China and Hong Kong! I've put together this great value trip using some brilliant accommodation options for both China and Hong Kong and also included train fare which you can book on a website called China DIY which I've used myself. Brilliant company and they secured me all the rail tickets last year for Chinese New Year one of the busiest times. Trains and buses are easy to use and the metro system is cheap and a great way to get about in China. You can book the trains www.china-diy-travel.com
All accommodation is very highly rated and great for exploring sights. There are cheaper accommodation options but I've picked ones that I'd feel comfortable staying in myself. Likewise you can get open jaw flights departing Dublin returning to Manchester or Dublin with British Airways a little cheaper or from other European airports but I think the flights are good value with them being Etihad. After securing the flights get your visa sorted Asap and then the trains before they sell out. Visas need to be done in advance and I did mine in Manchester in person. Make sure you have up to date photos and all copies of hotel confirmations, train and flight bookings as this was needed for for my visa.
20th April
You'll fly from Manchester to Beijing with Etihad Airlines with a short stop en-route. I love flying with Etihad and make sure if flying business class appeals to you, you ask them to register for you to 'bid' for name upgrade to business class. I've been successful getting these for the minimum bid and accruing many FF points too.
21-26 April
After arriving into Beijing on 21st April you'll head to your guest house, the Templeside Hutong Guest House which is highly rated and is ideally located for seeing the sights in China. I loved the little Hutongs in China. At first I thought I'd arrived into the Bronx of China but we felt so safe and welcomed even walking around in the early hours of the morning. I think 5 nights is a good time as you can dedicate a full day to the Great Wall (or overnight and if anyone wants any specific hiking companies for 'proper' hikes on the wall away from the tourist spots PM me), another day to the Forbidden City, a full day to the Summer Palace and then there are also an abundance of temples that you can visit, depending on your interests as well as the Olympic Stadium and my favourite activity in Beijing, people watching! Really do try duck and a restaurant called Siji Minfu which serves the best duck I've ever tasted.
26-28 April
You'll take the fast train from Beijing to Xian today. You can leave your main luggage in Beijing if you don't want to cart everything with you. In Xian you'll stay in Xian for 2 nights at the Ancient City International Hostel. I've stayed here myself and forget that it is a 'hostel' rooms have private bathrooms and it is so easy to get about. We saw the Terracotta Warriors using the public buses for pence and the staff were so helpful. Xian is a great city, hire tandem bicycles and cycle on the city walls and visit the Muslim quarter to taste some very weird and wonderful food. Anything you want to eat 'on a stick' you can buy here.
28-30 April
You will catch the train from Xian to Pingyao. Pingyao is an ancient city and its so good to see the contrast between old and new. There are plenty of old buildings and you really do feel like you have stepped back in time. You'll stay for 2 nights at the Chengjia Lauyuan Minsu Hotel. Again this is highly rated and near to public transport.
30 April
You'll catch the train from Taiyuan to Beijing leaving at 2:55pm. This gives you plenty of time to make your way to Taiyuan where you can visit the underground family courtyard or Taiyuan itself. There are buses to Taiyuan from Pingyao and there is a luggage store at Taiyuan airport too. A driver won't cost much either if you wanted to get a private transfer too. Once in Beijing you'll stay for 1 night at the guest house you started at.
1-6 May
You'll catch your flight with Hong Kong Airlines direct from Beijing to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong you'll stay for 5 nights at the highly rated Sunrise International which has great reviews. Rail transport is easy and cheap to use in Hong Kong too. Your flight home to Manchester leaves on 6 May from Hong Kong with Etihad.
Breakdown
Flights Man-Beijing-Hong Kong-Manchester for 2 with Etihad £807.42
5 nights in Beijing Templeside Hutong £166 book @ booking.com
Train Beijing to Xian ¥515.50pp/£111.72 for 2
2 nights Xian Ancient City £37 book @ booking.com
Train Xian to Pingyao ¥150/£32.50 for 2
2 nights Pingyao £26 book @ ctrip.com
Train Taiyuan to Beijing ¥197/£42.70 for 2
1 night in Beijing £33 book @ booking.com
Flights for 2 from Beijing to Hong Kong HKD1598/£145.06 book @ Hong Hong Airlines
5 nights in Hong Kong at Sunrise International £195.02 book @ Venere.com using 12% code on HUKd or the app for 15% off.
Nice work just found a cheap return flight to malta so off there in a couple of weeks
hot_top
28 Mar 16#3
Don't forget the China visa at £151
Might as well visit Shanghai as well.
archer1204 to hot_top
28 Mar 16#4
Is it really that much i thought it was nearer £80-90 each
Visa Types UK Citizens
Single-Entry with 3-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90
rachelandgromit to hot_top
28 Mar 16#8
Yeah you can easily add this on. I didn't personally as I had absolutely no interest in Shanghai. I would say for those wanting to see more of China head to Datong from Taiyuan and then on to Beijing. Mount Heng, the Budda caves and the Hanging Monastery, all worth a visit.
Hanging Monastry it's pretty scary as it is so high but really worth a visit too.
archer1204
28 Mar 16#5
I just found this out
Visa Types UK Citizens US Citizens Canadian Citizens Citizens of Other Countries
Single-Entry with 3-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90 GBP 55 GBP 20
Double-Entry with 6-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90 GBP 55 GBP 30
Multi-Entry with 6-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90 GBP 55 GBP 40
Multi-Entry with 12-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90 GBP 55 GBP 60
hot_top to archer1204
28 Mar 16#9
£85 plus service charge at £66, works out at £151, valid for 2 years
It is cheaper if you do it in person. If you are flying from Manchester the likelihood is you aren't too far away from Manchester and you can do it in person at Manchester which is cheaper than posting. It is 10 mins walk from Manchester train station or National Express terminal in Manchester.
You are wrong on visa costs you do it in person it is £66 and the £80 odd postal. I've checked my statement and that's how much I paid in person. You can see that it is 'fee detail' which you add up to get the the price in the first column not add these onto the price (if that makes sense).
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Opening post
All accommodation is very highly rated and great for exploring sights. There are cheaper accommodation options but I've picked ones that I'd feel comfortable staying in myself. Likewise you can get open jaw flights departing Dublin returning to Manchester or Dublin with British Airways a little cheaper or from other European airports but I think the flights are good value with them being Etihad. After securing the flights get your visa sorted Asap and then the trains before they sell out. Visas need to be done in advance and I did mine in Manchester in person. Make sure you have up to date photos and all copies of hotel confirmations, train and flight bookings as this was needed for for my visa.
20th April
You'll fly from Manchester to Beijing with Etihad Airlines with a short stop en-route. I love flying with Etihad and make sure if flying business class appeals to you, you ask them to register for you to 'bid' for name upgrade to business class. I've been successful getting these for the minimum bid and accruing many FF points too.
21-26 April
After arriving into Beijing on 21st April you'll head to your guest house, the Templeside Hutong Guest House which is highly rated and is ideally located for seeing the sights in China. I loved the little Hutongs in China. At first I thought I'd arrived into the Bronx of China but we felt so safe and welcomed even walking around in the early hours of the morning. I think 5 nights is a good time as you can dedicate a full day to the Great Wall (or overnight and if anyone wants any specific hiking companies for 'proper' hikes on the wall away from the tourist spots PM me), another day to the Forbidden City, a full day to the Summer Palace and then there are also an abundance of temples that you can visit, depending on your interests as well as the Olympic Stadium and my favourite activity in Beijing, people watching! Really do try duck and a restaurant called Siji Minfu which serves the best duck I've ever tasted.
26-28 April
You'll take the fast train from Beijing to Xian today. You can leave your main luggage in Beijing if you don't want to cart everything with you. In Xian you'll stay in Xian for 2 nights at the Ancient City International Hostel. I've stayed here myself and forget that it is a 'hostel' rooms have private bathrooms and it is so easy to get about. We saw the Terracotta Warriors using the public buses for pence and the staff were so helpful. Xian is a great city, hire tandem bicycles and cycle on the city walls and visit the Muslim quarter to taste some very weird and wonderful food. Anything you want to eat 'on a stick' you can buy here.
28-30 April
You will catch the train from Xian to Pingyao. Pingyao is an ancient city and its so good to see the contrast between old and new. There are plenty of old buildings and you really do feel like you have stepped back in time. You'll stay for 2 nights at the Chengjia Lauyuan Minsu Hotel. Again this is highly rated and near to public transport.
30 April
You'll catch the train from Taiyuan to Beijing leaving at 2:55pm. This gives you plenty of time to make your way to Taiyuan where you can visit the underground family courtyard or Taiyuan itself. There are buses to Taiyuan from Pingyao and there is a luggage store at Taiyuan airport too. A driver won't cost much either if you wanted to get a private transfer too. Once in Beijing you'll stay for 1 night at the guest house you started at.
1-6 May
You'll catch your flight with Hong Kong Airlines direct from Beijing to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong you'll stay for 5 nights at the highly rated Sunrise International which has great reviews. Rail transport is easy and cheap to use in Hong Kong too. Your flight home to Manchester leaves on 6 May from Hong Kong with Etihad.
Breakdown
Flights Man-Beijing-Hong Kong-Manchester for 2 with Etihad £807.42
5 nights in Beijing Templeside Hutong £166 book @ booking.com
Train Beijing to Xian ¥515.50pp/£111.72 for 2
2 nights Xian Ancient City £37 book @ booking.com
Train Xian to Pingyao ¥150/£32.50 for 2
2 nights Pingyao £26 book @ ctrip.com
Train Taiyuan to Beijing ¥197/£42.70 for 2
1 night in Beijing £33 book @ booking.com
Flights for 2 from Beijing to Hong Kong HKD1598/£145.06 book @ Hong Hong Airlines
5 nights in Hong Kong at Sunrise International £195.02 book @ Venere.com using 12% code on HUKd or the app for 15% off.
Total £1596.42/£798.21
All comments (23)
[IMG]http://i.imgbox.com/D2ZRg0WQ.png[/IMG][IMG]http://i.imgbox.com/W7MRmrFg.png[/IMG][IMG]http://i.imgbox.com/55VRIYWw.png[/IMG]
Might as well visit Shanghai as well.
Visa Types UK Citizens
Single-Entry with 3-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90
Hanging Monastry it's pretty scary as it is so high but really worth a visit too.
Visa Types UK Citizens US Citizens Canadian Citizens Citizens of Other Countries
Single-Entry with 3-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90 GBP 55 GBP 20
Double-Entry with 6-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90 GBP 55 GBP 30
Multi-Entry with 6-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90 GBP 55 GBP 40
Multi-Entry with 12-month Validity GBP 85 GBP 90 GBP 55 GBP 60
It is cheaper if you do it in person. If you are flying from Manchester the likelihood is you aren't too far away from Manchester and you can do it in person at Manchester which is cheaper than posting. It is 10 mins walk from Manchester train station or National Express terminal in Manchester.
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/uk/visa-application-procedure.htm
You are wrong on visa costs you do it in person it is £66 and the £80 odd postal. I've checked my statement and that's how much I paid in person. You can see that it is 'fee detail' which you add up to get the the price in the first column not add these onto the price (if that makes sense).
That's not for express but standard.
For those applying with an Irish passport, it's £86.