(4H Private) Forbidden City Decoder—Reveal Secrets behind Red Walls

Bucket list tour for sure!! Seeing the Forbidden City was high on our list and this tour was exceptional in every way. The heat in Aug was crushing, but Molly and Coco made the day fun, with an entertaining trivia game, complete with props and challenges! My college-aged daughter, her local friend and I all had a good laugh and the prize at the end was so very sweet and thoughtful. Having Coco as our all-time videographer and photographer was a welcome addition; leaving us to be able to explore and focus on the city without always grabbing our own phones for photos. Being a private tour was also worthwhile and enabled us to go at our own pace, stop for a cold drink in the AC and chat with the guides as much as we wanted. I would definitely book Molly again if we are lucky enough to return to Beijing. We are still talking about how wonderful a day it was!! Thanks Molly!!

Alex K.United States

(This review applies to both the Great Wall tour and the Forbidden City tour, since we hired Molly and Coco for both tours in the same Beijing trip we had) We hired Molly and Coco as our guides for two tours in Beijing, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Since our kids aren’t fluent in Chinese, we wanted an English-speaking guide, and Molly was absolutely wonderful. She was kind, thoughtful, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable about Beijing and its history. She made every stop interesting without ever making it feel like a history lecture. Traveling in the sweltering Beijing summer heat with kids isn’t easy, especially when historical sites aren’t exactly their favorite thing. Somehow, Molly kept both of our kids engaged the entire time by weaving fun into the tour; they designed a cute guessing game for our family with stamps and cards and everything. After our first day together, our kids were actually excited that Molly and Coco would be our guides again the next day! That has never happened on any of the tours we’ve taken in other cities, and it really speaks to how special they are. Thank you, Molly, for connecting with our kids and making the experience so enjoyable for them. Coco was an amazing driver and photographer. She captured so many wonderful moments throughout the tour, which I truly appreciated. In the intense heat, I often didn’t even feel like pulling out my phone, so having those memories beautifully documented was such a thoughtful touch. Molly also gave us fantastic local recommendations. The Peking duck restaurant she took us to was incredible, and she even arranged a private dining room for our family. She was easy to talk to, friendly, and incredibly flexible. When we mentioned we’d rather skip the originally planned end-of-day activity and let the kids do a craft instead, she immediately knew the perfect place to take us. Everything felt seamless and personalized. Throughout both days, Molly and Coco constantly surprised us with thoughtful gestures and little acts of kindness that made us feel genuinely cared for. It wasn’t just a tour—it felt like spending time with friends who wanted to make sure our family had the best possible experience. We wouldn’t hesitate to hire Molly and Coco again and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone visiting Beijing. Thank you both for giving our family memories we’ll never forget!

Elizabeth S.United States

Molly and Coco were amazing tour guides. It was a wonderful experience. They had us engaged with fun activities that helped reinforce all the information they shared. I learned more about the Forbidden City than I have could have imagined. I would highly recommend them. It was a fabulous morning.

An absolutely amazing experience. I love Molly and Coco! This was my second visit to the Forbidden City. Last time, I chose a guide mainly because it was cheap, and I truly regretted it, too rushed, too many tourists, and so many unanswered questions. This time, I spent a long time searching for guide. I liked Molly mentioned exploring from 4 dimensions. After communicating, I found her professional and decided to book. Meeting Molly and Coco felt warm and natural right away. Molly focused on the explanations, while Coco took photos and videos, capturing trip moments. I asked many questions, even random thoughts, Molly clearly explained “cultural codes” behind them, incredible! This morning I received photos and videos. Coco really knows the best angles, even candid shots looked amazing. Girl’s aesthetic shines! Choose them, you’ll have a perfect day! I’ll remember this trip forever!