6-Month Asia Trip with a Camper Van and 2 Kids

Hi everyone,

We’re a family of four—two adults with two kids aged 4 and 7—about to embark on a year-long round-the-world trip in a camper van. I’m currently planning the Asia leg, which should last about 6 months. We’ll arrive in Thailand in January, head north, then move on to Laos. Ideally, we’d continue to Vietnam, Cambodia, and then return to Thailand to head south into Malaysia. If the budget allows, we’d love to include China and Japan. The big question after lots of research is: how easy is it to temporarily import a vehicle into these countries? The info I’ve found is outdated (2019–2020), and given how quickly regulations change, I’d love to hear from anyone currently (or recently) traveling in these countries with their vehicle. I’ve read that you need a local guide in Vietnam, local license plates in China, and that importing a vehicle into China is quite complicated—are these rules still in place? More generally, is there a recommended route for this part of the world with a camper van?

Thanks in advance!

Hi there,

Here are some van lifers sharing all the info you need to enter China with your own vehicle. You’ll find the details you’re looking for!

https://youtu.be/TCFAAP_jyVo?si=mkyObolRRGvRIjrf

Hi there! Thanks, but the photo won’t load 😕

Could you share a link or re-upload the photo, please?

Thanks!

The image (actually a link to a YouTube video) is indeed finicky to load. Try again because that video from March 1st answers all your questions about entering China with a vehicle.

Here’s their name on YouTube: Alternative Pink. The video is 13 days old – "Traveling in China Without a Guide: Everything You Need to Know."

Thanks!

Thanks

Hi there, we did this in 2020 and not much has changed since, apart from the geopolitical situation. That means Asia is very hard to access by road—you’ll need to consider shipping to Malaysia because arriving directly in Thailand is at best expensive and complicated, if not impossible. You’ll need a carnet de passage for Malaysia. Be aware that officially, it’s been illegal to enter Thailand with a car since 2016, and tolerance is decreasing year by year—many land borders no longer let you through.

For Vietnam, we went through the agency Lapalanche, which, for a fee (800 € at the time), handles all the paperwork, and you can cross the country on your own once you’ve passed the border with the agency’s guide.

For China, you have to go through an agency and pay quite a bit—back then, it was 6,500 € for one month alone, but we managed to get it down to 1,300 € by teaming up with 8 families/vehicles. The rules have relaxed a bit: you still need to go through an agency, but it seems you can now cross without a guide accompanying you daily, which was mandatory at the time.

Visas are also more flexible now, as you can stay in China for a month without a visa.

Thanks so much for this info! So for Thailand, do you know how to find the land borders that are still open for crossing? And how did you find the agencies that helped with the paperwork?

Thanks!

Hi there,

For Thailand, I recommend contacting David Goodchild on Facebook—he lives in Thailand and has info on borders that are still open. He also helps with local insurance. Also, check out the Hakuna Matata family on FB and YouTube. Sylvain and Erika are friends (we were together in China), and they’re currently in Thailand with their vehicle. For agencies, you can find quite a few online for China, like China Exploration, Navo Tour, etc. For Vietnam, aside from Lapalanche, I don’t know any others. You’ve got an amazing project! :) Don’t hesitate if you have any other questions I can help with.