CHINA 2010 | 3 girls, 1 guy and backpacking China (Guilin-Chengdu-Xian-Beijing)

It's been a long time since my last blogging. Many good and bad things happened within this few months, my 31st birthday, outstation to Miri, my younger brother passed away, went diving at Mabul Island, Aidilfitri celebration and many more. Those stories I might write later when I had more free time. The story I'm excited to share right now is my last trip to China with my husband and sisters. Backpacking in China is highly recommended because of the easy obtained information from the net wrote by various tourist company in China and other backpackers around the world. It is up to you to google them or not. The overall cost also very cheap and for my level (Malaysian Ringgit), I think I can afford living there for a few months, provided I quit my job and rent out my house and car. No wonder westerners can afford backpacking in Asia for many months and some of them years. Definitely because of the USD/GBP/EURO/AUD/CAD. For the whole journey, we make a hostel booking via hostelworld a few months before and we get very cheap rate compared to current rate. Ok enough talking, start with the journey...just for your info the currency exchange rate was approximately, RMB1 = MYR0.47. Ok, As usual for my travel story, I write in English, the universal language. 


Day 1 (15 September) Kuala Lumpur - Guilin:


Our flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia departed at 0625hrs and arrived at Guilin airport at 1025hrs (by AirAsia, bought during promo only MYR25/person). The airport transfer service by hostel turns out to be a taxi that costs us RMB100/car to Guilin city. The journey took around 30-45 minutes and we stayed at Guilin Xiao Yang Lou International Hostel for two nights (RMB25/person/night for 4-bed dorm with attached bathroom). After check-in, eat (you can bring all sorts of foods to China airport inclusive ketupat rendang) and rest a bit, we walked to the famous Elephant trunk hills (Admission: RMB40) and spent a few hours there, walking, took photos. The weather in Guilin is pretty much the same as ours, hot, sunny and very humid. Later we walked back passing our hostel to the Railway station to buy train tickets to Chengdu. The price for hard sleeper was RMB235 (middle) and RMB244 (lower), quite cheap for the 25 hours journey with total distance of 1400 km. About 160 meter from our hostel, there's a Chinese Muslim restaurant specialty in mutton and beef. The cost for four people only around RMB40. I love the freshly made noodle with spicy fried mutton or beef. Then, we walked around the city, checking on their fancy shops, buying some stuff and tried their spicy satay (RMB2 for mutton and RMB1 for chicken). It tasted great, unfortunately we're too full to eat much.

 

 

  

Day 2 (16 September) Guilin - Yangshou - Guilin:


For today's activities, we joined a coach tour for Li River cruise. The cost for the whole tour inclusive English guide, transfer to the jetty, ferry, buffet lunch and return from Yangshou county was only RMB365/person. This is the cheapest tour agency I get from internet compared to others. Since we are Muslim, we can't eat the lunch buffet (forgot to request vegetarian meal), so we brought our own foods (nasi himpit adabi and home made sambal ikan bilis). The Li River cruise is a must do activity in Guilin and famous among tourist. The ferry journey took four hours before we reached Yangshou county (small tourist city with old building surrounding by hills). Spent a few hours there and back to Guilin by van and arrived nearly dawn.

Bus Transfer to the Jetty

So many tourist and ferry

  

The awesome views..the amazing limestone hills

 

At Yangshou county

  

At Guilin Hostel

Day 3 (17 September) Guilin - Chengdu:


No activities for today because our train departed at 1.36 pm. Checked-out and walked to the railway station. The distance was walkable, and you can also get a taxi or bus, both very cheap and also don't forget to 'Tapau' a lot of foods for the 25 hours journey. For other non-muslim traveller, you can just buy your meal on the coach. Train from Guilin to Chengdu is quite an old train compare to others and for the hard sleeper section, there's no air conditioner and we didn't know that (no one wrote in the internet about this before). If you came from the north, cold icy countries I suggest that you buy soft sleeper class if you travel in the summer. Thank goodness, at night the air became much better.

 

 

 

 

Day 4 (18 September) Guilin - train to Chengdu:


Woke up on train with full of energy after a good night rest. Maybe 3/4 of our journey had passed, I am not sure. During the journey, we took hundred photos of magnificent China land. We safely arrived at Chengdu around 3pm. We booked the cheapest bed online (with free pickup from railway station). They upgraded our RMB10 bed to RMB45 bed free of charge. After 25 hours train journey, the first thing we couldn't waited any longer is a cold SHOWER and HOT meal. Unfortunately, we could not find any Muslim restaurant despite our effort of walking a few kilometers around hostel. At night met the friendly hostel owner, Mr. Sims and he gave us a few tips on how to travel by bus in Chengdu city and also direction to two muslim restaurant nearby. 

 

 

Saving... 

 

 

 

 

Left: at Chengdu Railway station, Right: Sims Cozy hostel

 

Day 5 (19 September) Chengdu - Panda Center, City - train to Xi'an:


Today we took half day Panda Tour arranged by hostel. The price is RMB88 /person (inclusive RMB58 admission fee). We were lucky to get to see the new born baby panda. Mommy Pandas gave birth on the month of August and September. Unfortunately, no camera allowed at the cute baby panda area. I am not sure why, maybe camera flash can do harm to them. The tour finishes around 1100 hrs and back to the hostel to pack our bag. After check-out at 1200 hrs, and left our heavy bag at the storage room for free, we have a lunch at halal mutton restaurant. For some people they might not prefer this restaurant because of many used tissue on floor (usually Malaysian put that used tissue on their plate, but here they just throw on the floor) and the waiters sweat a lot (no ac and it's summer), but for us those conditions can be tolerable as long as the dish is freshly cooked and halal. Chinese Muslim used a lot of spice in their cooking, they had some middle-east influence in their cooking. Conclusion, I heart the taste and no food poisoning..:)p. Then, next plan would be Chengdu city by public bus. Travelling by public bus was so interesting, easy and cheap. We successful went to Huangcheng mosque at Xiyu Street, people's park, Tianfu Square and Tibetan street in three hours with the help of Sims cozy map. Back to the hostel, take a shower and went to the Railway station by bus (no taxi during their dinner time around 6-8pm). Next destination would be Xi'an, the Terracotta city. We took hard sleeper and the only bed available is upper bed and the train is far better than last train with air conditioner and comfy bed, pillow and blanket (hostel feeling). The price is RMB195/person.

 

Panda having breakfast

  

On public bus, Mosque and People's park

 

At Tinfu Square

  

Hard Sleeper, train to Xi'an

Day 6 (20 September) Xi'an - Moslem Street, Bell and Drum Tower:


Due to train break down and we have to stop quite a while at some stations, the journey delayed by almost four hours. We arrived late around 1600 hrs (supposed at noon) and straight away bought tickets for next city (Beijing). We bought soft seat since the preferred hard sleeper sold out. The price is RMB..... From railway station to our hostel we tried public bus (cost only RMB1), all information we already gathered from google maps and also from hostel staff. However, we get down too early and we have to walk 400m to the hostel..my mistake..:), Our hostel is just beside Xi'an city wall and a few meters from the South gate, classic hostel and famous with westerners (they gave away free beer, coffee and party all night long). Later at night we walked around and went to Muslim street. Here, you can find many Muslim restaurants, stalls (like night market), dried fruit shop, all sorts of souvenirs, breads, the famous plum juice and many more. The thought of that you can eat everything here make us very happy..:) especially the very hungry husband. Just beside the street, located Drum tower and Bell tower of Xi'an. You can get inside those towers during the day by paying RMB40. 

  

Train to Xi'an

  

 

  

Day 7 (21 September) Xi'an - Terracotta Warriors and Horses:


We joined a hostel coach tour for the Terracotta warriors and horses. The price is RMB190/person for the 1 day tour inclusive English speaking tour guide and entrance fee (RMB110). We brought our own packed lunch (Chinese muslim bread and sardine). Others, will be going to a Chinese restaurant. The distance from our hostel, Shuyuan International hostel is around 42 km. We were really fascinated with the unbelievable warriors. It is amazing that human being is able to do such great things. However, off course with a great and very powerful King/Emperor. Those great things come with a great cost. It's like building the great wall and pyramids, the people suffered a lot and many died in the making. I pity them to live a life like that. It must be really terrible. I don't really like the tour because there is a time limit and we need to follow the guide. Next time when I come to China again, I had better go anywhere by bus, other than it is cheaper the most important thing to me is that I can enjoy the visit/tour/activity without worrying will be left behind. Public transport in China is very reliable and frequent though sometimes you have to bear the packed journey. The direction also pretty easy, you can google maps the direction by public transport and I can say almost 100% accurate.


Back to Xi'an and walked again to the Muslim street. I love the weather here not too cold and not too warm, just nice. Fall and spring are the nicest seasons where you don't need air conditioner or heater.

 

 

 

Day 8 (22 September) Xi'an - City Wall, Great Mosque - Train to Beijing:


As planned, place we wanted to visit were the city wall and the great mosque. The admission fee to city wall is RMB40 and RMB20 to the mosque (free if you are Muslim came for praying). The best way to enjoy and finish up the 13.7km  length of wall, you must rent a bike (RMB20 for 1.5 hours and RMB5 for 30 mins thereafter) or you need to spend 4-5 hours walking and wasting time. Unless you are running fast and want to jog exercise. 

  

 

Cycling on city wall

  

  

Prayer Hall, The Great Mosque

Day 9 (23 September) Beijing - Huashang Park, Olympic city:

 

 

 

Day 10 (24 September) Beijing - Ming Tomb, Great Wall, Silk, Jade and Cloisonne factory:

 

Ming Tomb

 

Day 11 (25 September) Beijing - Forbidden city, Beijing zoo and Xidan shopping area:

  

  

All photos above were taken inside Forbidden city

  

Beijing Zoo

Xidan Shopping area

Day 12 (26 September) Beijing - Bullet train to Tianjin - fly back to KL:

 

The bullet train from Beijing South to Tianjin

Back to Kuala Lumpur

The real cost (Divided equally by four)

- THE END -

For mo photos of Guilin and Chengdu CLICK HERE
For more photos of Xi'an CLICK HERE
For more photos of Beijing CLICK HERE