Laos To China

[bangkok blue]

I have about a month of travelling next year, around April and thought about travelling up through Laos, check out Luang Prabang and head to the Chinese boarder, perhaps checking out Guilin, then maybe heading to Beijing. My main question is, How long would it take to get from LP to the Chinese boarder and is there a sleeper bus/train that I can take?

Obviously will need a China visa, which I'll get in advance. From there I intend to travel mostly by sleeper train or bus. I think I should have aprx 3 weeks to see China.

I do appreciate Beijing is miles from where I'm entering China. So if it takes too long will probably just concentrate on the southern provinces.

If anyone has done this trip and done most of it over land would appreciate how they got on and what sights they managed to take in around China.

Cheers.

[Derifo]

It took about 17 hrs + stops for food from Vientiane some years back by bus. There weren't trains then, though I don't know if there are now.

[el jefe]

There are always rumors of the Chinese building a train line thru Laos. Maybe in 2017. They may even have sleeper buses by then.

Overland there are plenty of buses from LP to Luang Namtha. That should take 6-7 hours depending on deteriorating road conditions and construction, especially north of Oudomxai. You'll need to switch buses there, or at the junction just before Luang Namtha, to catch public transportation to the border.

Asking what to see in China is like asking what to see in Thailand.

[bangkok blue]

I wasn't asking what people would recommend to see in China. It was merely an enquiry as to what people have seen who may have done this or a similar trip.

[fantuzi]

In China they have bullet trains,even magnet train,but in Laos? - no train at all!But they have "sleeper buses" to China.

You can consider also - boat.There is direct boat service from Thailand to China on Mekong River;it was described here in TV,not long time ago.

Sometimes there is not enough water in Mekong;thirsty China drinks every drop.

[bangkok blue]

I have heard something about a boat trip, although sometimes, as you said, the service does not always run.

[el jefe]

I wasn't asking what people would recommend to see in China. It was merely an enquiry as to what people have seen who may have done this or a similar trip.

Same, same.

I went to many small towns and villages in southern Yunnan, north of the Laos border. Saw lots of ethnic minorities. Went to many local markets. Visited lots of parks. Most of the places have no train service and some have no buses. I rarely ever saw another foreigner for sometimes over a week. I did almost all my traveling by bicycle.

I think you should do more research.

HTH

[filingaccount]

Luang Prabang to Luang Namtha is 90,000 kip on a very decent a/c bus with comfy seats. Trip takes over 9 hours though through a very curvy landscape with plenty of peaks and valleys.

Some sensitive people might find the trip scary (narrow roads next to deep valleys, rickety bridges, etc) and/or feel sick due to a mix of leadfoot and featherfoot driving.

Popular route with backpackers.

Going from Luang Namtha to the border takes about 1 hour with a car/pickup/songtaew.

Accommodation is cheap and good, so is the food. People are nice and slow paced.

Plenty of police check points.

Direct report from a friend on a current trip.

[craigt3365]

I did Bangkok to Kunming, then on from there several years ago. We made it to Mengla and decided to fly to Kunming as it was really cheap and the bus ride was really long.

Have you done much travel in China? The bus trips can be tough. Many times smoking is allowed, which results in lots of spitting. Chinese are not quiet people and the bus will usually have some video playing at full blast. Luckily, I always travel with a roll of duct tape...so used it to tape some cardboard I scavenged over the speaker right above my head!

I think from Mengla to Kunming the bus was like 12 hours or more.

Also, if you do the train, make sure to do an advanced booking in the non-smoking car. Otherwise, it's a tough ride.

I would also reference lonelyplanet.com.

Have a great trip!

[knehredlum]

http://www.seat61.com/China.htm#Hong Kong to Guangzhou

http://chinatour.net/flight/

No commercial interest

[Robby nz]

Was considering extending a trip to Northern Laos later in the year into China.

Does anyone know if I can get a visa on arrival both into China or into Laos at the border crossings in the area.

[gotlost]

Was considering extending a trip to Northern Laos later in the year into China.

Does anyone know if I can get a visa on arrival both into China or into Laos at the border crossings in the area.

No VOA for China but Lao yes.

[phuketrichard]

Is it better to apply for the chinese visa in Bangkok Or Vientinne?

I have been many times to Yunan and its a great place to travel around, Kumming is a great city

[gotlost]

Is it better to apply for the chinese visa in Bangkok Or Vientinne?

I have been many times to Yunan and its a great place to travel around, Kumming is a great city

If your going to be in Bangkok for a few days why don't you apply for both while your their. If you have the Lao visa it will save you a little time going across the boarder.

[Briggsy]

My friend came through Laos about 8 years ago and came to the Chinese border with a valid Chinese visa in his passport and was simply turned back at the border by the Chinese immigration. They laughingly said communists were not welcome as he was holding a Polish passport. He had to go back through Laos.

I am sure this kind of arbitrary refusal no longer happens.

[phuketrichard]

what does what happened 8 years ago have anything to do with now.

Back then things were very diferent