Nanning-Beijing with children
Replies: 7 - Last Post: Feb 24, 2013 1:35 AM Last Post By: danielsdad
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Hi
We are a young Swedish family traveling with three children (ages 1, 3, 5). We are currentlyt in Vietnam but plan to travel over land from Hanoi to Beijing in mid April. The idea is to catch a bus from Hanoi to Nanning (avoiding the midnight border crossing with the train) and then buying train tickets for the onward journey through China. We have ten days to get from Nanning to Beijing and we were thinking to make one stop for a few days along the way and then spend 3 days in Beijing before catching our flight back home.
My question regards what route to take from Nanning to Beijing. Where would be a good place to stop and spend a few days with our kids? And off course, any any usefull hints and tips on traveling through china with kids are welcome!
Thanks!/
Emilio
We are a young Swedish family traveling with three children (ages 1, 3, 5). We are currentlyt in Vietnam but plan to travel over land from Hanoi to Beijing in mid April. The idea is to catch a bus from Hanoi to Nanning (avoiding the midnight border crossing with the train) and then buying train tickets for the onward journey through China. We have ten days to get from Nanning to Beijing and we were thinking to make one stop for a few days along the way and then spend 3 days in Beijing before catching our flight back home.
My question regards what route to take from Nanning to Beijing. Where would be a good place to stop and spend a few days with our kids? And off course, any any usefull hints and tips on traveling through china with kids are welcome!
Thanks!/
Emilio
1
Depends where you have been in Vietnam, but one choice would be catching the train to Guilin, and then staying in the rural surroundings and English friendly Yangshuo for a few days. Guilin is around 5 hours by train from Nanning. However, it is then a 24 hour+ journey to Beijing, so I'd recommend you fly that route.2
I'll second that motion; Yangshuo is a good place to relax for a few days. Guilin would be the stop on the train. Alternatively, there are luxury buses going from Nanning to Guilin; plan on about five hours on the bus. A express bus goes from the Guilin bus station to Yangshuo every 20 to 30 minutes; the trip normally takes 90 minutes. There are plenty of travel agencies in Yangshuo and most of the cafes or hotels can also arrange train or plane tickets for the next stage of your journey.3
Hi Drumbrake and SagresThanks for the tip! I looked Yangshou up and indeed it seems like a good place to go with children. We want to travel through China by train so that we can se some of the countryside through the window but i totaly agree that 23 hours is quite a stretch with the kids. If we were to split the journey Guilin-Beijing into two legs, where would be a good idea to make a stop?
Thanks!/
Emilio
5
The main existing high speed route through the middle of the country is Guangzhou - Changsha - Wuhan - Zhengzhou - Shijiazhuang - Beijing. G trains from Guangzhou to Beijing take around 10 hours (1048 rmb). The problem is that none of the places on that route is particularly attractive to stop - getting to Guangzhou is probably best - an overnight train or a day time bus.6
I vote for the Guilin area and take the day boat trip down the Li River to the village of Yangshuo. If you are interested in staying out in the countryside overlooking the river the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat Hotel is just righ for you with family rooms at reasonable cost. If you would rather stay in town, then I like the Magnolia Hotel which is really special and reasonable. Hope you enjoy yourselves. I think you will find China much more expensive than Viet Nam however so be prepared for that. Trains are best for travel.7
3 days is quite rushed for Beijing especially if travelling with children. Here's some suggestions of things you might like to do, after you've done all the usual tourist stuff or to give the kids a break, that are specifically orientated at children:The children's section at the science museum will appeal to your 3 and 5 year old. The main section of the museum may appeal to your 5 year old (it did to mine when he was five)
Happy Valley amusement park is the best amusement park.
The Water Cube, the venue for the aquatic events at the olympics, is now a water park. It looks good, but I haven't got around to going myself yet.
There are two nice train museums (if your oldest happens to like trains!)
Boating on Behai lake or the lake at the Summer Palace.
Indoor soft play areas; Fundazzle at Gonti and better, but a lot more expensive, Family box in Wanjing.
The Sea Life centre at the zoo, but the zoo it's self is not recommended.
Chaoyang Park has pay-as-you-go amusement rides.
It's Junk Food, but the children will enjoy the "western" all you can eat buffets at Big Pizza and Origus. (RMB 49/29 for adults/children).
