Directions to Guangdong Places
Nov 15, 2008 1:25:34 GMT -5
Post by Ah Gin on Nov 15, 2008 1:25:34 GMT -5
Henry et al,
Update October/November 2008. Travel from Melbourne, Australia to Siyi, in particular, Kaiping, Taishan and surrounding via Hong Kong. Purpose of this posting is to share my travel experience, for the benefit of others contemplating or planning such trips. Note that travel in China is improving by the minute. Thus, it will be advisable to double check the facts etc. before leaving home. Here goes:
Melbourne is a small country town :-) with direct flight to HK and other cities in China of course. I chose to fly with the Flying Kangaroo, took an overnight flight, and landed at HK International 5:50am. Choice of flight was deliberate, as I wanted to arrive early in the day, and have time to travel and look see. Arrival in late afternoon is not my choice.
Clearing HK Custom and Immigration was "standard" and not eventful -- something I always appreciate. I travel very light -- no need to wait for luggage pick up. As I was travelling alone, this will become an important point, as for example going for a pit stop, lugging many luggages is just not a good idea.
There were clear signs to the buses to Mainland. I was heading towards Kaiping. There were other buses to other parts of Siyi. (For other travellers, work out where you are heading for, and go to the nearest "big town". Ask if you need to. Information desk people seems friendly enough.). Fare to Kaiping was HKD 250. I was given a sticker to wear, indicating the town I was travelling to. They also gave me a "complementary" bottle of water. From the waiting room, we were taken to the bus stop. The bus was really a shuttle of mini bus (as one of our forum colleagues already said before). The mini bus was heading towards Shenzhen Bay (深圳灣), where we would eventually get onto an airconditioned coach. The following web site gives you some good info. about the place and Border Crossing procedure etc. www.td.gov.hk/transport_in_hong_kong/access_to_shenzhen_bay_port/index.htm
For us, Border Crossing was conducted simply, while we were in the shuttle. ie no need to get out of the shuttle. The Immigration Officer was in a booth that resembles a Road Toll Both. So that was rather painless.
From Shenzhen Bay, the AC Coach took us to Kaiping, with a pit stop of about 10 minutes (after 2 hrs of travel). Tell the driver which part of Kaiping you are going to and he will let you off the most convenient bus stop. My stop was 义祠车站 one of the main stations in Kaiping. My ultimate destination for the day was the Garden Hotel, not far from the bus stop. I could have used the taxi (more on taxi travel later), but I chose to travel by "Motor" -- read motor cycle taxi service. Having been in the air conditioned bus for 3 hours or so, I appreciated the wind in my face. The cost? 3 CNY. I gave the driver 5 CNY. I got into the hotel approx. 12 noon. So considering that I landed in HK about 6am, to get to the hotel by 12 noon is quite acceptable for me.
Frankly, travel to Kaiping was quite easy and not stressful.
Ah lunch was waiting for me. 開平黃鰻魚飯 Yellow Eel rice in an earthern pot. That's another story.
Till the next posting, regards, Ah Gin
Update October/November 2008. Travel from Melbourne, Australia to Siyi, in particular, Kaiping, Taishan and surrounding via Hong Kong. Purpose of this posting is to share my travel experience, for the benefit of others contemplating or planning such trips. Note that travel in China is improving by the minute. Thus, it will be advisable to double check the facts etc. before leaving home. Here goes:
Melbourne is a small country town :-) with direct flight to HK and other cities in China of course. I chose to fly with the Flying Kangaroo, took an overnight flight, and landed at HK International 5:50am. Choice of flight was deliberate, as I wanted to arrive early in the day, and have time to travel and look see. Arrival in late afternoon is not my choice.
Clearing HK Custom and Immigration was "standard" and not eventful -- something I always appreciate. I travel very light -- no need to wait for luggage pick up. As I was travelling alone, this will become an important point, as for example going for a pit stop, lugging many luggages is just not a good idea.
There were clear signs to the buses to Mainland. I was heading towards Kaiping. There were other buses to other parts of Siyi. (For other travellers, work out where you are heading for, and go to the nearest "big town". Ask if you need to. Information desk people seems friendly enough.). Fare to Kaiping was HKD 250. I was given a sticker to wear, indicating the town I was travelling to. They also gave me a "complementary" bottle of water. From the waiting room, we were taken to the bus stop. The bus was really a shuttle of mini bus (as one of our forum colleagues already said before). The mini bus was heading towards Shenzhen Bay (深圳灣), where we would eventually get onto an airconditioned coach. The following web site gives you some good info. about the place and Border Crossing procedure etc. www.td.gov.hk/transport_in_hong_kong/access_to_shenzhen_bay_port/index.htm
For us, Border Crossing was conducted simply, while we were in the shuttle. ie no need to get out of the shuttle. The Immigration Officer was in a booth that resembles a Road Toll Both. So that was rather painless.
From Shenzhen Bay, the AC Coach took us to Kaiping, with a pit stop of about 10 minutes (after 2 hrs of travel). Tell the driver which part of Kaiping you are going to and he will let you off the most convenient bus stop. My stop was 义祠车站 one of the main stations in Kaiping. My ultimate destination for the day was the Garden Hotel, not far from the bus stop. I could have used the taxi (more on taxi travel later), but I chose to travel by "Motor" -- read motor cycle taxi service. Having been in the air conditioned bus for 3 hours or so, I appreciated the wind in my face. The cost? 3 CNY. I gave the driver 5 CNY. I got into the hotel approx. 12 noon. So considering that I landed in HK about 6am, to get to the hotel by 12 noon is quite acceptable for me.
Frankly, travel to Kaiping was quite easy and not stressful.
Ah lunch was waiting for me. 開平黃鰻魚飯 Yellow Eel rice in an earthern pot. That's another story.
Till the next posting, regards, Ah Gin