I'm a China novice, looking for advice from people who have travelled the south-east of China. I'm currently in Hanoi, and have the option of travelling straight over the border (to either Nanning or Kunming), but I really liked my time in Laos and would also consider returning there and crossing the border at Boten-Mohan, which would also result in me travelling in the direction of Kunming, I believe.
Can anyone offer me advice on the relative difficulty of travelling to Kunming from Laos, and if there's any attractions to see along the way? Being ignorant of Mandarin, am I better off sticking to the major routes from Vietnam instead?
(On another note, I hear there are problems entering China by land with a LP guide; is this true of all guides, or are the authorities targetting LP only for confiscation?)
TIA
Both routes are well- traveled. How would yo get to Laos?
The Vietnamese option:
take train to Lao Cai (I took a night train), cross border to Hekou (I spent a night there, interesting night food market), bus to Gejiu (spent another night there), bus to Kunming. You pass the stone forest on the last leg, might be possible to get off the bus there to have a look.
The Lao option:
Fly Hanoi to Luang Pabang, bus to Udom Xai, bus to Boten, cross border (spent a night on the Chinese side in a little, very basic GH right opposite the border post. Watch the Chinese version of the changing of the guards the next morning :)) Bus to Mengla or Jinghong, bus to Kunming (very long).
Have read about the LP problem on TT but never experienced it myself.
Just cover up the LP and keep it hidden, don't tote it around in your hands waving it in front of their faces.
Cheers!
namtha to kunming requires a few changes, but its easy if long.
attractions? whatever you make of it. the regions not nearly as commercialized as northern thailand and laos. much larger region too with thousands of valleys and villages unseen by westerners. some large towns on the way are suprising after the small town tranquility of laos, and the chinese perspective can be startling at first, but you will definitely feel you have entered somewhere new.
what you wont see is the hoards of fair-weather-travellers you will leave behind in laos.
dont worry about not speaking mandarin. its still confusing to those who do. the people in the bus stations will know what you want, and for everything else just point.
trusted partner
