Messages: 194,805 - Threads: 31,631
posted
08-Jun-2004 08:32
by:
Zedd_at_LP »
last reply
08-Nov-2009 23:33
by:
Trakka »
103
replies
,
102,870
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This branch covers China (inc. Hong Kong and *Macau*), Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan and Tibet.
Other information about the region can be found under Lonely Planet Destinations.
Inside this thread we hope you'll find the answers to all your questions, if not, feel free to share anything you feel is missing!
Travel buddies, travel companions or trek partners
If you're seeking any of the above, then please post on our Travel Companions branch, not on the destination branches. Such topics posted on this branch will normally be moved by the moderators to the Travel Companions branch without notice. If you also have a travel question then please post that as a separate topic on the appropriate tr...
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posted
15-Jul-2008 17:03
by:
chiefnugt »
last reply
11-Aug-2009 10:40
by:
monkeyandtiger »
13
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Over the years many of you have told us you'd like to take just the parts of our books you really need. We thought about how best to do this, and last year launched Pick & Mix, which enables you to buy, download and print individual chapters from Lonely Planet guides in digital (PDF) format.
Last week, we added our guides to North East Asia to Pick & Mix. That means the entire range of Asia guides is now available by chapter. So you can check it out for yourself, the first chapter of each guide is free to download. You can see Pick & Mix here.
This is still a new thing for us, and I'd appreciate any suggestions or feedback.
Tom Hall
Product Manager, Pick & Mix
posted
14-Feb-2009 03:26
by:
mrcjonesy »
last reply
26-Nov-2009 15:54
by:
pazu »
401
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location: Tibet
OK.......just spent yesterday trying to get to bottom of the permit situation for the next few weeks. Here is what I have found out.
1. Some Tibetan areas of Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai are closed to foreigners until the end of March (I could not get confirmation of which areas...sorry!)
2. Lhasa and central Tibet (Namtso, Shigatse, EBC etc) IS open (with permits) at the moment.
3. American and European travellers are being denied Chinese visa's in Nepal. and the rumour is that this will remain until the end of March. (this means there may be NO WAY to enter Tibet from Nepal until the end of March) This news comes from friends in Kathmandu. It is tough to officially confirm this news as this decision comes from the Chinese Department of Foreign Affairs.....not from the Tourism Bureau who is low on the totem pole!
4. As usual there are a few independent travellers (usual...
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posted
29-Nov-2009 09:09
by:
danzadanzi »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 09:09
by:
danzadanzi »
0
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HI All
i like to go to HONGKONG ( will be my 1st experience)
here's some standard FAQ from me ..hope n would be great if you can share the info
1. Hotel
cheap hotel ...prices round ?
dormitory ..prices ?
in what area the best n near the central of the city ?
2. Sight Seeing
in what area - places that has lots of city lights ?
do they have big central park in the city ? names?
what good exterior places in the city for being photographed?
3. Food
how much does it cost for general street food ?
4. Transportation round the city
rent car ? is it worth ? how much ? is it include driver ? isnclude Gas?
if by bus ? how much by general ?
if by MRT ? how much by general ?
if by TAXI ?
5. A good place for shooping clothes
where's the good places for shooping t shirt ....fashion kind of stuff ? not to fancy places ya
6. Weather
How's the weather there r...
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posted
29-Nov-2009 07:42
by:
emphasis »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 07:42
by:
emphasis »
0
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11
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location: Japan
Having problem with this part of Japan itinerary.
Day 1 - Depart early morning by rental car from Hamamatso for ISE Shrine; continue on to Yunomine Onsen and spend the night.
Day 2 - Wants to visit both Kumano and Koyasan, Not sure if 1) one can drive directly between both places and 2) how long the takes. Also am familiar with Temple lodging in Koyasan but cannot find any listing for Kumano.
Is it possible to leave Yunomine morning of Day 2, tour Kumano, spend the night in Temple at Kumano
Day 3 - and then leave Kumano morning of Day 3, tour Koyasan, spend the night in Temple at Koyasan
Day 4 - Leave Koyasan morning of Day 4, drive to Hemji
an alternative
Day 1 - Depart early morning by rental car from Hamamatso for ISE Shrine; contunue on to Yunomine Onsen and spend the night.
Day 2 - leave Yunomine morning of Day 2, tour Kumano, and then continue on to Koya...
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posted
29-Nov-2009 07:38
by:
nerak1 »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 07:38
by:
nerak1 »
0
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16
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location: China
Hi...wondering about walking from Jinshanling to Simatai next May...I'm a slow walker, like to take in the views and stop for photographs...is this done in a day? Are there still many parts that are not renovated yet? I get conflicting reviews, but am looking for the 'wild wall'!
Thanks,
Karen
posted
29-Nov-2009 04:40
by:
happy_boy »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 06:20
by:
happy_boy »
2
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27
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Can US citizens get a Chinese visa in UB?
Thanks
posted
29-Nov-2009 01:51
by:
nixus »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 02:10
by:
Kuri »
1
replies
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41
views
location: Japan
Hi Everyone :-)
My friend and I are going to Japan for 5 weeks over March and April. Here is our proposed itinerary and any feedback would be welcome. We are interested in culture, food, scenery, traditional architecture, and interesting villages/cities. We only have 5 weeks so we are trying to fit in as much as possible, and unfortunately hiking isn't going to happen on this trip I think!
march 3 to 11 : arrive in tokyo, with daytrips to yokohama, kawaguchi ko, nikko, mito, hakone.
march 12 to 13 : early train to matsumoto, and a daytrip through hotaka (wasabi)
march 14 : early train to hakuba and spend the day there.
march 15 : early train to nagoya and do a half-daytrip to inuyama.
march 16 : daytrip to tsumago and magome.
march 17 : train to takayama
march 18 : daytrip to the hida district.
march 19 : train to nagasaki
march 20 : nagasaki
march 21 : daytrip to unzen...
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posted
28-Nov-2009 21:47
by:
zimdians »
last reply
28-Nov-2009 21:47
by:
zimdians »
0
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Hi there,
Will be visiting Japan for the first time and be there over Xmas and NY's. Can anyone suggest the best place to be for those events. Would Tokyo be the best for say NY and where else for Xmas (thinking of maybe two different locations for both events). Also, anyone know any indie / rock bars to celebrate the night away? Any advice useful.
Cheers.
posted
28-Nov-2009 21:10
by:
kemiller115 »
last reply
28-Nov-2009 22:09
by:
akdn1 »
1
replies
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34
views
location: China
Hi,
I'm hoping to head to China for about 10 days sometime in January, and was thinking I'd like to check out Gansu or Inner Mongolia. The tentative plan is to fly from Seoul (my current home) to Beijing, and then catch trains or buses west. I previously spent about 4 months in Beijing, and remember it getting very, very cold in early January. I'd really like to see more of northern China, but I'm wondering if I'm crazy to do it at this time of year. Should I just head south instead? Anyone with more experience with winters in northwest China: is it worth braving the cold? (I don't know when I'll make it back to Asia again - but it could be a few years.) Or should I save this trip for another time?
Thank you!!
posted
28-Nov-2009 18:42
by:
gorper »
last reply
28-Nov-2009 18:42
by:
gorper »
0
replies
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17
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location: Taiwan
I have a 26 hour layover in Taiwan in January, so I will spend most of it in Taipei.
Can anyone recommend a good, mid-range hotel and some activities? LP says 2000 New Taiwan Dollars is a good budget for mid-range, so I was thinking of having around 2500 on me. I'm breaking up a long flight from Canada before moving onto Malaysia, so I don't mind splurging a little bit...
posted
28-Nov-2009 18:39
by:
gorper »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 10:14
by:
i_d_ »
5
replies
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79
views
location: Japan
I have a nine hour layover at Narita, so I am going to head into Tokyo.
I thought I would spend my time looking at some electronics (e.g. the Sony Building). I'm in the market for buying a PS3. Anyone know if the price is substantially lower in Japan? If so, I might just pick it up there and take it with me...
posted
28-Nov-2009 18:07
by:
aw76 »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 01:38
by:
John555 »
3
replies
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51
views
location: China
Hi,
I am in Korea and just found out that my new Korean father in-law wants to take me and my wife to China for a vacation over xmas/new years...the issue of trying to book air tickets at this busy time not withstanding, I am curious as to what seasoned China travelers would recommend to make the most out of a short trip to China.
After some initial research, we have kind of decided we would like to see the Zhangjiajie area (Fenghuang, Dehang, etc.) in Hunan province, but not sure how feasible it is to get there, make good use of our time there, and also see the Great Wall at some point in the trip.
Any suggestions and advice greatly appreciated. Trying to do some quick research and book something asap before planes are sold out.
Thanks.
posted
28-Nov-2009 17:30
by:
kieranmcg2000 »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 06:42
by:
laketraveller »
6
replies
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124
views
location: China
I just got off the train from Shanghai to Beijing28/11/09. I went to the Metro and got out at Shanghai main, I exited at exit 2 and came out on the main Square, there is a massive ticket office where everyone was going to. When i went in, I saw that counter 10 was english speaking (she had very little). I queued and when it was my turn I asked for a soft sleeper to Beijing for Friday night, she told me it was 2000RMB, I said it was too much and 1000RMB flashed up on the screen, this was still more than the 500RMB i expected. Then she typed again and 300RMB flashed up, I said Hard Sleeper and she nodded "yes". I knew from my guide book what this meant so I took it. My train was T110 .While negotiating for my ticket and trying to pull out money, loads of people were pushing in on each side of me and distracting the assistant which made the whole thing pretty stressful. And this was even... more »
posted
28-Nov-2009 14:10
by:
jaic »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 05:47
by:
tomongolia »
5
replies
,
108
views
location: Mongolia
Hi everyone, my name is Jai from Australia. I just covered over 600km by myself hitching, UB to Zamyn Ud, 120km by foot over 6 days between choir and sainshand!!! I am 19 years old!!! I carried a 15kg backpack and a 5kg pack at the front.I hitched between Nalaihk and choir for 2 pounds, I then walked from Choir to Ulchiin Ovoo over a 6 day period with no assistant from vehicles. This is the Gobi Desert. My method was that I walked through the night and slept in the day in a sleeping bag and bivvy. I then found some generous Mongolians who I got a lift with to Zamyn Udd for free. Bear in mind the area between Airag and Sainshand was very hostile as 4 soldiers had been shot by a madman, cars passing were extremely rare averaging 3 a day in both directions. I stayed in a few gers and was feed by Mongols who assumed I was a lost Russian soldier.
I am in Zamyn Udd now about to cross the ...
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posted
28-Nov-2009 10:30
by:
HOMEBREW »
last reply
29-Nov-2009 09:50
by:
Harry_Mudd »
6
replies
,
103
views
location: China
Hi, this is our first trip to Beijing and just wondering if it is similar to Hong Kong with the Welcome stores and Park n shop? Would you recommend I take Bacardi Rum (Essential Item, must have) from Aussie or am I able to purchase from there, cannot always buy elsewhere. Duty Free here it approx $25Aussie per litre. If you know the name of a local grocery/food chain can you please pass on so we can check out a website. We are staying in the Xicheng area of Beijing for several weeks.
Next question,has any one recently had to convert cash and was it easy to change foreign cash, is the rate good (at the moment here 1 Aussie$ equals 6.29Y, 1 US$ equals 6.81Y) or is it better to have these new cash passports/visa/travel cards and pay the fees?
thanks
homebrew
posted
28-Nov-2009 09:42
by:
LAfamily »
last reply
28-Nov-2009 09:42
by:
LAfamily »
0
replies
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21
views
Is the visit to the Han ling mausoleum (tomb of Jingdi) interesting and worth it? We are arriving into Xian at night and will only have the next day to visit sites (taking a night train to Beijing). Can we go east (terracotta soldiers) and west (jingdi tomb) in one day? I'm wondering if we should stay another night to be able to visit both. Or just go east and be happy with that! Thanks! and yes we are going in December - it's going to be cold!
posted
28-Nov-2009 09:15
by:
kelsanggyalmo »
last reply
28-Nov-2009 15:33
by:
mrcjonesy »
1
replies
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79
views
location: Tibet
Bought a train ticket in Beijing myself without permit, took train to Lhasa and arrived August 09. Met a few other individual (permitless) foreign travellers in Lhasa who have made it the same way. There were few reports of travellers last winter who were not allowed to enter this train (T27) but during this year August til November I have not heard any negative stories.
Travellers reported that this was and maybe still is not possible from Chengdu, Xining and Xian to enter theLhasa trains without permit. Permits got / get checked at the waiting hall entrances and again when getting on the train.
I know a guy who successfully made it twice in September and October 09 from Golmud after a local bought him the ticket.
I travelled around Central Tibet by public transport, used pilgrims busses to many monasteries and did not face any problems. I trekked around the sites by myself an...
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Asia is a spectacular assault on the senses, whether you're riding the trans-Siberian railway, gazing up at the temples of Angkor, struggling with the immense tide of humanity in India, or trying to s... more »
Welcome to China: vast, ambitious, proud, and transforming like never before. Speed down alleyways on your Beijing bicycle.buy it »
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