Cycling in Guangxi province China
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Thehairs1970
- Posts: 609
- Joined: 11 Aug 2018, 9:30am
Cycling in Guangxi province China
So we have mad idea to explore a little further (i.e. other side of world) and China popped up. Anyone had any experience? I’m picturing massive amounts of paperwork on top of he expense/hassle of getting there. Am I wrong?
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rualexander
- Posts: 2645
- Joined: 2 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
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Re: Cycling in Guangxi province China
Yes you're wrong 
Bit out of date, but we cycled there for about ten days as part of a stopover on our way back from New Zealand in 2008.
Flight stopover was in Hong Kong, we got our Chinese visas there, think it was a case of handing passports into Visa office and getting them back the next day.
Booked ourselves on a cheapish flight from Hong Kong to Guilin, think it took a bit over an hour for the flight, no problem with bikes.
Had a day in Guilin, then cycled to Yangshuo over a couple of days, had a few days in Yangshuo with a couple of day rides, then cycled back to Guilin over another couple of days on a different route, and had another day in Guilin before flight back to Hong Kong.
Really enjoyed the whole thing, language a bit tricky outwith the tourist hotspot of Yangshuo, but not insurmountable.
Bit of an assault on the senses but nothing like as intense as India.
Be prepared for some interesting sights around restaurants and butchers.
Bit out of date, but we cycled there for about ten days as part of a stopover on our way back from New Zealand in 2008.
Flight stopover was in Hong Kong, we got our Chinese visas there, think it was a case of handing passports into Visa office and getting them back the next day.
Booked ourselves on a cheapish flight from Hong Kong to Guilin, think it took a bit over an hour for the flight, no problem with bikes.
Had a day in Guilin, then cycled to Yangshuo over a couple of days, had a few days in Yangshuo with a couple of day rides, then cycled back to Guilin over another couple of days on a different route, and had another day in Guilin before flight back to Hong Kong.
Really enjoyed the whole thing, language a bit tricky outwith the tourist hotspot of Yangshuo, but not insurmountable.
Bit of an assault on the senses but nothing like as intense as India.
Be prepared for some interesting sights around restaurants and butchers.
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Re: Cycling in Guangxi province China
I've cycled there 2 times for 2 months. I loved it.
First thing is to look into your visas. I went in early 2010s and things were starting to get easier. I got visa in Bangkok for £25 and extended for extra month when there. Then Olympics came and things tightened. Then reciprocal problems and prices went up, big surcharge for UK citizens. Things were easing with multi entry, but don't know current situation.
Presumably you are not thinking of going soon with COVID ripping through the country.
Don't go anywhere near the big cities especially east coast, Beijing, etc.
My 2 tours were fly into Guilin like Rual, cycled through minority areas. Then train to Kunming and down to Jinghong in Yunnan for boat down Mekong to Thailand (no boat now).
Second trip. Flew into Hainan island. Cycled round. Then to mainland. Train a bit, then cycled across to Yunnan and down to Lao border at Boten. Some big hills and remote areas.
Rural china is great. Surprisingly good food. Fantastic amount of development. Small towns on map now cities. Motorways and high speed trains. Lots of old A roads now empty due to motorways, so great for cycling.
Trains excellent, but bikes go in separate baggage train. Book in to baggage office a day early and it's there when you arrive. No packing, but I removed pedals to stop it being ridden.
I was pre Google maps, etc so had Nelles map and a Chinese one to correlate names.
No language, but written is little symbols so easy to remember certain names etc .Small English to Chinese dictionary to point out words.
Do plenty of research and go to good area. Lots of mountains down Yunnan way, but lovely. A bit more touristy which helps.
You can have problems with accommodation as lots is restricted to Chinese citizens. I always managed, but had a few problems including threatening to sleep in doorway if they didn't let me stay in the hotel.
No one will have toured since covid so no up to date. Also lots of restrictions in West, so less/no long haul overlanders.
Crazyguyonabike may have some info.
First thing is to look into your visas. I went in early 2010s and things were starting to get easier. I got visa in Bangkok for £25 and extended for extra month when there. Then Olympics came and things tightened. Then reciprocal problems and prices went up, big surcharge for UK citizens. Things were easing with multi entry, but don't know current situation.
Presumably you are not thinking of going soon with COVID ripping through the country.
Don't go anywhere near the big cities especially east coast, Beijing, etc.
My 2 tours were fly into Guilin like Rual, cycled through minority areas. Then train to Kunming and down to Jinghong in Yunnan for boat down Mekong to Thailand (no boat now).
Second trip. Flew into Hainan island. Cycled round. Then to mainland. Train a bit, then cycled across to Yunnan and down to Lao border at Boten. Some big hills and remote areas.
Rural china is great. Surprisingly good food. Fantastic amount of development. Small towns on map now cities. Motorways and high speed trains. Lots of old A roads now empty due to motorways, so great for cycling.
Trains excellent, but bikes go in separate baggage train. Book in to baggage office a day early and it's there when you arrive. No packing, but I removed pedals to stop it being ridden.
I was pre Google maps, etc so had Nelles map and a Chinese one to correlate names.
No language, but written is little symbols so easy to remember certain names etc .Small English to Chinese dictionary to point out words.
Do plenty of research and go to good area. Lots of mountains down Yunnan way, but lovely. A bit more touristy which helps.
You can have problems with accommodation as lots is restricted to Chinese citizens. I always managed, but had a few problems including threatening to sleep in doorway if they didn't let me stay in the hotel.
No one will have toured since covid so no up to date. Also lots of restrictions in West, so less/no long haul overlanders.
Crazyguyonabike may have some info.