J'ai le projet de relier Ulan Baatar à Urumqi durant la dernière quinzaine de juin et la première quinzaine de juillet.
Ceci, hors sentiers battus et avec le soucis et le désir de trouver du vrai, du réel! Une aventure en somme.
Je serai gré à ceux d'entre vous qui m'apporteront conseils, suggestions et réponses.
Y a t -il un moyen pratique et simple de relier Ulan Baatar à Urumqi sans être obligé de repasser par Beijing? La saison est-elle bien choisie?Quelles sont les conséquences? Quel est le meilleur moyen de transport? vélo?moto?4x4? Le visa se prend-il à Ulan Baatar ou peut il se prendre en Chine (Pékin?Shanghai?)? Est-ce facile de trouver des chevaux? Quels sont les lieux pour vous incontournables autour d'Ulan Baatar et autre? Qu'est ce qu'il ne faut pas faire, faire? rapport aux coutumes. Y a t il des fêtes locales durant cette période?
si tu es en chine je ne vois pas comment tu peux faire autrment que de la demander en chine dans un consulat mongol. peut etre y a t il des agences qui le font contre commission
1. par force passer par pekin, pas autre solution,
2. oui bonne saison
3. cela depend si tu aprles de la mongolei ou de la chine! velo en mongolei pourquoi pas et location jeep aussi, moto plus difficile a trouver. voir ems pages http://site.voila.fr/gengiskahn pour un peu plsu sur ces sujets et recevoir dic en velo en mongolie si besoin et adreses de qui ont fait cela en mongolie comme ausi une aprtie de la chine
4. a pekin en 5j visa pour la mongolie
5. trouver des chevaux? location ou achat? voir encore ems pages ou il y a des infos et adresses pour contacter pour avoir + fd'infos sur el sujet. si achat meux etre tjs accomapgne par mongol de confiance car risques d'enteloupettes!
6. tout es super et granf^diuose, donc tout est incontorunable! a savoir que la derneire maison de Ub depassée on est dans la steppe donc on est aileurs donc on vit la steppe et dans un autre monde. la bas ce sont els apysages a couper le soufle et la nature avec la rencontre avec els nomades qui priment donc on ne rate rien ou que l'on se dirige quoi que l'on fasse et de n'importe quelle maniere on se transporte d'un point à un autre
7. sur mrs apges qq trucs et ausi dans els guides il ya tout sur le sujet et les noamdes explqieunt, font voir els coutumes, ps de soucis si on se trompe, et si on fait comme chez soi et que l'on respecte son prochain on est tjs dans le vrai!
8. le nadaam du 11-13/07 a Ub et grandes villes, autres peits nadam sans dates fixes ni lieux fixes durnat juolet apres le 15 et jusqu'en aout
bon voyage
un mongol nait sous la yourte et meurt à cheval (proverbe mongol)
la mongolie est un unique camping, sûr ... pas de soucis que du bonheur, masi le mieux est le soir de demander hospitalité sous la yourte ou il fait si bon partager la vie des nomades
a privilegier +++++++++
un mongol nait sous la yourte et meurt à cheval (proverbe mongol)
bonjour CHARLES
Peut être avez vous déjà effectué ce beau voyage? ayant à quelque chose près les mêmes intentions, peut être pourrez vous m'éclairer:
je projete de partir l'année prochaine deux mois à partir de juillet de pékin pour la Mongolie pour retourner en chine via urumqi afin de retrouver le Tibet et d'éviter le retour sur Pékin, j'ignore encore si tout cela est physiquement et géographiquement tout à fait possible, je commence tout juste à m'y pencher mais sait-on jamais...
Mes questions sont les mêmes que les votres à peu de choses près, j'aimerai connaître aussi le cout de la vie en Mongolie, et d'autre part savoir si le trajet que vous avez effectué est réalisable par une femme seule
merci de m'aider de votre expérience
:)
bonjour,
j'ai le même projet
je vais a urumqi et après j'ai l'intention d'aller en Mongolie
du coup j'ai vu sur ma carte de chine qu'il y a une voie de chemin de fer qui mène a la frontière de la mongolie (près de la petite ville liaochang)
elle s'arrête brusquement alors qu'il n'y a pas de grandes villes
alors j'aimerais savoir si à partir de cette fin de chemin de fer ( qui passe par jiayuguan), on pouvait louer des chevaux, récupérer un bus, une jeep qui va a oulaan bator ou les deux ou les trois.
est que l'on peut faire du stop bien qu'il n'y a pas l'air d'avoir de route (enfin pas avant bayandalai (petite ville) puis dalanzadgad?
parce que revenir à pékin pour retourner à ulan bator dur dur les jours de train!!! je vais péter mon cable lol
voila merci de me répondre
bien que je pense que vous n'en savez rien
cordialement
aurélie
Bonjour!
Effectivement je n'en sais rien ;-) si ce n'est que je crois qu'il est plus ou moins impossible de traverser la frontière autre part que sur la route Pékin-Ulambathor!!
En fait, finalement j'ai fait le trajet Kashgar-Xian en stop, à pied et pour la toute fin (avion oblige) en train. Mais si vous êtes assez mordue n'hésitez pas; c'est un de mes meilleurs voyages jamais fait! Si vous voulez des détails n'hésitez pas.
L'astuce serait de faire votre visa pr la Mongolie, y entrer, en sortir illégallement pour y re-rentrer illégalement mais ac le visa tjrs valable pour pvoir en ressortir!!!!mouai plan moyen...
bonjour,
ben je comptais tout de même être en règles au niveau du visa, j'ai pas envie de me faire bloquer bêtement
surtout que je prends le train de ulaan bator à pékin pour rejoindre mon vols pour la france
mais revenir a pékin pour retourner à ulaan bator, ca revient cher
et prendre l'option stop, c'est un peu risqué pour 2 jeunes filles !!!
déja qu'on me dit que je suis folle alors que je pense pas prendre des risques inconsidéré (mais les chinois me font peur : quoi tu va dans l'ouest ??? quoi tu veux prendre le train ??? lol bientôt je vais plus raconter ce que je veux faire lol)
sinon je pensais que ce serait possible de prendre la ligne ulaan bator en cours de route si elle s'arrête en mongolie interieur
je veux bien des informations sur votre voyage
a bientôt
aurélie
j'ai pas peur des chinois
c'est eux qui ont peur que mon voyage ce passe mal parce que je vais dans l'ouest lol
et du coup ça m'angoissent un peu lol alors que je veux partir point barre et que je sais qu'il se passera rien
car je vais chez des host (wwoof) et que sinon je pense faire du couchsurfing
mais je choisis bien chez qui je vais lol
et pour la mongolie le président d'un association humanitaire que je connais est là a la même période
mais bon mdr
mes amis chinoise sont surtout de pékin, qingdao, shanghai
mais je vais chez une amis a urumqi et elle n'a pas peur pour mon voyage donc bon lol
c'est assez marrant et flippant à la fois
ok je vois.
Effectivement, que ce soit chinois ou expats, tous disent que l'ouest est chaud! On va pas faire de politique ici....!
Pr les infos j'ai fait mon voyage en mai-juin 2008 soit en pleine manif anti-francais, défilé de la flamme des JO, etc...à premières vues pas top du tt!
Au final, 3 semaines in-croy-a-bles, 5000kms, la traversée du deuxième plus grand désert au monde, un col à 4700m, des muslims, des boudhistes, des scènes improbables, des nuits chez l'habitant, des frayeurs, des rires, des visages plein les yeux...bref dingue!
les "go for it":
- lac Karakul (frontière khirghize-chinoise) à 3200m je crois..
- Kashgar, ville phare de la route de la soie mais je crois qu'avec les JO+EXPO ils ont pas mal détruit
- la route de la soie en tant que telle côté xinjiang est pas extraordinaire car ce n'est que du désert avec qq oasis mais ce sont surtout les rencontres qui y sont extras
- côté Qinghai, vous devez aller à YUSHU mais chut ne pas trop le dire!! Ce village (oui s'en est un) est à 50km de la frontière tibétaine. 95%tibétain, moines, soeurs, monastères, le tout entouré d'alpages, de lacs, de sommets de neiges éternelles, etc.
Au nord allez à Xiahe, un des 6 ou 7 monastères les plus sacré du Tibet -mais avantage, pas au Tibet-. Il était interdit aux étrangers à l'époque, résultat j'y étais seul non sans croiser la police, l'armée aux coins des rues qui ne m'ont rien dit pensant que j'avais franchis les barrages..Bonnets jaunes, trompes, chaman, etc! Du grand bonheur. Tout ce coin du nord est exceptionnel.
Pour ce qui est du stop pour deux jeunes-filles, je comprends très bien mais vous êtes deux, avec un téléphone et un ami en chine à qui vous envoyez votre position quotidienne le soir et vos intentions pr le lendemain, en étant prudente je pense que ça marche très bien!
Sinon vous avez les bus...ce pays est desservis incroyablement bien par les bus mais pas top question confort surtout si c'est pour de long trajet.
Quant à la Mongolie, il faut voir ds le Lonely je crois qu'il y était question de votre pb.
J'en oublie je pense je vous montrerai bien des photos. En tt cas faites le ce voyage!
Envoyez moi un email charliou@hotmail.com pr plus d'info!
je vais a urumqi et après j'ai l'intention d'aller en Mongolie
du coup j'ai vu sur ma carte de chine qu'il y a une voie de chemin de fer qui mène a la frontière de la mongolie (près de la petite ville liaochang)
elle s'arrête brusquement alors qu'il n'y a pas de grandes villes
alors j'aimerais savoir si à partir de cette fin de chemin de fer ( qui passe par jiayuguan), on pouvait louer des chevaux, récupérer un bus, une jeep qui va a oulaan bator ou les deux ou les trois.
est que l'on peut faire du stop bien qu'il n'y a pas l'air d'avoir de route (enfin pas avant bayandalai (petite ville) puis dalanzadgad?
parce que revenir à pékin pour retourner à ulan bator dur dur les jours de train!!! je vais péter mon cable lol
Tu n'auras malheureusement pas le choix. Un seul point de passage ouvert aux étrangers entre la Chine et la Mongolie : Erlian/Zamin Uud sur la ligne de chemin de fer Beijing - Ulan Bator. Les autres postes frontières sont réservés aux locaux.
Nous allons visiter en Octobre le fameux village (bien touristique) de Fenghuang, et par la suite nous devons nous rendre a Kunming ou un vol nous emmènera à…
Nous sommes en train de preparer notre voyage de france à hong kong visite de hong kong 3 a 4ajours puis du fariente à ile de hainan pouvez-vous me dire…
J'aimerais me rendre de Mongolie à la région du Tibet par voie terrestre. Est-ce possible, et si oui, comment? Merci d'avance pour votre aide précieuse, Claire
Je vais faire un voyage en chine en routard cet été, et j'aurais voulu savoir comment relier Suzhou et Ping yao, et si ca vallait le coup de passer par…
je demande vos avis de connaisseurs sur un voyage de env 1 mois au Japon.
De fin octobre à fin novembre 2026.
Nous voyageons souvent en Asie du Sud-Est mais avons jamais fait le Japon.
D'après mes diverses lectures j'aimerais bien que vous me dites si :
- voyager du jour au jour, sans avoir pris les hôtels, ni le train en avance...est possible au Japon.
(j'ai lu plein de carnets de voyage ou blogs qui indique que tout a été réservé longtemps en avance .. mais ce n'est pas notre façon de voyager habituellement).
- le Japan Rail Pass sera favorable pour nous ?
(d'après un simulateur (vieux ??) je suis à environ 400 euros de train par rapport à 570 pour JRP)
Voici notre circuit prévu en gros lignes (qui peuvent bouger) :
- Arrivée Osaka 3 nuits avec Nara
- Hiroshima et île de Miyajima 3 nuits
- Kurashiki ou Naoshima 2 nuits
- Himeji 1nuit
- Kyoto 4 nuits
- Kanazawa 2 nuits
- Takayama et Shirakawa go 3 nuits
- autour Mont Fudji 3 nuits
- Tokyo avec Nikko 6 nuits (sans aucun parc d'attraction)
départ Tokyo
We’re arriving as a group of three in Tokyo on Saturday, October 17th, then heading straight to Kyoto by direct train.
On Sunday and Monday, we’ll explore Kyoto, and in the evening, we’ll take a train to Osaka to spend the night.
On Tuesday, we’ll pick up a rental car at Itami Airport for a 6-day/5-night road trip around Shikoku:
- 2 nights in the Iya Valley
- Thursday morning, we’ll head to Matsuyama for 2 nights.
- Saturday, we’ll visit Mima (town, a few temples + overnight stay) and return on Sunday to drop off the car in Osaka.
We’ll leave very early on Monday the 26th by plane for Aomori in northern Honshu, where we’ll pick up another rental car at the airport for a 5-day/4-night trip:
- Day 1: Tsugaru Peninsula (Takayam Inari, Cape Tappi, Kanita); overnight in Kanita
- Day 2: Ferry transfer to the Mutsu Peninsula (cliffs, Lake Usori); overnight in Shimofuro
- Day 3: Head to the Hakkoda Mountains and onsens galore; overnight TBD
- Day 4: Return the car in Aomori by noon and explore the city before taking the train to Tokyo in the evening
We’ll spend Friday night in Tokyo, wander around on Saturday, and head home on Sunday.
Thoughts on the road feasibility of this trip? We’ll be there right in the middle of Koyo season, so it’ll be busy...
I know it’s a lot of driving, but there are two of us who can take turns. We’re not afraid of driving, even in the mountains and on the left side! Just wondering, are we going to be rushing, or is this manageable? AI says it’s all good, but it’s not the one driving...
Any tips for booking accommodations in the Iya Valley? Not many places have email addresses or websites (I know Booking.com exists, but not all listings are on there... and given the season, I think it’s better to book ahead!). Same question applies for northern Honshu.
For the rental car, I’m thinking of going with Alamo since at least it’s in French and straightforward, but are there any direct rental companies with user-friendly websites (Toyota Rentacar, ugh... 🏴☠️)?
Another question: With so many trains, is it even necessary to book them in advance? Can we just go to the ticket counter and grab seats on the spot?
For paying for the rental car, do we need a credit or debit card?
I’m starting to look at neighborhoods in Seoul, and I’m leaning toward staying in a hotel in Insa-Dong—I’ve spotted one really close to Unhyeongung.
Is this a good area—nice and convenient for exploring the city?
Otherwise, I’ve also found another hotel in Yongsan-Gu, right near the station of the same name. Is that station useful for getting around Seoul?
Since I’ll be in South Korea for nearly two months, I plan to spend at least a week in Seoul to recover from jet lag (it takes me a while to adjust...). So, I’d love a neighborhood that’s pleasant and a hotel not too far from a subway station.
Hi,
My departure is coming up soon—two months backpacking in Taiwan, so much to discover! I’d love to hear about your travel experiences.
My main interests are meeting people, understanding how things work, hiking, and nature in general. I’ve also done a lot of reading about Taiwan’s complex situation.
I do stone sculpture.
I also want to visit Orchid Island for its history.
Marie
We’re back from a one-month trip to China and wanted to share our itinerary. Hopefully, this can give future travelers some ideas for exploring this beautiful country.
Beijing → Temple of Heaven / Forbidden City
Jinshanling → Great Wall
Zhangjiajie → Tianmen Mountain and Heaven’s Gate
Wulingyuan → Avatar Mountains / sandstone pillars
Fenghuang → riverside houses
Ping’an → terraced rice fields
Tiantouzhai → village / rice terraces
Yangshuo → Li River / karst mountains
Shanghai → skyline with the Oriental Pearl Tower
Our travel journal is available on our travel journal, written day by day. You’ll find lots of photos and some travel tips there.
I could really use your help to finalize our trip to Japan.
We’re heading there for three weeks with my partner, starting November 10th. Our plan was to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, and a few stops in between (nothing too original so far…).
However, we’re more into nature and hiking, so even though we do want to explore Tokyo and Kyoto, we’d like to maximize nature stops between the two. Initially, we’d considered places like Kamikochi, but I understand it’s not accessible this late in the season.
Hi there,
I’d like to do this cycling route over 2 or 3 days. I’m struggling to figure out and find a (good) bike rental that lets me start in Onomichi and drop off in Imabari. Can anyone help with great tips for rentals and accommodations along the route? How do I get back to Onomichi afterward?
Next year, we’re celebrating 20 years of marriage (and travel 🙂), and we’re looking for something new, pretty legendary, and something the teens will enjoy too.
The family council has settled on Japan for now. And it’d have to be a summer trip—no choice there.
The catch: I keep reading that August isn’t the right season for southern Japan. It’s hot, humid, and there’s a risk of typhoons… Okay, but what does that *actually* mean in practice? Are there any travelers who’ve been there during this time? Is it *that* unbearable?
We’re pretty familiar with Southeast Asia—last year, we dealt with scorching heat in Vietnam and insane humidity, plus a typhoon we experienced from a distance, and visiting Angkor in the blazing sun. Is it worse than that?
I’m back with my detailed itinerary for 20 days in South Korea—it’s my first trip to the country. Our idea is to experience a more rural and cultural Korea. Here’s the rough plan: Seoul for 4 nights at the start and 1 night at the end, Gurye for 4 nights, Suncheon for 4 nights, Namhae for 4 nights, and Gyeongju for 2 nights. The goal is to pick a base and explore the surrounding areas. What do you think of this itinerary? Anything you’d change?
thanks
hi everyone, we're heading out for a 12-day trek in the Japanese Alps. We're bringing freeze-dried meals like we always do. We just found out that importing meat is banned, even freeze-dried. Is that true? We already bought them. They're commercially made freeze-dried meals. Online, it's not specified that they have to be "commercially made" because you can make your own freeze-dried food. And since we've heard they're really strict in Japan, can anyone confirm this for us? thanks
I haven’t found what I’m looking for despite my searches!
For a 15-day trip next spring, I’d like to buy a card (preferably an eSIM, but a physical SIM is fine too) that also lets me make calls in the country (to contact a hotel, a tourist spot, etc.).
You can easily find options just for data, but I haven’t come across any that include calls, texts, or even MMS.
Could you recommend something?
hi there
I’m planning a trip in September—here’s my rough itinerary. What do you think? Is it easy to rent a car to get around between my stops? Thanks so much!
Philippe
StopNightsFull daysSeoul44Gurye (Jirisan)43Suncheon43Namhae43Gyeongju21Seoul1—
Hi,
July 2026: I’m writing to you from Dali.
First, I got scammed on Booking—AI-retouched photos. No tourists at this hotel (Yishanju Designer Hotel), and the reality was horrible: dirty, with a disgusting breakfast. It’s better to use Trip.com here.
Next, the old town was an infernal cacophony, packed with tourists who shoved past without a care. Some vendors harassed you to buy things. All the stalls sold the same cheap plastic junk or other uninteresting stuff. The beautiful scenery was ruined by vendors lining 100% of the alleys. Impossible to walk, crushing heat, nothing good to eat except fresh fruit. Horrible experience.
Day 2: We went to Cangshan Mountain by cable car—the ride was short and nothing spectacular. We were at 2,600 m.
My plan was to see Erhai Lake. Unfortunately, I followed the advice of an AI chatbot: take the boat at Langkan Dock. The Didi dropped us off in the nearest area, which was full of charming little alleys but packed with Chinese tourists. The three-wheeled yellow cabs zoomed through the narrow streets, forcing you to hug the walls, on top of the scooters and other pedestrians to deal with. Crossing the neighborhood was hellish and suffocating. Once out, we hit the "corniche," which was also packed with Chinese tourists. The lake’s edge was all pebbles, and everyone was standing around taking photos. I was with my 5-year-old son. I would’ve liked to sit down and let him play with stones by the water, but it was clear we didn’t belong. They were even shoving each other for a shot! There were no boats in sight. In short, we’d had enough, and there was nothing interesting there either.
On the way back, we had to cross that maze again under the scorching sun. My son was braver than me—I even had a little dizzy spell from all the chaos. Add to that Dali’s altitude (2,200 m), so altitude insomnia, fatigue, and vulnerability during the day...
The restaurants weren’t inviting—the staff served sticky rice in a little bucket. The dishes were wrapped, and you had to figure it out yourself. After that, they ignored you completely, even if you were the only tourist.
On the 3rd day, it was time to leave for Shaxi. I hope to see beautiful villages. But honestly, I’m exhausted by this atmosphere where everything is complicated, communication is never smooth, noise is everywhere, and the behavior of some Chinese people is abusive...
Silver lining: not a drop of rain in 4 days and blue skies.
I couldn’t visit the villages in southern Yunnan because of rain and storms there...
But I was expecting to see a few more tourists.
We’re planning a 17-day trip to South Korea in October 2026 with my husband and our daughters, who’ll be 9 years old.
I’d love to get your thoughts on our draft itinerary.
First, some key details:
1/ Jeju Island is a must for us. I’ve personally dreamed of going there for years after reading a novel about it.
2/ Our girls are used to road-trip style travel since they were born, so this kind of trip won’t be an issue for them.
3/ We plan to travel by train, except on Jeju where we’ll rent a car (we already have an international driver’s permit).
Itinerary:
Seoul: 1 arrival day at 10 AM + 4 full days
Gyeongju: 2 days
Busan: 3 days
Jeju: 4 days
Seoul: 2 days
Hi there,
My girlfriend (23) and I (24) are heading to Japan for the first time from October 20th to November 6th. Here’s our itinerary:
6 nights in Tokyo
1 night in Hakone (ryokan already booked)
4 nights in Kyoto (hotel already booked)
2 nights in Osaka
4 nights back in Tokyo
I’d like to book hotels for Tokyo (both stays) and Osaka, but I’ve gotten so many different recommendations.
I’ve read that Shinjuku is the place to be for its huge hub, accessibility, and things to do, but I’ve also heard about Shibuya, Asakusa, and Ueno.
I’ve looked at hotels, and first off, I’m surprised by the prices compared to what I’ve seen on forums (I guess inflation’s hit here too… and maybe I’m late to the booking game?). I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the options.
For our first stay in Tokyo, I’d prefer a hotel (not a residence or Airbnb) since we’ll be arriving at night, and it’s our first time in Japan. It’d be great to have a place with a reception, staff who speak at least a little English, and can give us some guidance. For the second stay, we could consider other options if it’s better.
Budget-wise, we can go up to 150–180 € per night, but if we can save some money to spend elsewhere, that’d be amazing!
I’m open to all recommendations, hotel suggestions, or any other tips for Tokyo (first stay), Osaka, and Tokyo (second stay).
Hi there,
I’m getting ready for a classic tourist trip to China in May 2026.
The "Terres Lointaines" itinerary looks good to me, and the price is interesting.
Has anyone traveled with them before? Any feedback?
Is there a better option?
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences on this!
Michel
I just booked my hotel in Seoul—it’ll be near Unhyeongung, on Samil-Daero 30-Gil—and I’m wondering if there’s public transport from the airport to this address (bus or subway)? If not, what’s the taxi fare? I read it’s around 50 or 60 €.
I’m traveling to Japan with a young adult with autism (ASD) from July 28 to August 8, following a pretty classic route: Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Tokyo. I’m looking for a schedule of the most spectacular fireworks displays during that time. So far, the dates for the major *hanabi* events aren’t available online yet. If anyone has them, I’d really appreciate it if you could share!
We’ll be doing a self-drive trip using public transport in May 2026.
On Day 6, we’ll arrive in Hakone by train from Tokyo in late morning. We’ll spend the night in Hakone before heading to Kyoto.
The main goal of this stop is clearly the view (no hiking) of Mount Fuji, not so much exploring Hakone, where the sights seem limited.
I’ve read on the forum that the view is great from Gotemba, but it also takes a good hour by bus to get there. And, apart from that view, there’s nothing else to see in Gotemba!
So, I’m not sure what to choose. Any thoughts? Or alternatives to suggest?
Maybe some spots in Hakone or Gotemba for a great view?
Hi everyone, I’m Julien!
This summer, from late June to late July, I’m planning a one-month solo trip to Japan—my first time!
I’d love to hear your thoughts and advice on the itinerary I’ve put together to explore this amazing country.
Here are the routes I’m considering:
**Option 1: More mountain and nature-focused**
Tokyo: 8 nights, with day trips to Nikko and maybe the Izu Peninsula
Kawaguchiko (Lake Kawaguchi/Mt. Fuji): 1 night. The place looks stunning, but I’m worried Mt. Fuji might not be visible due to the weather
Kyoto: 6–7 nights (including a trip to Nara)
Osaka: 1–2 nights, where I’d like to drop off my things to make the Kumano Kodo easier
Kumano Kodo: 3 nights—an experience I haven’t seen much elsewhere, but I thought it sounded really interesting
Hiroshima: 2 nights
Miyajima: 1 night
Takayama: 3 days
Kanazawa: 3 days (From what I understand, the Osaka–Takayama–Kanazawa–Tokyo route is convenient for transport)
Tokyo: 1 night (return)
**Option 2: More varied but a bit vague in parts**
Tokyo: 8 nights
Kyoto: 7 nights (+ Nara)
Osaka: 2 nights
Kobe + Himeji: just passing through—I’m not sure if it’s worth a night
Naoshima: 1 night—still pretty unclear for me
Takamatsu: 2 nights. An interesting city, but I’m not sure how long to stay
Shimanami Kaido: biking from Imabari to Onomichi, then heading to Hiroshima
Hiroshima: 2 nights
Miyajima: 1 night
Kyushu road trip (Aso + onsens + Fukuoka): 5 nights (also pretty vague—I could fly from Fukuoka back to Tokyo)
Tokyo: 1 night
**Option 3: More balanced/simplified**
Tokyo: 8 nights
Kawaguchiko: 1 night
Kyoto: 7 nights (+ Nara)
Osaka: 2 nights
Koya-san: 1 night
Kumano Kodo: 3 nights
Takayama: 3 nights
Kanazawa: 3 nights
Tokyo: 1 night
A few key points:
I haven’t made any reservations yet, except for the flight tickets.
I know my plans are too packed and will need to be adjusted.
I’m specifically looking for advice on which stops to cut or shorten.
Hello everyone,
Like Cedric13600, I’ve booked a flight ticket for 30 days / 29 nights in September 2026, from Beijing to Shanghai. We’re a couple in our sixties who love independent road trips.
I’d like to draw inspiration from the following private itinerary suggested by a travel agency:
Day 1: Arrival in Beijing
Day 2 to 4: Beijing
Day 5: Datong
Day 6 & 7: Pingyao
Day 8 to 10: Xi'an
Day 11: Luoyang
Day 12: Dengfeng
flight
Day 13 & 14: Chongqing
flight
Day 15 & 16: Lijiang
Day 17: Dali
Day 18: Kunming
Day 19: Jianshui
Day 20 & 21: Yuanyang
Day 22: Travel via Guilin
Day 23 & 24: Yangshuo
Day 25: Guilin
Day 26 & 27: Zhangjiajie
flight
Day 28 & 29: Shanghai
Day 30: Departure from Shanghai
But to do this itinerary independently:
1. This schedule seems very ambitious to me—what do you think?
2. If it’s too packed, what would you remove as a priority?
Thanks so much in advance for your help.
I’m planning a 5-week trip between Yunnan and Sichuan from mid-October to the end of November 2026:
Arriving in Kunming, I’ll do a loop in the far south of Yunnan via Thonghai, Jhiansu, Zhemi, Yuanyang, Nafa, Jinping, Mengzi, and Shilin (visiting markets, villages, and hiking), then head to northern Yunnan/southern Sichuan on the same theme (passing through Kunming again) via Dongchuan, Huize, Qiaojia, Puge, Xichang, Lanba, Butuo, Huolie, Dimo, Riha, Niuniuba, Meigu, Mabian, and Leshan, before arriving in Chengdu (where I’ll take my return flight to Paris).
This would be a trip with a strong ethnic/rural focus. Since I’ve never traveled in China, I’d love to hear your thoughts on doing this solo. Are there public transport options in the region? What tips do you have for traveling through this area as smoothly and enjoyably as possible? I’ve done quite a bit of backpacking in the mountains of northern Vietnam and really enjoyed using local motorbike drivers. Is something like that available in this region (through local tourist agencies or hotels)?
What should I be cautious about? Are local tourist agencies (or hotels) offering tours and guides reliable? If you know of any specialized sites sharing tips or experiences, or names of local agencies, hotels, etc., please don’t hesitate to share them! :)
In short, all your advice (on any topic that comes to mind!) is very welcome.
Thanks so much!
While researching South Korea, I came across the term "templestay," which refers to a Korean program that lets you stay in a traditional temple to discover Buddhism and Korean culture by living like the temple residents and doing activities like making lanterns.
A templestay isn’t just for foreign tourists—on the booking site, I saw that some temples are more geared toward foreigners, with English-speaking monks.
I was wondering if it’s still worth it, especially in temples where the monks don’t speak English?
I'm 69 years old and heading to China, where most tourist sites are free or discounted for me. However, trip.com either refuses to let me book because the sites are free or doesn’t apply the discount. Does WeChat apply this discount if I book through them? How can I just reserve without paying and pay on-site? Is that possible?
I’d love to get some feedback on our 30-day / 29-night itinerary in China. We’ll be there in September as a family with two kids (6 and 10 years old).
Do you think I should cut a few nights between Wulingyuan (Avatar Mountain) and Yangshuo? I’ve planned 15 nights total there.
We’ll be on a round-the-world trip starting May 2026 and will need to do schoolwork with the kids. Hoping to fit it in during train rides!!
Ever since I started planning this China itinerary, I’ve been discovering completely mind-blowing places I’d never heard of before—30 days feels way too short for China!!!
Here’s our itinerary:
Beijing - 4 nights
Forbidden City
Great Wall of China
Temple of Heaven
Xi’an - 3 nights
Terracotta Army
Muslim Quarter & Great Mosque
Chengdu - 3 nights
Zoo - Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Wenshu Yuan Temple