My dream journey through China

My dream journey through China
Jan 12, 2012 04:02
DUTCHMAN89 Points: Join Date: Jan 12, 2012 Status: offline	Hi guys, I am new to this forum and in the next 1.5 years I hope to learn a lot from the people here. It is my dream to once make a big journey through China. This is such an immense country with an abundance of interesting cities and regions that it deserves more than a short itinerary. Next year I am hoping to graduate from University, after which I want to start saving up some money for a few months. Then I want to take the great leap eastwards and travel China. Currently I am reading a travel guide to get some basic info on the different cities and regions. I found that there are so many places I would love to visit. I composed a possible first draft version of an itinerary through China. Mind you that this is mostly a 'dream mode' version. First of all let me explain some things about my future travel: - I want to travel China by train as much as possible - The places that I most certainly want to visit are: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Xi'an, Hohhot(area) - I want to travel as cheap as possible, staying in hostels, perhaps combining sleeping and travelling by travelling with night trains, eating cheaply. - I want to come in contact with people, local people, cultural minorities, but also fellow travelers. Okay, this then is my itinerary (very very basic) for now: China Travel Itinerary: 1. Beijing (START) (4 nights) 2. Hohhot 3. Yinchuan 4. Lanzhou 5. Xi’an 6. Zhengzhou 7. Hefei 8. Shanghai (4 nights) 9. Nanchang 10. Changsha 11. Guangzhou 12. Hong Kong (4 nights) 13. Macao (2 nights) 14. Haikou 15. Nanning 16. Kunming 17. Chengdu (FINISH) I am interested in peoples opinion about this concerning the time, money and convenience of this itinerary. I want to keep a medium travel pace.I am currently thinking to travel for 2 months, will this be enough time to cover the route or will it make my journey to hasty? What about the costs? In the cheapest scenario, how much will this journey cost me? I would love to hear honest replies as much as possible. Feel free to burn me into the ground if you think this is the worst idea ever. Also I would like to know how other people did their travels through China. Thanks in advance!

Jan 12, 2012 04:02

DUTCHMAN89
Points:
Join Date: Jan 12, 2012
Status: offline

Hi guys, I am new to this forum and in the next 1.5 years I hope to learn a lot from the people here. It is my dream to once make a big journey through China. This is such an immense country with an abundance of interesting cities and regions that it deserves more than a short itinerary.
Next year I am hoping to graduate from University, after which I want to start saving up some money for a few months. Then I want to take the great leap eastwards and travel China.
Currently I am reading a travel guide to get some basic info on the different cities and regions. I found that there are so many places I would love to visit. I composed a possible first draft version of an itinerary through China. Mind you that this is mostly a 'dream mode' version. First of all let me explain some things about my future travel:
- I want to travel China by train as much as possible
- The places that I most certainly want to visit are: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Xi'an, Hohhot(area)
- I want to travel as cheap as possible, staying in hostels, perhaps combining sleeping and travelling by travelling with night trains, eating cheaply.
- I want to come in contact with people, local people, cultural minorities, but also fellow travelers.

Okay, this then is my itinerary (very very basic) for now:
China Travel Itinerary:

1. Beijing (START) (4 nights)
2. Hohhot
3. Yinchuan
4. Lanzhou
5. Xi’an
6. Zhengzhou
7. Hefei
8. Shanghai (4 nights)
9. Nanchang
10. Changsha
11. Guangzhou
12. Hong Kong (4 nights)
13. Macao (2 nights)
14. Haikou
15. Nanning
16. Kunming
17. Chengdu (FINISH)

I am interested in peoples opinion about this concerning the time, money and convenience of this itinerary. I want to keep a medium travel pace.I am currently thinking to travel for 2 months, will this be enough time to cover the route or will it make my journey to hasty? What about the costs? In the cheapest scenario, how much will this journey cost me?

I would love to hear honest replies as much as possible. Feel free to burn me into the ground if you think this is the worst idea ever. Also I would like to know how other people did their travels through China. Thanks in advance!

Jan 13, 2012 03:27

GUEST3474

Your itinerary sounds good. But It it really difficult to tell you how much money you should prepare for your journey. It's up to you.

I read that a Russian Guy just spent less than 20 rmb a day while traveling in China. He didn't stay at the hostels but did couchsurfing. But he didn't go to many cities like you planned. By the way, the couchsurfing is not popular in small and medium cities in China. You may take a similar like him. Set a limit to your daily expense.

Jan 17, 2012 09:13

DUTCHMAN89
Points:
Join Date: Jan 12, 2012
Status: Offline

Yeah I guess it is hard to predict how much money I will spend. For now I found that train travel is really cheap. I am hoping to find the same about places to sleep. I think all in all I could make it a reasonably cheap journey. Ofcourse I also want to be able to enjoy myself. Eat good food, meet people, go out, visit the nice places. Either way it is good to know that there have been people who could spend so few money travelling in China. Thanks for the input!

Jan 17, 2012 20:22

GUEST26656

You can travel in the first 12 cities you listed.

From Guangzhou to Hong Kong, you can choose to take direct long distance bus or take direct train to Hung Hom in HK. The last option is take D trains from Guangzhou to Shenzhen and the pass the Luohu border to reach HK.

From HK to Macau, you can take ferry at Shun Tak Centre located in Sheung Wan area.

From Macau to Haikou, you can pass the Gongbei Border to reach Zhuhai first. Then take bus from Gongbei Bus Station to Haian. It costs around CNY 130. You can take ferry from Haian to Hainan. Fare: around CNY 40.

From Haikou to Nanning, take ferry back to Haian and then go to Zhanjiang Railway Station to take train to Nanning.

From Nanning to Kunming and Chengdu, you can take train.

Jan 22, 2012 10:49

GUEST14878

Hello!
In September 2010 we visited China and my opinion is 4 nights is Shanghai is a little too long. Plus, Shanghai is more expensive then the other places.
Last year we visited Hong Kong, Macau and Thailand.
We spend 4 full days in Hong Kong and last day we only shop.
Three days in Hong Kong was plenty. We use the hope on, hope off red bus tickets that took us around. Unless you would like to visit Disney Land.
For Macau one full day was all we need. That island is very small and everything very expensive to include food.
Is you speak Chinese you will have no problem, otherwise would not be easy to stay in inexpensive hostels and get help to travel around.

Post a Reply to: My dream journey through China