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Post by iot on Dec 6, 2017 19:47:20 GMT
I make absolutely no apologies for my love of Hong Kong ... There is now a very long document further up the page - post number 4 Cheers for all the info! I've heard that you can catch a train from Hanoi, Vietnam to Nanning for £20-30. Do you know if it's cheaper to sort visas in Vietnam as with Hong Kong? |
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Post by mx47 on Dec 6, 2017 20:06:48 GMT
Yes I'm using Air China. flight times are very good. Going early to do a bit of sightseeing.
London to Beijing Xian to Hangzhou Nanning to London
407 quid - as I mentioned above It worked out cheaper when I added the internal flight between Xian and Hangzhou than it was just doing London to Beijing, Nanning to London.
Hi, my wife and I are keen on going to Beijing for a few days before going down to Nanning and coming back from there, but we haven't found a cheap way of doing it - we don't really have the know-how for it. We've just searched for flights to Beijing, a flight a few days later from there to nanning, and a flight back to the UK, but it adds up to around 600. We've found several returns to Nanning and back for 400-420, but would really like to spend some time in Beijing. How have you managed to find such a cheap way of doing it? Take a look on the OPODO website....if you want any additional help pm me and I'll give you my email. Just dont forget to use the Open Jaw option and not search flights individually!! www.opodo.co.uk |
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Post by manulike on Dec 6, 2017 20:09:21 GMT
I make absolutely no apologies for my love of Hong Kong ... There is now a very long document further up the page - post number 4 Cheers for all the info! I've heard that you can catch a train from Hanoi, Vietnam to Nanning for £20-30. Do you know if it's cheaper to sort visas in Vietnam as with Hong Kong? Train from Hanoi is overnight and a coupe sleeper costs 25 USD about £17. I don't recommend doing the trip Northbound, as border and customs happen around 3am to 4am! South bound it is before midnight! Also, unless you have a whole week to spare in the Hanoi area, the Chinese Consulate there is not reliable enough. PM me if you MUST do it this way around |
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Post by cantonwelsh79 on Dec 6, 2017 20:20:36 GMT
Yes I'm using Air China. flight times are very good. Going early to do a bit of sightseeing.
London to Beijing Xian to Hangzhou Nanning to London
407 quid - as I mentioned above It worked out cheaper when I added the internal flight between Xian and Hangzhou than it was just doing London to Beijing, Nanning to London.
Hi, my wife and I are keen on going to Beijing for a few days before going down to Nanning and coming back from there, but we haven't found a cheap way of doing it - we don't really have the know-how for it. We've just searched for flights to Beijing, a flight a few days later from there to nanning, and a flight back to the UK, but it adds up to around 600. We've found several returns to Nanning and back for 400-420, but would really like to spend some time in Beijing. How have you managed to find such a cheap way of doing it?
Go into skyscanner multi city and have a play around with the dates you want to be in and leave each city. Going on what you've said (and not knowing your exact dates so I've guessed)
London to Beijing (16th March) Beijing to Nanning (21st March) Nanning to London (27th March) (Connect in Beijing)
This comes up at 415 quid (Air China)
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Post by gwernybwch on Dec 6, 2017 21:13:52 GMT
Cebu Pacific also does HCM to Shanghai with Manila stop-over for £140 ... But I don't recommend Manila unless you have a week or so to get out of there... I've been trying to cobble together a guide for those that want to experience the wider South-East Asia whilst their there. So far I written a bit of guide for the Philippines - THE PHILIPPINES Manila Unless you have a love of Asian metropolis cities, fly into there and get the hell out. The best parts of the Philippines are outside of this place. Although as your being driven out of the city, do spare a glance at the shanty towns and remind yourself that you are a lucky, lucky bastard. Boracay (White Beach) The best beach in the world. FULL STOP. White sands lined with palm trees, turquoise blue water. This place is paradise on earth. Although bit of a bugger to get to. Palawan See my description of Boracay. Even more difficult to get to, but boy is it worth it. Great for snorkelling and diving. Angeles When you have phoned your bank, have you ever wondered where that lovely lady on the other end of the line is from? Well it is here. Apart from loads of call centres there is an “entertainment district”, which is a polite term for bars and go-go bars. The ‘Clark’ airport is on the outskirts of the town. Flights from here to Hong Kong and Macau (and strangely Doha and Dubai). A great starting point for a trip up to Banaue (Rice Terraces). Cebu See my description of Manila. The island of Bohol might be a nice place to chill for a few days. Otherwise a great starting point for island hoping. I'll try and write something for Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam if I have time. |
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Post by manulike on Dec 6, 2017 21:52:21 GMT
One hundred percent agree with the Philippines guide.
Dont let anyone tell you that there is a Black Market for dollars or such like - you will be scammed.
Try not to come back from there with a gal, even if she does say that you are the best Welshman she ever met....
Generally, I'd say if you only have a 2 or 3 day stop-over in any Asian city, these are the TOP TEN that I would go for, in order of preference (after 20 odd years of backpacking):
Hong Kong
Beijing
Phnom Phen
Kathmandu - March/April is perfect trekking season!
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Bangkok
Georgetown, Penang
Macau
Kuala Lumpur
Kuching, Sarawak
I would certainly add Vladivostok and Ulaan Baatur very high on that list ... but not in March!
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Post by iot on Dec 7, 2017 11:55:46 GMT
Thanks for all the help! I had amazingly never noticed the multi-city option on skysanner before! That's made it way more affordable for us.
The only thing leaving us undecided now is the visa issue. Just over £800 is fine for the flights, but adding another £360 visa expenses makes it a bit steep! I'm still not sure on a way around it - we're thinking of leaving on the 17th/18th and coming back on the 27th/28th, so it doesn't allow enough time to spend a few days in another country first to get a cheaper visa. Extending the holiday would negate any visa savings made and flights to Honk Konk are over a £100 more expensive each, so we would end up spending a fair bit more.
I've heard that you can get group visas for around £80 each, has anyone else heard that?
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Post by Gary Williams on Dec 7, 2017 12:38:16 GMT
Hi All
Air china options are best for going straight to nanning as manulike as shown above
As KLM/Airfrance/china southern offers all been snapped up
more may come back if you are booking after christmas i suspect as demand starts to slow again they will start reducing seat prices again
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Post by manulike on Dec 7, 2017 20:26:08 GMT
Hi All Air china options are best for going straight to nanning as manulike as shown above As KLM/Airfrance/china southern offers all been snapped up more may come back if you are booking after christmas i suspect as demand starts to slow again they will start reducing seat prices again I noticed the same over the last few days with Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific as well, prices shot up by over £200 - obviously just to come down again during January. As for visas - hold your horses. The FAW are still working on it. |
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Post by CrackityJones on Dec 8, 2017 11:12:30 GMT
Anyone flown Air China? I've heard bad reports about their connections.
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Post by cantonwelsh79 on Dec 8, 2017 12:43:40 GMT
Anyone flown Air China? I've heard bad reports about their connections. From what I've read all internal flights in China are pretty unreliable. Hey ho, only one way to find out! |
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Post by mx47 on Dec 8, 2017 18:08:09 GMT
Anyone flown Air China? I've heard bad reports about their connections. From what I've read all internal flights in China are pretty unreliable. Hey ho, only one way to find out! You can check out how reliable particular flights are by having a look on FlightRadar (app or online). Im on CA938 out of Heathrow at 17.40 (20th) which leaves more or less on time but is mostly early to arrive. I should have 2.35 to get the connection to Nanning (CA1465) which is late leaving more or less every day.....by 3 hours on one day. Looks like youve heard right CrackityJones...lol!!! Anyone else on those flights? |
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Post by cantonwelsh79 on Dec 8, 2017 18:26:02 GMT
From what I've read all internal flights in China are pretty unreliable. Hey ho, only one way to find out! You can check out how reliable particular flights are by having a look on FlightRadar (app or online). Im on CA938 out of Heathrow at 17.40 (20th) which leaves more or less on time but is mostly early to arrive. I should have 2.35 to get the connection to Nanning (CA1465) which is late leaving more or less every day.....by 3 hours on one day. Looks like youve heard right CrackityJones...lol!!! Anyone else on those flights? I hope its not that bad going home, only got a two hour connection. I'll have to ring in sick from Beijing! |
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Post by mx47 on Dec 8, 2017 19:00:08 GMT
You can check out how reliable particular flights are by having a look on FlightRadar (app or online). Im on CA938 out of Heathrow at 17.40 (20th) which leaves more or less on time but is mostly early to arrive. I should have 2.35 to get the connection to Nanning (CA1465) which is late leaving more or less every day.....by 3 hours on one day. Looks like youve heard right CrackityJones...lol!!! Anyone else on those flights? I hope its not that bad going home, only got a two hour connection. I'll have to ring in sick from Beijing! Well....youll have a good excuse lol!! Its one of the reasons im having a few days in Beijing after the footie. Although as long as youve booked a through ticket Air China will get you home.....two flights out of Bejing every day as far as I can tell.....good luck!! |
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Post by Gary Williams on Dec 9, 2017 2:50:40 GMT
some decent prices klm/china southern from manchester from anyone from North Wales
Play around but man to nanning out 20th back 27 about 430ish
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Post by Gary Williams on Dec 9, 2017 2:51:51 GMT
Still airchina connections available form london
in the 410-420 range
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Post by Gary Williams on Dec 9, 2017 2:54:35 GMT
also worth looking at shenzhen return from Manchester from about 370 but you will have to add train from there to Nanning and back or one way worth playing around with
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Post by manulike on Dec 9, 2017 12:15:40 GMT
CHINA VISA - SOME FREE OPTIONSAn option, worth considering, is using the FREE transit visa in Beijing and Shanghai airports upon arrival. However, in this scenario, you must be departing to a destination OUTSIDE of China. So, using China air Heathrow to Bangkok or Hanoi etc. In theory, you can stop-over up to six days in a number of cities (Beijing and Shanghai and a few cities nearby) and as long as you pick up a Chinese visa in Bangkok/Hanoi - even travel around the country as well (including Nanning) on your way back. Also, dont confuse the five-day Shenzhen visa on arrival (VOA) which costs Y185 for EU and Australians etc or ... Y316 for British ... with the bonded ferry FROM Hong Kong to Shenzhen airport directly... The first, allows you 5 days to roam around Shenzhen ( FROM HK), and the second only allows you to catch a bus to the port and then a direct ferry TO SHENZHEN AIRPORT. It is DOES NOT work in the reverse, into Hong Kong! I will try to clarify China visa situation this weekend... Sincere apologies if I have mislead anyone. After further research, the FREE 6-day visa DOES NOT apply for Beijing. It is only applicable for Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. 144 hours Visa free in Shanghai is measured starting at midnight after your arrival. Obviously, Beijing DOES qualify you for the 72-hour visa FREE (measured scheduled arrival to scheduled departure), along with a whole host of other cities, including GUILIN... 3-day visa free cities are: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Harbin, Shenyang, Dalian, Xian, Guilin, Kunming, Wuhan, Xiamen, Tianjin, Nanjing, Qingdao, Changsha and Hangzhou. See this - www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-72hour/ HONG KONG and MACAU ARE CONSIDERED INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONSFor the purposes of obtaining a visa-free entry AND - more importantly - a cheap Chinese Visa in Hong Kong in Macau! Thus, a Air China ticket UK-Beijing-Hong Kong (with possible open-jaw) Back: Hong Kong - Shanghai-UK Will allow you up to 3-days in Beijing or up to 5-days in shanghai visa-free on way to HK, then get Chinese visa in HK, enter Nanning (up to 30 days) and then get a similar visa-free stay in Beijing/Shanghai on way back! www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294211-c188665/China:Visa.Free.Transits.html Finally, this is a very recent thread about HAVING A TURKISH ENTRY STAMP IN YOUR PASSPORT since January, 2015? Over the last two years many travelers have been denied a visa with such a stamp - be warned! www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/asia-north-east-asia/china/heads-up-visa-application-information-requirement-changed BE SURE TO GET THE PHOTO THING RIGHT! |
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Post by pendragon on Dec 9, 2017 14:00:13 GMT
What a whole load of kerfuffle! Sort of glad I won't be going. Think I would really struggle to remember all these restrictions...
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Post by gwernybwch on Dec 9, 2017 18:56:54 GMT
Sincere apologies if I have mislead anyone. After further research, the FREE 6-day visa DOES NOT apply for Beijing. It is only applicable for Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. 144 hours Visa free in Shanghai is measured starting at midnight after your arrival. Obviously, Beijing DOES qualify you for the 72-hour visa FREE (measured scheduled arrival to scheduled departure), along with a whole host of other cities, including GUILIN... 3-day visa free cities are: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Harbin, Shenyang, Dalian, Xian, Guilin, Kunming, Wuhan, Xiamen, Tianjin, Nanjing, Qingdao, Changsha and Hangzhou. See this - www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-72hour/ Finally, this is a very recent thread about HAVING A TURKISH ENTRY STAMP IN YOUR PASSPORT since January, 2015? Over the last two years many travelers have been denied a visa with such a stamp - be warned! www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/asia-north-east-asia/china/heads-up-visa-application-information-requirement-changed What's your understanding of Visa-Free Transit in Guilin and Guangzhou? As I understand it, if you get one of these "visas" you can only travel within that city / administrative area. Meaning that if you fly to either Guilin and Guangzhou (with the view of travelling to Nanning) you could only stay in those areas therefore if you wanted to travel onto Nanning you would need a full visa? With regarding to the Turkish entry stamp in your passport, provided you flew with Turkish (departures from Birmingham) and only transited in IST, I'm assuming that this wouldn't present an issue on arrival in China? |
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Post by manulike on Dec 9, 2017 19:39:32 GMT
I think the answer to your first question is Yes.
The idea with Visa-Free transit in Guilin or Guangzhou will only help you visit those areas / cities.
I guarantee that you will struggle to stay anywhere in China overnight without your passport being checked and physically taken away for careful inspection by the PSB. Even getting train tickets, they almost always want to see your passport. So no. With a Transit visa for guilin, you can not just pop-over to Nanning.
The benefit I see in utilizing this is getting a China Air ticket eg.
London-Beijing-Bangkok
Bangkok-Guangzhou-London
Circa £400 - similar prices with KL and Hanoi
Getting a 30-day tourist visa for China in Bangkok or Chang Mai (4 working days)...
As for Turkish stamp. I imagine that if you do not leave the airport in IST you will not get stamped.
However, I know loads of fans that stayed a few days in Turkey on route to Georgia...
Also, to gain a Chinese visa one needs to submit a copy of the airline tickets.
I imagine that, if you catch a judicious visa clerk, they may well refuse you as visa just for flying with the Turks...
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Post by gwernybwch on Dec 9, 2017 20:39:45 GMT
manulike ahh, I see. So the transit-free visa is only really useful if you plan to spend a few days in a Chinese city before flying onto a city (outside of China) to get a low cost visa. I flew via IST for the Israel game and just stayed in transit. Have just checked my passport and there is no Turkish stamp :-) I wasn't particularly fussed with Turkish airlines, but with regular flights from BHX, it does give more options.
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Post by manulike on Dec 9, 2017 21:27:58 GMT
manulike ahh, I see. So the transit-free visa is only really useful if you plan to spend a few days in a Chinese city before flying onto a city (outside of China) to get a low cost visa. I flew via IST for the Israel game and just stayed in transit. Have just checked my passport and there is no Turkish stamp :-) I wasn't particularly fussed with Turkish airlines, but with regular flights from BHX, it does give more options. Yes. Thats right. Also, I am still hopeful of a possible FAW special visa waiver (possibly a Week Visa Free ?). If that is the case, people can still do a few days in Beijing / Shanghai / Guangzhou as well as 6 or 7 days in the Nanning area ... all visa free ... Time will tell, but regardless, I really wouldn't bother applying for a Chinese Visa (from the UK) until after the Chinese New Year - Monday 26 February at earliest... Otherwise, apply in late January/early Feb |
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Post by manulike on Dec 13, 2017 0:11:19 GMT
Just stumbled across this Russian blogger that traveled across China and has taken dozens of photos of their football stadiums. Some of these make the stadium in Bordeaux look antiquated ;-) #WC2022ToChina bobsoccer.ru/user/10264/blog/?item=322188&arc=2016 |
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Post by Gary Williams on Dec 13, 2017 12:17:26 GMT
Hi everyone
air china down to 386 return from heathrow into nanning out from shenzhen various dates before and after china cup
check theyre website
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Post by manulike on Dec 16, 2017 1:03:49 GMT
FOR HONG KONG RETURN FLIGHTS OUT OF BIRMINGHAM IN MID MARCH
Although I'd recommend waiting until the January Sales for Lufthansa flights that were around £380 return last month ... If anyone wants to make their bookings now, then both Air France (CDG) and Swiss (Zurich) have a decent 60-90 minute stop-over in each direction with late evening departures out of Birmingham Int - PRICE AROUND £450
Personally, I feel that 14 to 15 hours of travel time is ample.
Yes. The China Air flights out of Manchester/London are only £380 or so, but travel time there (albeit to Nanning) is around 24 hours, and the visa purchase in the UK does set-off that £100 saving.
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Post by mx47 on Dec 16, 2017 13:26:17 GMT
FOR HONG KONG RETURN FLIGHTS OUT OF BIRMINGHAM IN MID MARCHAlthough I'd recommend waiting until the January Sales for Lufthansa flights that were around £380 return last month ... If anyone wants to make their bookings now, then both Air France (CDG) and Swiss (Zurich) have a decent 60-90 minute stop-over in each direction with late evening departures out of Birmingham Int - PRICE AROUND £450
Personally, I feel that 14 to 15 hours of travel time is ample. Yes. The China Air flights out of Manchester/London are only £380 or so, but travel time there (albeit to Nanning) is around 24 hours, and the visa purchase in the UK does set-off that £100 saving. Im on an Air China flight to Beijing/Nanning scheduled for under 17 hours travel time. Includes 2.5 hours wait for connecting flight.....so not too bad really!! |
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Post by manulike on Dec 17, 2017 21:44:16 GMT
Good news for anyone that has 2 or 3 weeks to spare and fancied doing the Cathay Pccific open-jaw thing that I spoke of earlier. Well, Winter Sale is now on. Circa £525-£555 for most combinations (depends on if you stop-over in HK twice and the taxes in bigger airports). Heathrow or Manchester to HK (get visa) then on to Nanning/Gulin/Chengdu/Beijing Back from: Bangkok/Hanoi/Phnom Phen etc. (via HK and can stop again if you like) and on to UK Or the reverse. Date changes permitted for £100. Valid one year Air Asia has amazing value flights from HK to KL (£50) HK to Bangkok (£40) and Hanoi to Bangkok (£30) Be sure to note that No Chinese Visa Office anywhere in the world between 15-26 February ... Chinese New Year... www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_GB/book-a-trip/book-flights/book-flights-now/multi-city-stopover.html |
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Post by manulike on Dec 18, 2017 17:29:28 GMT
VACCINES & JABSAlthough the official Foreign Office / NHS web sites seems to only advise taking HEP A and Tetanus jabs, I have just been to see my local nurse and she advised treating the Nanning are as part of Northern Vietnam and advised a series of: HEP A + TET + Typhoid + Diphtheria + Cholera as well as considering Rabies. Malaria:Unless you intend to travel to the Southern parts of Yunnan (Lao border) and/or Guangxi (Vietnam border) Malaria risk is negligible - especially if you intend to be back home within 2 weeks, as the incubation period is typically 10-14 days... That said, you will be seriously unlucky to catch malaria in Nanning in March ... travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/49/china#Vaccine_recommendations
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Post by manulike on Dec 21, 2017 10:27:47 GMT
For your Christmas Viewing list, an hour long episode:
Travel Man: 48 Hours in Hong Kong - 26 December at 8pm, Channel 4.
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