[Jens Thalund]

Hello,
I'm hoping to be able to go to Sichuan for 3 weeks in May, and would intend to do as much as possible of the trip, by using public transport/hitchhiking - if that can be done?

I would primarily like to visit Emei Shan, Wolong incl Balang Shan, Rouergai and Jiuzhaigou, but it seems that most people go on organized trips. Places like Emei Shan and Jiuzhaigou seems rather straightforward logistically, but I would appreciate any information on how to travel around Wolong and Rouergai.

Wolong - is it possible to stay at Wuyipeng?
- going up to the pass, should I hire a taxi for the day, or is it possible to go up on a bus, and find a place to stay for the night? I'm no stranger to roughing it, as long as the birding is worth it.
- moving on from Wolong/Balang Shan towards Maerkang - are there any bus passing through?

Rouergai - hire a taxi to take me around, or can day trips be made on a combination of busses and hitchhiking?

I've read of birders being told to leave Rouergai by the police - what's the situation at the moment?

I've also heard somewhere, that you need to list your accommodation on the visa application, is this for the first night or the full stay?

Any feedback would be appreciated, not only on the logistics, but also on general birding at the sites and/or alternative sites that could be done independently.

Jens

[Gretchen]

I believe you only need your first night's stay listed on the visa application (though others can correct me). Each hotel you are registering in may ask about where you are headed to next (and/or where you came from), but I don't think anyone will ask for a complete itinerary.

[Jeff hopkins]

I have been known to list places on the visa application that I may or may not go to, just in case, with no ill effects. But I have a multiple entry visa, so I haven't applied for a visa in a year.

They ask you on the immigration entry card where you are staying in China, but there's only room for one address, so that form is not relevant as soon as you change hotels. I have sometimes been asked where my next destination is, but that's usually an older obsolete form. Modern hotels with computerized registration don't ask that.

Usually a major hotel will make a copy of your passport when you register. If they take your passport for any length of time, it's just as easy to give them a copy and a copy of your visa because all they will do is copy the data.

[DMW]

I am currently researching the application procedure for a Chinese visa, which has changed since my last visit.

For EU passport holders at least, it seems you actually need to provide confirmation of hotel booking (and not just list places you intend to visit). The question is: do you need to provide hotel booking confirmations to cover just your first night in China, or the entire trip?

I called one London-based China visa service, and was told that you just need to provide a hotel booking confirmation for the first night. In a follow-up email I asked them to confirm this, and the reply was that you needed confirms for your entire stay!

I called another China visa agent, and he was very clear that it was just a booking confirm for the first night that was needed. My guess is that officially you must have hotels booked for every night, but in practise they only require your first night. Possibly the first agent didn't want to put this in writing.

In any event, I understand that it is not unknown for travellers to make hotel bookings online, print-out the confirms for their visa application, and then cancel the bookings.

[rockfowl]

Just the first night Duncan.

[James Eaton]

Last year the visa application in the UK was quite strict, though I didn't get a visa there myself, participants on my tours required a printed itinerary with all areas being visited, including proof of stay on first night.

You should count yourself lucky - in Malaysia, where I live, you have to go in for an interview, the day after making an application! Even more annoyingly (ironically), the interview lasts a mere 20 seconds, as it's just 2 questions long...

[rockfowl]

I guess it is down to who you use and trends. Last year I used the China Visa Service, just gave the Beijing address, no problems, though I am a frequent visitor. The year before, they wanted everything, air tickets, all the accommodation and a letter from the ground ops/invitee.

I see from this years form online that again they want addresses with contact numbers in sequence so its complicated once again if you are not sure where you are going. The price has also gone up!

If we had to go down to London for an Interview using public transport James, it would be close to half the price, when added to visa costs of the flight to China! Perhaps I should move to Asia

[MKinHK]

And if you do it in HK . . . you need nothing whatsoever except the dosh.

Plus there's the not-to-be-missed attraction of the Magic Roundabout!

Hong Kong - gateway to China - you know it makes sense!

Cheers
Mike

[Jens Thalund]

A thread on the LP travel forum suggests making online bookings, and then cancel them as soon as your visa is processed. Seems to be the easiest way to get around that issue.

[DMW]

Originally Posted by rockfowl

Just the first night Duncan.

Thanks Mark. Dealing with Chinese bureaucracy is such a random experience!

According to some websites, including the official Beijing airport website, as of 1st Jan 2013, it is now possible for citizens of various countries (including EU nations) to visit Beijing for 3 days without a visa, so long as they are "in transit". However, nobody seems to have mentioned this to the immigration office, and the visa agents I spoke to were completely unaware of this development.

Anybody fancy being a guinea-pig?

[Frogfish]

Originally Posted by DMW

Thanks Mark. Dealing with Chinese bureaucracy is such a random experience!

According to some websites, including the official Beijing airport website, as of 1st Jan 2013, it is now possible for citizens of various countries (including EU nations) to visit Beijing for 3 days without a visa, so long as they are "in transit". However, nobody seems to have mentioned this to the immigration office, and the visa agents I spoke to were completely unaware of this development.

Anybody fancy being a guinea-pig?

Implemented in Shanghai too.

Saw-dust is waiting.

[Jeff hopkins]

As I was arriving in Shanghai last week I saw a couple of passengers who didn't have a transit visa "discussing" this with airline personnel as they came off the plane. Apparently nobody from the airline was aware of the change either.

I don't know how it turned out for that couple.

[temmie]

I went in 2008. I flew from Amsterdam to Chengdu.
I booked my first night in Chengdu. They just want to know where you are (like in all countries around the world), so you just mention a hotel in Chengdu. From then on, you simply register at each hotel so in case there is e.g. an earthquake, they can localise you (it's just administration).
From Chengdu, I went to Wawu Shan with China Guy. http://www.birdforum.net/member.php?u=6819

You can probably get a bus to Ya'an, and some other buses to the base of Wawu. From there, a motorcycle or taxi can bring you to Wawu.

From Wawu to Emei Shan, we chartered a taxi for 200 yuan. Something was clearly not OK as police stopped our driver shortly before Emei Shan. Probably he was not an official taxi, or he crossed some administrative border... We don't know. But we got there in some hours.

From Emei to Chengdu, we also chartered a taxi for 200 yuan. It took 2 hrs. The driver dropped us at the bus station outside Chendgu. There we took a bus to Wuyipeng. That also took approx. 2-3 hrs.

From Wolong you can take a vehicle for some kilometers to Wuyipeng (trail starts between some houses where you see a hanging bridge crossing the river). You can walk up the zigzag trail in 1-2 hrs.

From Wolong we chartered a vehicle for 200 yuan to Balang Shan (2hrs). The driver's wife joined us and she offered us some snacks. The snacks turned out to be spicy chicken legs.
If you want to see the Snipe and Monal, get there early (start at 3.30-4).

Good birding!

[Jens Thalund]

hi Temmie,

thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately Wawu Shan is closed for 'upgrading', so I guess I'll have to settle with Emei Shan, but Birdquest still managed to see a good selection, when they went there in May last year.

Please keep all the good information comming, especially DIY-style birding on the Tibetan plateau (hithchiking, taxi for a day, busses).

Jens

[china guy]

The visa situation was quite tense during September/October - around the change of leadership - almost all my guests got visas using visa agencies with the one night booking and an itinerary that also had the addresses of hotels. When you get the visa there is no need to follow that itinerary of stay at those hotels!!!!
If by any chance the authorities tighten up any further then it's possible to make online bookings for the days of your tour without paying a deposit - and the, as suggested in an earlier post - after you've got visa, cancel bookings. One of my autumn guests used this method - while somebody else in the same party only made the one night reservation and got their visa.
A good place to check up on current situations is to read the Lonely Planet's Thorntree forums - if problems are occurring they will be reported here.

As for itinerary - I would list places like Chengdu, Emei and Jiuzhaigou - get hotel addresses off the internet. More exotic localities further west are not the kind of places that look good on application forms.

At the moment all seems quiet - the main litmus test comes around March 14th, the date of the 2008 troubles - which actually started in Sichuan. If that period passes without trouble then it's generally an easy travel season.
I'm afraid if something does happen - then one of the first consequences is that bus tickets are not sold to foreigners - this would mean, on the main birding routes, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to get tickets that took you west of Juizhaigou or further on up the G318 from Yaan. However one of the alternatives at such a time is to try and travel with the mini-bus taxis that can be found everywhere.
Saying this we haven't been subjected to any restrictions since early spring 2011 - so, touch wood, no problems this year.

At Wolong there's so many birders passing through that whatever hotel you stay in, showing birdbook, binoculars, using imaginative body language and writing down the times you want to bird - should get the desired results of transport and driver. There's no public buses going over the Balang Pass - so you'll also have to take one of these private taxi to head towards Maerkang. However they probably won't want to drive you through Rilong the first town over the other side of Balang pass - where there's a very strict transport police checkpoint. You'll probably have to walk into the town - and catch another ride on the other side.

At Ruoergai you'll also need to find a local car - just watch out for prices and be prepared to bargain.

Good luck
Sid

[johnjemi]

We "did" Sichuan on public transport in 2006.... trip report here

http://johnjemi.hk/journey_tr/cn/sc0...07_sichuan.htm

China changes quickly, of course but perhaps some site diagrams and comments will be useful. Some later China Trip stuff is here,

http://johnjemi.hk/jj_cn/index.html

but I've mainly just put accounts of trips on "blogger" in the last couple of years ..

http://johnjemi.blogspot.hk

Hope this helps give a picture of what is possible.

[Jens Thalund]

Thanks once more for all the useful information, it's very appreciated.

Jens

[lewis20126]

Just in case it's not been mentioned upthread, the research station at Wuyipeng was demolished last year (and it was not possible to stay) but I don't know whether it has been rebuilt or whether it is possible to stay there. If this is your main shot for the tragopan, firethroat, red-winged laugher or others then maybe an early start is required? See trip rep for 2012 on the Tropical Birding website.

cheers, alan

[DMW]

For anybody who is interested, I have just been issued with my China visa from the London consulate, and the current requirements are as follows:
1. Completed application form
2. 1 photo
3. Copy of flight confirmation for the inbound flight only (i.e. no need to have a return flight booked)
4. Copy of hotel reservation confirm for the first night only
5. If you have previously visited China, a photocopy of your last visa and, if this was in an old passport, also a photocopy of the photo page of that passport.

You do not need to provide an itinerary, or even list places you intend to visit.

Of course, this could all change tomorrow, and rules may vary between consulates...

[Jens Thalund]

I'm currently waiting for my new passport to arrive, as I ran out of pages on my old one, but will post the local (Danish) visa requirements once I get through the process.

[Jens Thalund]

All the points listed by DMW seems to be required to obtain a visa in Denmark as well. By postal application it took 8 days for my passport to arrive back from the embassy.

[Jeff hopkins]

Another quirk of Chinese visa policy:

My passport expires in April 2014. In March of this year, I applied for a 1 year multiple entry visa. I've already received one for the last four years straight, so there's no issues with the amount of prior visits or perceived need for one. But because my passport was expiring within 18 months, they only gave me a 6 month visa, even though a 1 year visa would have been within the expiry of the passport.

As far as I've experienced, China is the only contry that does this. Other countries simply issue the visa and say it's good through the life of the passport.

[thirudevaram]

Originally Posted by Jeff hopkins

Another quirk of Chinese visa policy:

My passport expires in April 2014. In March of this year, I applied for a 1 year multiple entry visa. I've already received one for the last four years straight, so there's no issues with the amount of prior visits or perceived need for one. But because my passport was expiring within 18 months, they only gave me a 6 month visa, even though a 1 year visa would have been within the expiry of the passport.

As far as I've experienced, China is the only contry that does this. Other countries simply issue the visa and say it's good through the life of the passport.

You are dealing with one of the narcissistic govt's of all time.

[Jeff hopkins]

Originally Posted by thirudevaram

You are dealing with one of the narcissistic govt's of all time.

That's an understatement!

[Jens Thalund]

Well - I'll be on my way to Sichuan in 9 days time, and I'm still colleting useful info. Mengbi Shan and Baxi seems to hold many of the same birds, so I'm contemplating staying for 2-3 nights in Baxi, where there seems to be accomodation available, and work the area on foot.
Is there a bus going there from Ruoergai, or should I get a taxi?
Around Baxi - which areas are best to concentrate on? Would it be worth going all the way up to the pass (if I can find transport), or is the birdlife here the same as around Balang Shan?

Jens