Trip to Hong Kong and Macau Changed How I See Xiaohongshu's AI Diandian

Last Friday, I traveled from Chengdu to Shenzhen, and I got back to Chengdu on Tuesday.

In those three days, I went through three cities: Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau. I ran into a lot of problems along the way, and every single one was solved by Xiaohongshu's AI assistant, Diandian.

Counting them up, I asked Diandian more than thirty questions in three days. Nearly every one got a good answer that I could put straight into practice.

A lot of apps now add an AI assistant. WeChat has Xiaowei now too, but in my experience it's only so-so. I first came across Xiaohongshu's Diandian because every time I searched for something on Xiaohongshu, I'd end up clicking into Diandian's answer.

At first I thought Diandian might be more gimmick than substance too. But the more I searched, the more I felt Diandian was different from other AI assistants.

It is different.

And this trip to Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau made me even more sure of it.

Diandian is basically an all-knowing god.

I think that has a lot to do with the fact that Diandian's sources come straight from Xiaohongshu posts. WeChat Official Accounts are full of junk, while Xiaohongshu is, "relatively speaking," much cleaner. On top of that, Xiaohongshu is already full of people sharing life experience and travel guides, which makes Diandian a really practical know-it-all.

I've listed the questions I asked on this trip below. They're small, but almost every one was a problem I had to solve in real life.

Can I Bring a 40L Backpack on the Plane?

My backpack is a Decathlon Forclaz Travel 500 with a 40L capacity. Before flying to Shenzhen I wasn't sure, so I asked Diandian. Diandian said most airlines won't stop you, especially since my backpack didn't have much in it and wasn't heavy. So I got on the plane with no trouble at all.

How Do I Check How Many Entries My Endorsement Has Left?

Why I asked: when I applied for my Hong Kong endorsement, the clerk told me Hong Kong and Macau go together, but I hadn't selected Macau on the application, so I wanted to double-check.

Diandian: check through the "National Immigration Administration 12367" WeChat account.

Result: found it without a problem.

24-Hour Endorsement Machines in Shenzhen

Why I asked: I decided on a whim to go to Macau, so I needed to add an endorsement. A friend told me Shenzhen has 24-hour endorsement machines everywhere, so I asked Diandian.

Diandian: in Shenzhen, most endorsement machines are open 24 hours, which is very convenient, especially near transport hubs and border crossings. Then it recommended some machine locations and how to add an endorsement.

Result: added the endorsement without a problem.

Are Graphics Cards Cheaper in Hong Kong?

Why I asked: because of Hong Kong's exchange rate and taxes, a lot of electronics are cheaper than on the mainland. A friend of mine happened to want a graphics card, so I asked Diandian how much cheaper they are in Hong Kong.

Diandian: in theory, yes, cheaper than on the mainland. But graphics cards bought in Hong Kong can easily get searched by customs, there's a risk of paying back taxes, and Hong Kong cards don't come with a warranty.

Result: because of carrying it and the value, I didn't buy one in the end.

When Should I Use the Ricoh's Positive Film and Negative Film Modes?

Why I asked: I brought a Ricoh GR IV camera on this trip, but I'm not that comfortable with it yet, and I wasn't clear on when to use the negative film and positive film modes.

Diandian: use positive film on sunny days and negative film on cloudy days or indoors. It also recommended two sets of settings, one for each.

Result: with Diandian's guidance I got a rough sense of when to use each, and took some pretty good photos in Hong Kong.

Does Coke Taste Better in Hong Kong Than on the Mainland? Why?

Why I asked: Liang Mouyin told me Coke tastes better in Hong Kong than on the mainland. I thought that was fun, because Jiahua loves Coke. I planned to try it, and if it was good I could bring a case back, so I asked Diandian.

Diandian: it's mainly the sugar. Mainland Coke mostly uses two kinds of sugar, high-fructose syrup and white sugar, while Hong Kong Coke is basically 100% white sugar.

Result: as soon as I got to Hong Kong, I bought a bottle of Coca-Cola in the subway station and even recorded a video tasting it. Maybe because I don't drink Coke much, I honestly couldn't tell the difference.

Is the Fizz the Same?

Why I asked: haha, a weird question. I wanted to know if Hong Kong Coke's fizz is any different from the mainland's.

Diandian: the fizz isn't a difference in the formula.

Result: true enough, no real difference.

What Do I Do When My China Mobile Keeps Showing CSL in Hong Kong?

Why I asked: when Boss Quan got to Hong Kong, his phone had no data the whole time. China Mobile should show CMHK, but Boss Quan's phone kept showing CSL, so I asked Diandian.

Diandian: make sure data roaming is on, try a different spot, restart the phone, and turn off Wi-Fi roaming.

Result: Diandian's fixes didn't work, but Boss Quan found the solution on Xiaohongshu anyway: turn off automatic carrier selection, manually refresh until CMHK shows up, and then it connects.

What's the Wi-Fi Password at Langham Place?

Why I asked: when I got to Langham Place, I wanted to get on Wi-Fi to activate my ZA Bank account, so I asked Diandian.

Diandian: Langham Place's Wi-Fi is free. It's called "Langham Place." Connecting requires verification, and you can only use it for twenty minutes at a time.

Result: found that network among all the Wi-Fi signals, connected, and activated my ZA Bank account.

How Do I Link HSBC Hong Kong to Google Pay?

Why I asked: when Liang Mouyin and Boss Quan were buying Maxim's mooncakes, Liang Mouyin paid with HSBC. Afterward, Liang Mouyin was fiddling with how to add the HSBC card to Google Pay, to make paying easier.

Diandian: in the HSBC HK app, find your debit card and tap "Add to Google Pay," and it'll jump to Google Wallet automatically.

Result: Liang Mouyin couldn't find the button, and we didn't keep fussing over it on the spot.

Getting from Shenzhen to Macau.

Why I asked: we were going to Macau the next day and didn't know how to get there, so I asked Diandian.

Diandian: three ways, cross-border bus, ferry from Shekou, or high-speed rail. The bus is cheapest, the ferry is fastest and steadiest, and the train is most comfortable.

Result: from Diandian's rundown, we learned that the Shekou ferry is seventy yuan cheaper if you book three days ahead. Booking on the spot costs 189 yuan one way, close to 400 round trip. So in the end we took the bus both ways. The round trip cost just a hundred yuan. The pickup point was right near Lingzhi and the drop-off was just outside the Gongbei border crossing into Macau, which was really convenient. And going via the Shenzhen–Zhongshan Link was fast too.

A One-Day Macau Itinerary

Why I asked: we only had one day, and after a full day of power-walking around Hong Kong we were exhausted, so Liang Mouyin and I planned to speedrun Macau.

Diandian:

Can You Eat and Drink for Free in Macau Casinos?

Diandian: MGM Macau and MGM Cotai are the most generous. They have free brown sugar boba milk tea.

Result: we didn't go to MGM. Liang Mouyin and I went to the Grand Lisboa. There was no ready-made brown sugar boba, but I still got free milk tea, just in a paper cup.

Can I Bring Books Bought in Hong Kong Back?

Why I asked: I saw some books I liked in a Hong Kong bookstore that aren't available on the mainland, and I wanted to buy them.

Diandian: yes, but some sensitive and restricted books may be subject to controls.

Result: I bought two manga that Liang Mouyin recommended. One was Look Back, and I've forgotten the other. Books in Hong Kong are really expensive! The guy ahead of me in line had an armful of books, and his total came to one or two thousand. I was scared to tears. With one or two thousand yuan at a secondhand book market on the mainland, I could stuff my bookshelf to bursting.

How Do I Turn Off Video Mode on the Ricoh GR IV?

Why I asked: somehow I accidentally switched the Ricoh GR IV into video mode and didn't know how to turn it off.

Diandian: it's on the side of the body.

Result: it really was on the side of the body. I'd searched forever and couldn't find the switch.

Can I Bring 150g of Face Wash on the Plane?

Why I asked: I saw a face wash at a pharmacy for just a dozen or so yuan, but it was 150 ml. So I asked.

Diandian: you can take it on the plane, but it has to be checked. If the bottle is labeled over 150 ml and you want to carry it on, you'll need to decant it into containers under 100 ml.

Result: in the end it was too much hassle, so I didn't buy it.

Are There Cigarettes for Sale When Leaving Through West Kowloon?

Why I asked: a friend asked me to buy him two cartons of cigarettes in Hong Kong, so I asked.

Diandian: there are duty-free shops when you leave through West Kowloon, but prices there are much higher than at other crossings.

Result: just as Diandian said, West Kowloon's prices were outrageous. The next day in Macau I bought cigarettes for just 200 Hong Kong dollars that cost 430 Hong Kong dollars in Hong Kong.

Where Can I Buy Cigarettes in Central Hong Kong?

Why I asked: I wanted to buy cigarettes in the city but didn't know where, so I asked.

Diandian: at convenience stores, but only one pack per person.

Result: didn't buy any.

How Should We Speedrun Macau in Three Hours?

Why I asked: since Liang Mouyin and I were planning to speedrun Macau, I asked Diandian: how should we spend three hours in Macau?

Diandian: with three hours, Diandian said, stick to Macau's old town and skip Taipa.

Result: in the end, Liang Mouyin and I didn't reach Macau until 12 or 1 the next day. After we crossed the border, we really didn't go to Taipa and just wandered around the old town. But even staying in the old town, we had fun until five or six in the afternoon before leaving Macau.

Roast Goose Recommendations in Shenzhen

Why I asked: the day I left Macau was my last day in Shenzhen. I still hadn't had roast goose on this trip to Guangdong, and it's one of my favorite dishes, so I asked for its roast goose recommendations.

Diandian: it recommended quite a few places: Fat Kee Roast Goose and Tam Kee Roast Goose in Luohu, and Xian Kee Roast Goose King. Since I was staying in Bao'an District, I asked about Bao'an too. It recommended two: Xian Kee Roast Goose King in central Bao'an, and Roast Goose Guy at Bao'an Uniwalk.

Result: that night, Liang Mouyin and I went to Roast Goose Guy at Bao'an Uniwalk.

Where's Convenient to Eat After Entering Macau Through Gongbei?

Why I asked: Liang Mouyin and I had made it to Macau. By then it was already 1 p.m. and we were pretty hungry, so we planned to find somewhere to eat right after crossing the border, and I asked Diandian.

Diandian: Diandian told me to eat something like beef offal.

Result: in the end, because the McDonald's we'd had in Hong Kong the day before was so good, Liang Mouyin and I went for McDonald's again.

After Entering at Gongbei, Which Stop Do I Get Off the No. 3 Bus for the Grand Lisboa?

Why I asked: after entering Macau through the Gongbei crossing, Liang Mouyin and I took the No. 3 bus, planning to go straight to the Grand Lisboa, but we didn't know which stop to get off at, so I asked Diandian.

Diandian: get off at the Hotel Lisboa stop.

Result: in the end we listened to a woman on the bus and got off one stop before Hotel Lisboa, at Avenida do Infante D. Henrique. But the two stops are actually right next to each other.

Are Macau's Egg Tarts Famous? Where Should I Eat Them?

Why I asked: Boss Quan told me to have egg tarts in Macau, because Macau's Portuguese egg tarts are famous. So I asked why Macau's egg tarts are famous.

Diandian: egg tarts are Macau's signature snack. The Portuguese egg tart was created in 1989 in Coloane, Macau, by an Englishman named Andrew.

Result: Liang Mouyin and I went to a lesser-known shop that locals like, called Zhan Xi Bakery. We had a Portuguese egg tart and a well-known local snack called sa yung. They were really tasty, just both very sweet.

Can You Take Photos Inside Macau Casinos?

Why I asked: Liang Mouyin and I were planning to look around a casino, so I wanted to check whether you can take photos inside.

Diandian: the house rule in Macau casinos is no photos.

Result: I sneaked a few. It's really just a bigger mahjong parlor.

Good Bookstores to Browse Near the Ruins of St. Paul's.

Why I asked: Boss Quan said he liked some unusual books he'd seen in Macau before. So Liang Mouyin and I really wanted to have a look, especially since we'd spent over an hour browsing bookstores in Hong Kong the day before. So I asked whether there were any bookstores worth browsing near the Ruins of St. Paul's.

Diandian: it recommended a few bookstores, mainly Livraria Portuguesa and Dukou Youshu.

Result: we went to Livraria Portuguesa. It's mostly about cultural and creative goods, with not many books, but the design has a lot of atmosphere.

Liquids on a Plane Can't Exceed 100 ml. Can I Bring Two or Three 50 ml Bottles?

Why I asked: I'd bought a few bottles of Wong To Yick Wood Lock Oil. None were 100 ml, but there were several 50 ml bottles, so I wasn't sure.

Diandian: yes, as long as no single item is over 100 ml and the total is no more than 1,000 ml, you can carry them on.

Result: since I'd bought something that was 125 ml, I ended up checking a bag anyway.

When Should I Leave Lingzhi in Shenzhen to Catch a 7:55 Flight at Bao'an Airport?

Why I asked: I'd booked a 7:55 a.m. flight on Tuesday and needed to get from Lingzhi to the airport. I didn't know how long it would take or what time to leave.

Diandian: Diandian suggested I take a cab between 6:20 and 6:30 a.m. and said the ride would only take 20 minutes.

Result: I took a cab at 6:00 in the end. The actual ride was a bit different from the estimate, and I spent thirty-something minutes on the road.

At the airport, I checked my bag and went through security as usual. When I got to the gate, we boarded by shuttle bus. I made it just in time and was in my seat half an hour before takeoff.