Border Crossing China-v/nam

[mike uk]

i will be flying to hkg in june for an extende trip into macau,- china-v/nam laos -cam. and thailand. any info. on border crossing from china into v/nam would be appreciated

[asanee]

why ask this here? has nothing to do with Thailand!

simply go to the relevant forum at thorntree.lonelyplanet.com and READ the FAQ first!

as long as you have visum in order, it should pose no part, probs

[squashjunkie]

i will be flying to hkg in june for an extende trip into macau,- china-v/nam laos -cam. and thailand. any info. on border crossing from china into v/nam would be appreciated

If you make your way to Kunming in Yunnan province you can catch a 12 hour bus to the border of Vietnam. I believe the town is called Heikou. The scenery is absolutely stunning so you may want a day bus vs the overnight bus. You may have to stay the night here depending on your bus arrival. There are a few hotel options here for around 150 Yuan a night. I am sure there are cheaper options but this hotel was a quick 2 minute walk from the bus station and 5 minute walk to the border crossing in the morning.

On the Vietnamese side of the river is the town Lao Cai. You can catch the train from here to Hanoi (very long ride of over 8 hours). I think buses are available as well. I would suggest you maybe visit Sapa first as it is only an hours drive away and stay here for a few nights. There is ample hiking and you can visit the numerous hill tribes that live in this hilly area. Well worth the visit.

Do not change money on the Chinese side of th border. There are money changers on the Vietnamese side who wont rip you off quite as much. Better yet make your way out of the immigration hall on arrival and change money at one of the many businesses that offer money exchange or use an ATM if you like.

Make sure and get your Vietnamese visa before you show up at the border. ANd keep in mind the Vietnamese visa is differnet than most. When you apply the dates you ask for are the dates the visa is good for. So plan your entry date will care so as not to waste part of your 30 days!!

Hope this helps!

[mike uk]

i will be flying to hkg in june for an extende trip into macau,- china-v/nam laos -cam. and thailand. any info. on border crossing from china into v/nam would be appreciated

If you make your way to Kunming in Yunnan province you can catch a 12 hour bus to the border of Vietnam. I believe the town is called Heikou. The scenery is absolutely stunning so you may want a day bus vs the overnight bus. You may have to stay the night here depending on your bus arrival. There are a few hotel options here for around 150 Yuan a night. I am sure there are cheaper options but this hotel was a quick 2 minute walk from the bus station and 5 minute walk to the border crossing in the morning.

On the Vietnamese side of the river is the town Lao Cai. You can catch the train from here to Hanoi (very long ride of over 8 hours). I think buses are available as well. I would suggest you maybe visit Sapa first as it is only an hours drive away and stay here for a few nights. There is ample hiking and you can visit the numerous hill tribes that live in this hilly area. Well worth the visit.

Do not change money on the Chinese side of th border. There are money changers on the Vietnamese side who wont rip you off quite as much. Better yet make your way out of the immigration hall on arrival and change money at one of the many businesses that offer money exchange or use an ATM if you like.

Make sure and get your Vietnamese visa before you show up at the border. ANd keep in mind the Vietnamese visa is differnet than most. When you apply the dates you ask for are the dates the visa is good for. So plan your entry date will care so as not to waste part of your 30 days!!

Hope this helps!

many thanks for the info. very helpfull,