From a time to this part China remains among the great Asian destinations to make an unforgettable trip.
It is a tourist market that allows both organized tours and more solitary adventures, but when we look at the map we see a huge and distant country. Unattainable? No way! What's more, it is not only possible to arrive by plane ...
Getting to China on international cruises
Yes, it is an option that you have if you join a pleasure tour and it is one of those chosen by groups of travelers over 50 years of age.
International cruise ships with final destination Beijing arrive at Tianjin port from all over Southeast Asia and of course, also from Hong Kong. After Shanghai and the capital itself, Jin as they usually say to this city, it is an impressive city that has its own thing for the tourist.
Colonial buildings of various styles, including European ones, sites of historical interest that span hundreds if not thousands of years (there is a Great Wall pass nearby, the Huangyaguan Pass), and a tasty and rich gastronomy.
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About us Royal Caribbean has cruises that visit Tianjin. Bill O of the Seas, For example. There are cruises that depart from Hong Kong or there are even tours that touch destinations in Japan.
This company is doing so well that the famous Chinese actress Fan Bingbing is the godmother of this ship, the last great ship in the fleet. If you like ships and not airplanes, take a look at their offer because you can travel around this part of the world (including South Korea, Vietnam and Japan), in super luxury boats.
Getting to China by plane
It is the most used option and the entrance gates are usually Beijing or Hong Kong. Obviously, also Shanghai when it comes to arriving from western countries.
From between these «doors»Perhaps the best option is Hong Kong because it is usually cheaper and have a longer visa. What's more, it is well located in relation to typical backpacker destinations, beyond that in itself it is super interesting and provides a kind of acclimatization of China in general.
Getting to China by land
If you are already traveling around this part of the world you can approach by land and make the border crossing from several places for China is a considerably large country.
From Pakistan you can cross on the highway Karakoram and get to Kashgar, in Xinjiang province. It may not be the best place considering the situation in Pakistan and the political problems that China has around here with the Muslim minority.
From Laos you can cross through Boten to mengla, in Yunnan province. From Nepal for the TibetObviously, although he remembers the whole issue of visas and special permits. From Vietnam there are three different options:
- for the Friendship Pass to Nanjing
- from Lao Cai to Kumning
- from Mong Cai to Dongxing
The cheapest crossing is the first because you can take a night bus to Dong Dang and from there pay a motorbike to travel the few kilometers to the Friendship Pass, the youyi Guan in Chinese o Huu Suspicion Quan in Vietnamese.
The border here opens at 7 in the morning, Until 4pm. Once on the Chinese side you walk down the street to the main street and wait for the bus to Pinxiang, 10 kilometers away, from where you can catch regular buses that go to Nanning. And from there Guilin is one more night bus ride away ...
Another option is to take the international train from Hanoi. It departs twice a week, Tuesday and Friday at 2 pm and arrives in Beijing two days later at 5 pm. It arrives in Pianxing at midnight, Nanning at 8:40 am and Guilin at 7:20 pm. It is simpler but more expensive, Yes indeed.
In the second option, you take a local night train to Lao Cai, cross the border there and take a train or bus again from Kunming to Hekou. A night train also runs here twice a week, Friday and Sunday, from Hanoi. This service departs at 9:30 pm and arrives at Kunming North Station at 7:25 am.
Speaking of trains the popular and beautiful Trans-Siberian Train or Trans-Mongolian it is also an option. In the event that you are en Kazakhstan you can cross from Almaty to Urumqi o yining, and if you are already within Chinese territory, in Hong Kong and Macao, because the border crossings are simpler and are at hand.
As you will have seen in the options Previous border crossings between China and its neighbors are made by road or train so there are many buses that come and go too.
From the east you can reach the country through two border crossings with Vietnam and also from Myanmar and from Laos. From Pakistan we have already said it, through the Karakoram Pass and from Nepal via El Tibet.
Keep in mind that there are no border crossings between China and India that are open Well, political relations are not in very good terms right now. So far we always talk about buses, daytime and nighttime, but ... Can you drive a car?
The truth is that general opinions underscore the fact that it is somewhat risky and misleading travel to China by car if you are a foreigner and do not have a broad command of the language. Around here people don't speak English and making yourself understood can be hell.
In addition, the best entry to do by car is through El Tibet, a very cold place almost all year round. Do you still feel like it? Then you should know that from Nepal you can cross by car on the border between kodari and Zhang mu, with patience of course, that is a paperwork.
You can also enter by car from Myanmar. All this with the visa in order and the car papers. The driver's permit from your country, the temporary permit issued by the Chinese government and the international permit, just in case.
Keep in mind that Although you can drive in China, you must make your journey known beforehand. In China, foreign nationals can only drive on certain routes so if these are your plans, make sure all the information at the embassy.
friend, could you go to china? I'm interested in knowing tips and stuff, I want to go!