Messages: 194,324 - Threads: 31,546
posted
08-Jun-2004 08:32
by:
Zedd_at_LP »
last reply
08-Nov-2009 23:33
by:
Trakka »
103
replies
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102,419
views
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
replies
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1,082
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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
18-Nov-2009 05:07
by:
pazu »
388
replies
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53,164
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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
22-Nov-2009 22:16
by:
sircamel »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 23:14
by:
everbrite »
2
replies
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29
views
location: Mongolia
G'Day peoples,
I will be visiting Mongolia for a short 2 weeks next March and am after some answers that I cannot really find anywhere.
I was mostly wondering about what role the cold winter plays on transport between towns and what sort of winter is it?
From all the tables, it would seem it is a very dry cold winter?
Is there often much snow and ice that effects international and domestic flights, the in between town buses or the trains?
I have read all the other winter threads on this forum, but if anyone has any fresh winter ideas for Mongolia, it would be good to read too.
Cheers!
posted
22-Nov-2009 22:03
by:
seanyrose36 »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 23:23
by:
everbrite »
1
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Hello everyone...
i am in sainshand (mongolia), and would love to know if the china border is open, or if it is closed when it will be open.
what are my options? i fly out from beijing on the 14th december...
is the border closed for international trains too? can i get on an international train from zamyn ude to china?
im headin to zamyn ude by train 2nite at 2am...get there at 7am (i think).
assitance please
posted
22-Nov-2009 21:43
by:
sammyjayne »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 22:25
by:
drumbrake »
1
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hi there, stopping off in hong kong before flying home to london, just wanted to ask a couple of questions on accommodation and tranfering to and from the airport!
been looking up about budget accommodation, im thinking maybe a place in the miridor mansions mite be my best bet as opposed to the manching mansions (sp). so i was thinking the cosmic guesthouse, has anyone got any views on this place, ie. is it a good location, safe, is it close to bus, trains etc. if i didnt stay in the miridor mansions does anyone have any sugguestiond for other cheap guest accommodation in other areas???
also if i did stay in accommodation around that area is it easy to get to and from the airport and how much should it cost!
thanks in advance!
posted
22-Nov-2009 19:47
by:
gtrekkie »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 19:47
by:
gtrekkie »
0
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28
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location: China
I started getting sick in Tagong, so turned back to Chengdu and took alternate route to Lijiang. When looking for information about this route the info was a bit vague so thought I'd post for others going this way. I found it to be very straight forward... much better then going down to Kunming and then turn north and later end up backtracking. Hope I get all the names/details right.
Train left Chengdu from North Station at just around 3:30pm ... city bus #28 from right outside Sim's Guesthouse takes you to the station. Hard sleeper, bottom bunk was 191 yuan, was lazy and booked at Sim's.
Arrived in Panzhuhia at 5:15am next morning and was slammed with taxi and mini bus offers to take me across town to the long distance bus station. I had gathered from TT and other sources that there was a public bus, but everyone said there wasn't. They did a remarkable job at coming across ...
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posted
22-Nov-2009 15:31
by:
mrcjonesy »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 23:09
by:
everbrite »
3
replies
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58
views
location: China
Does anyone know a reliable and trustworthy agency in Bangkok that can get me a China 30 day tourist (L) visa? For complicated reasons I am in Bhutan and need to courier my passport to Bangkok - have the agency facilitate my visa - then courier my passport back to me here in Bhutan. (obviously there is no Chinese consular representation in Bhutan and I'm trying to transfer through BKK to China without waiting in BKK to get my Chinese visa)
If anyone knows an agency I can trust to make this happen please reply here ASAP.
Cheers
MCJ
posted
22-Nov-2009 14:17
by:
hibiscusroad »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 14:17
by:
hibiscusroad »
0
replies
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24
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location: Japan
I love going places out of season, but am I crazy for wanting to go to Sadogashima around Christmas/New year's?
If it's not viable, any other non-skiing recommendations in Niigata, Yamagata, or surrounding prefectures? Hotsprings? Good hiking or walking trails?
LP section on Niigata is pretty thin...
posted
22-Nov-2009 11:41
by:
boyzmum »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 18:14
by:
modernleifeng »
3
replies
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89
views
location: China
I will be in Beijing in March 2010 and will be staying near Chaoyang park. The map I have seen of the park has a "mystery castle" at the south end of the park, but I can't find any description of it. Any information would be greatly appreciated. I will be travelling with my teenage sons who have been studying Mandarin for a few years. Can anyone recommend a good place to meet local people who won't mind us practicing our language skills with them.
posted
22-Nov-2009 09:34
by:
bollygrl »
last reply
23-Nov-2009 00:35
by:
tahyan »
5
replies
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80
views
location: Japan
since my phone does not work in japan, i've been using the internet exclusively to keep in touch with friends and family, as well as for making travel plans. i will be in koya-san and ise next thursday through sunday - neither of my ryokans have computers, so does anyone know if there are internet cafes to be found in either place? i haven't been able to find any listed when doing a web search, and i've been somewhat surprised that there are fewer than i expected in tokyo.
thanks!
posted
22-Nov-2009 08:37
by:
HOMEBREW »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 18:17
by:
modernleifeng »
5
replies
,
85
views
location: China
Hi, i am looking at visiting Xian in April, and wondering on how to get there, flying is just under 2 hours there and 1.5 hours back is looks at costing around 800Y each way.The info on trains are mainly about overnight trips and seem to be a third of the price and though this is tempting i would prefer a day train journey and possibly see the views on the way to Xian.Bus would mean sitting in one seat for the duration and we would prefer to move around like on a train or get there quick by plane.
any ideas would be great.
once in Xian what is the weather like in April? any nasty's to avoid or scams to watch out for?is it easy to use the public transport to get to the sites?
thankyou
posted
22-Nov-2009 04:57
by:
ahhk22 »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 17:03
by:
ninasarita »
4
replies
,
142
views
I fell for the Beijing tea scam today near Qianmen. I speak decent Mandarin and am fully aware of these scams, but still fell for it because this couple I met was completely believable... late 30s, saying they were IBM employees in town for a Unix developers' conference. They were great at conversation, spoke great English, seemed professional...extremely interested in chatting about life & career and had a lot of insightful comments. Anyway, we ended up at this dingy upstairs teahouse seemingly quite by random. I was wary of the place, and they played it as though they were equally wary after we got in. In fact the guy was first to demand to know the price and said at the onset that we would share the bill. The menu said RMB 30/person for each kind of tea and the waitress kept pouring and serving all sorts of teas in tiny cups. I thought she was providing samples before we placed our... more »
posted
22-Nov-2009 03:37
by:
floortje00 »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 15:36
by:
jiejie »
4
replies
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83
views
location: China
Hello,
In 2010 from may to august I'm going backpacking to Thailand (1 month), China (1 month), nepal en tibet (1 month). Lowbudget!!
I'm going by myself to Thailand and a friend of mine is joining me in China. I have to travel from thailand to China. Can somebody give me tips for this trip? So from which place in Thailand should I depart? And which city in China would you advice me to travel to from Thailand? My friend flies in from Holland, so we have to meet in that city. It has to be as cheap as possible for me and for my friend. We are thinking of starting in Shanghai, because that's reasonably cheap to fly in from Holland. But I don't know if that's a good place to start a journey trough China? And if it's a good place to fly in from Thailand? Or is it possible to go over land to China from Thailand.
Greets Fleur
posted
21-Nov-2009 22:03
by:
greenfaraway »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 17:37
by:
westwood »
6
replies
,
124
views
location: Tibet
Going on a 8 day tiour with this tashi delek operation out of Kathmandu on Nov 28. They are charging 180$ to book a train ticket to Chengdu for after the tour. Is this reasonable? Should we just try and organize a ticket out of Lhasa when we arrive or is the hassle really enough to warrant paying up for an advanced ticket.
thanks
posted
21-Nov-2009 21:36
by:
zim123 »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 08:39
by:
mosegrisen »
2
replies
,
74
views
location: China
I see from the map of China that there is a railway from Kunming to a town near Yuan Yang rice terraces. I realise that the train to Hekou has been discontinued because of landslides, but does anyone know if one can catch a train to somewhere near Yuan Yang whereafter, of course, we would catch a bus?
Thanks for the help.
posted
21-Nov-2009 18:03
by:
Eddie2X »
last reply
22-Nov-2009 12:59
by:
John555 »
3
replies
,
80
views
location: China
I'm entertaining the possibility of going to Vietnam to escape this unseasonable cold China is currently suffering. Does anyone know if it's possible for Americans to obtain a multiple entry visa from the Vietnamese consulate in Kunming? If so how long would the process take? Would they issue such a thing at the border or is it necessary to obtain in advance? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
posted
21-Nov-2009 17:29
by:
JasonInJapan »
last reply
21-Nov-2009 17:29
by:
JasonInJapan »
0
replies
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35
views
location: China
I'm heading to Hong Kong for the first time at the end of December for 10 days. I think I'd like to go to either Lamma or Cheung Chau Island and spend a night there. I'd be going during the week, probably a Monday or a Tuesday (so around the 28th/29th.) I'm wondering if there will be many budget places available at that time of year.
Ideally, I'd only like to spend around $300HK. I get the impression that they're popular during the summer, but not so much during the winter. The LP says that in the summer there are booking agencies with places available, but that they may only be open during the warmer months and on weekends in the cooler months.
Any tips or preference between the two islands is appreciated.
Thanks,
Jason
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 »
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