Can I drive to the Great Wall of China from Thailand

[WilliamCave]

Hi

i am looking at going to Laos driving there for a trip 

can I get to the Great Wall of China 

any one every drive to China through Laos to China 

let me know your experience and how was the drive 

thx 

[Crossy]

You do realise the Great Wall is about 3,400 km from Bangkok as the crow flies don't you?

[craigt3365]

Extremely difficult to bring your car into China. And the Great Wall is a LONG way from the border. Fly!

[Crossy]

The Lanzhou section is probably closest, 2,500 km.

 

 

From here https://www.chinahighlights.com/greatwall/map.htm

[steve187]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

You do realise the Great Wall is about 3,400 km from Bangkok as the crow flies don't you?

it would seem the trip is still in the planning stages

[yellowboat]

If you buy or rent a car in China, but why would you want to do that ?  Driving in China is not as bad as Thailand but still bad.  Some parts will not speak anything remotely close to English.  Are you going to learn Chinese before you go ?   Many cyclists do it and live to tell about it, but road trips lost their appeal shortly after college. 

[dotpoom]

5 hours ago, Crossy said:

You do realise the Great Wall is about 3,400 km from Bangkok as the crow flies don't you?

I drove from Ireland, through France (ferry when needed) all around Spain and into Morocco, back through Spain, Portugal, France and back to Ireland. If I remember correctly I clocked up over 4000 miles. The car I did it in was a 12 yr. old Nissan Bluebird Estate.....Ahh!...God be with the days.

   My biggest problem was dicipline over myself. My Mrs.(at that time) started complaining that we were on the road most of the time and not really having a holiday. I kept saying, "just a few more miles and we can get to so and so before dark". I had to cop on and realize that I may have been having a great time driving...she wanted the beaches. I eventually got the balance right.

  Just thought I'd mention that last bit for the OP.....

Anyway....safe driving and good luck.

 

   

[thesetat2013]

1 hour ago, yellowboat said:

If you buy or rent a car in China, but why would you want to do that ?  Driving in China is not as bad as Thailand but still bad.  Some parts will not speak anything remotely close to English.  Are you going to learn Chinese before you go ?   Many cyclists do it and live to tell about it, but road trips lost their appeal shortly after college. 

actually..  from what I read in china laws.. only people with chinese drivers licenses are permitted to drive in china... they don't accept international licences.. you must take a chinese driving test... as to whether it is is enforced? I would hate to take my chances just to find myself in a chinese jail cell

[tifino]

 

Serpentza on youtube blogs a lot about China, living there, driving there, eating there

[SiSePuede419]

There is no "Great Wall" in China.

 

It was built in the 1980's because the original was crumbling or was pilfered.

 

Don't waste your time.  It's a fake. ?

 

By the way, it's now illegal to "hold a rave on the wall".  <deleted>. ?

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070515-china-neglect_2.html

 

Edited November 22, 2017 by SiSePuede419
Added link

[craigt3365]

47 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

There is no "Great Wall" in China.

 

It was built in the 1980's because the original was crumbling or was pilfered.

 

Don't waste your time.  It's a fake. ?

 

By the way, it's now illegal to "hold a rave on the wall".  <deleted>. ?

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070515-china-neglect_2.html

 

The wall has been rebuilt in a few places. Only a tiny bit. And easy to continue on and see it in it's original state. In places,  only a mounnd of dirt is left. In many other sections, it's super cool. Both need to be seen.

[Tidybeard]

Lived in China for 20 years and have a Chinese driving license. Driving in China is challenging for a foreigner as there are nearly NO foreigners who drive, so the Chinese are not ready for them. Many signs only in Chinese, different driving rules and norms apply.  Like at roundabouts ... who gets there first goes first...

You will need a Chinese driving licence, and to get a full one you need to show residency in China. There is a way to get a temporary licence as I have had mates do bike tours through China. You will need to check that out. You would also need special Chinese car insurance.

Based on my experience - don't do it .... fly and rent a car and driver for a few days to take you around. A lot safer and you won't get lost or have an accident..... 

[Autonuaq]

Yes you can drive.

Smart is to rent a non thai car because of the steering wheel and drivers seat location.

[EcigAmateur]

10 hours ago, Crossy said:

You do realise the Great Wall is about 3,400 km from Bangkok as the crow flies don't you?

 

And so ?

 

 

[EcigAmateur]

1 hour ago, Tidybeard said:

 Like at roundabouts ... who gets there first goes first...

 

isn't it the case in most civilized countries ?

 

 

[craigt3365]

2 minutes ago, EcigAmateur said:

isn't it the case in most civilized countries ?

 

 

Ummm....no.

[jobsworth]

i too have flights of fantasy to do like this.

didn't i read that to take a car into china there was a charge of $500 per day?

the reality is always very different and china is still a very different country.

 

[csabo]

[serpent32]

9 hours ago, Tidybeard said:

Lived in China for 20 years and have a Chinese driving license. Driving in China is challenging for a foreigner as there are nearly NO foreigners who drive, so the Chinese are not ready for them. Many signs only in Chinese, different driving rules and norms apply.  Like at roundabouts ... who gets there first goes first...

You will need a Chinese driving licence, and to get a full one you need to show residency in China. There is a way to get a temporary licence as I have had mates do bike tours through China. You will need to check that out. You would also need special Chinese car insurance.

Based on my experience - don't do it .... fly and rent a car and driver for a few days to take you around. A lot safer and you won't get lost or have an accident..... 

I drove a rental car in Beijing for a week when I was TDY there back when I was working in Japan.  Although I had an International Driver’s Permit (IDP).  I used to drive all over this part of the world especially Tokyo.  I drove all over Seoul, Korea once a month for the entire 4 years that I worked in Tokyo.  There aren’t very many countries around here that I haven’t driven in except for Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, and I’m sure a few others that I’m forgetting.  

[craigt3365]

5 hours ago, serpent32 said:

I drove a rental car in Beijing for a week when I was TDY there back when I was working in Japan.  Although I had an International Driver’s Permit (IDP).  I used to drive all over this part of the world especially Tokyo.  I drove all over Seoul, Korea once a month for the entire 4 years that I worked in Tokyo.  There aren’t very many countries around here that I haven’t driven in except for Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, and I’m sure a few others that I’m forgetting.  

I've spent some 6 months traveling in China. Driving doesn't seem any worse than here in Thailand. Signage would be the biggest problem, but with Google maps, doable. IMHO.

 

With that being said, I've read trying to take your car into China is really difficult. Extremely.

[serpent32]

6 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

I've spent some 6 months traveling in China. Driving doesn't seem any worse than here in Thailand. Signage would be the biggest problem, but with Google maps, doable. IMHO.

 

With that being said, I've read trying to take your car into China is really difficult. Extremely.

Well when I worked in this area I just rented my cars on business I’ve never actually taken my car out of the country and that would be a big deal.  It was a huge pain when I shipped my car to Japan where I used to work from the United States.  It cost me almost $5000 US Dollars to get it legal to drive in Japan.  So I did drive my own personal car from the United States all over Tokyo I had it shipped at government expense.  When I shipped it back to the States I sold it before I moved back over to this Continent again on my own dime.