Tuesday, March 5, 2019

China (Nanning, Kunming & Guiyang) Feb 2019

Detian Waterfall Scenic Area, China / Vietnam Border, Nanning 
The Garden of the World Horticultural Expo, Kunming 
Jiaxiu Pavilion, Guiyang 

" My 10 days Cuti Cuti (Vacation) Jalan Jalan (Walkabout) & Makan Makan (Eating) free & easy visit with my travel buddies, KC Leong & Annie & my wife to South Western China (Nanning, Kunming & Guiyang) using high speed trains for inter-city travels from 23 Feb to 4 March 2019 - my first visit to Nanning & my last visit to Kunming & Guiyang was in Sept 1998 on a package tour  " 

Why China ? I love to visit China ever since my first package tour to China (Beijing, Tianjin & Chengde) in Sept 1997 ! I had so far visited all the provinces of China (over 20 trips) except Tibet which requires a separate entry permit other than a normal visa. Capital cities which I target to visit in the near future are Nanchang, Hefei, Shijiazhuang, Jinan, Taiyuan & Lhasa - so I am still chasing my China Dream ! 

For this no frill, free & easy visit to South western China covering Nanning (Guangxi), Kunming (Yunnan) & Guiyang (Guizhou), my 10 days visit to these 3 cities was quite a relaxing one, using mainly high speed trains for inter-city travels with a relatively short travelling time of 2-5 hrs & above all, very comfortable rides. We spent a total of  4 nights (3 on arrival & 1 night on departure) in Nanning, 3 nights in Kunming & 2 nights in Guiyang. These allowed us to see & get a feel of the old & vibrant city of Nanning, Kunming & Guiyang as my last visit to Kunming & Guiyang was in Sept 1998, 21 years ago !  

In each of the cities, we used public transport ie city buses & Metro to visit the various tourist attractions. The highlight of this visit was a 13 hour day trip by bus from Nanning to Daxin County to see the magnificent Detian Waterfalls located near the China & Vietnam border ! 

The hotels we booked online were close to Metro stations & the surrounding areas had many food stalls (small eats) so with decent food & lodging - this makes our stay in these 3 cities a very pleasant one ! I shall return to China for another visit soon ! 

If you have yet to visit Nanning, Kunming & Guiyang, start planning one ! Just make 3 online hotel (ideally 4 nights stay in each city) & high speed train bookings covering your visit to these 3 cities & your dreams of seeing these 3 magnificent natural wonders in South western China ie Detian Waterfalls (Nanning), Stone Forest (Kunming) & Huanguoshu Waterfall (Anshun, Guizhou) could be easily fulfiled soon !

Total Expenses incurred (10 days) : CNY2,517 + Rm775 = Rm2,285 (US$560) per pax
Air Asia ticket (Kuala Lumpur > Nanning > KL): Rm596
Visa fee: Rm100
Hotels (9 nights): CNY1,835 (twin sharing)
1) Vienna Hotel Nanning Chaoyang Road (4 nights) - CNY255 x 4 = CNY1,020
2) Da Zhen Hotel, Beijing Road (3 nights) - CNY133.20 x 3 = CNY399.60
3) Jinjiang Inn Guiyang Wenchang Pavilion (2 nights) - CNY203 x 2 = CNY416
High Speed Trains: CNY823
1) Nanning > Kunming South - CNY262.50 + CNY30 (online booking fee)
2) Kunming > Guiyang - CNY212.50 + CNY20
3) Guiyang North  > Nanning East - CNY268 + CNY30 
Metro / City Bus: CNY74
Long Distance Bus: CNY153
Entrance fees : CNY75 (seniors)
Shuttle Bus (Detian Waterfall) : CNY35
Airport Shuttle Bus (Nanning) : CNY40
City Taxi : CNY46 (twin sharing)
Food: CNY377
Airport (Sky Bus) : Rm6
Airport Taxi : Rm73

Exchange Rates: Rm1 = CNY1.66; CNY1 = Rm0.60; US$1=Rm4.08

Travel Itinerary: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) > Nanning (Guangxi) > Kunming (Yunnan) > Guiyang (Guizhou) > Nanning (Guangxi) > Kuala Lumpur

Image result for map of south west china
Map of Guangxi, Kunming & Guizhou, South Western China

My Travel Buddies : KC Leong & Annie


Travel Highlights : 

1) Detian Waterfall Scenic Area, China / Vietnam Border - Guangxi


2) Nanning, Guangxi

Qingxiu Shan, Nanning 

3) Kunming, Yunnan

World Horticultural Expo Garden, Kunming 

4) Guiyang, Guizhou 

Jiaxiu Lou, Guiyang 

My Good Old Days in Kunming (Yunnan) & Guiyang and Anshun (Guizhou) - Sept 1998; while still working I signed up a package tour in China and visited Kunming & Guiyang together with one of my office colleagues .... this happened 21 years ago ! 


1) Kunming, Yunnan

Shilin Stone Forest, Kunming (1998)
Daguan Pavilion, Kunming - Yunnan (1998)
Kunming Ethic Village - Yunnan (1998)
Golden Temple (Jin Dian), Kunming - Yunnan (1998) 
Alu Ancient Cave, Yunnan (1998) 

2) Guiyang & Anshun, Guizhou

Huangguoshu Waterfall, Anshun - Guizhou (1998)

Miao Village, Guizhou (1998)
Dragon Palace (Longgong) Caves, Anshun - Guizhou (1998)
HongFenghu, Guiyang - Guizhou (1998) 

China (Detian Waterfall - Nanning, Guangxi) Feb 2019 - Part 1


Day 2 Sunday 24 Feb 2019 - focussed our entire day taking a bus from Nanning to visit the majestic Detian Waterfall Scenic Area near the China / Vietnam border, Guizhou (08.30 > 21.30) 

Detian Waterfall Scenic Area, China / Vietnam Border, Nanning - 2 shuttle buses leaving directly from Nanning Langdong Bus Station (Metro); usually departs at 08.30 & 11.30; returning bus to Nanning is 14.30 & 17.00; the journey takes about 4-5 hrs (210km); one way ticket is CNY83 (Rm50) & return ticket is CNY70 (Rm42); admission for Seniors is CNY40 (Rm24 - 50% discount); Detian shuttle bus ticket CNY35 (Rm21) - total cost (ie bus fares, entrance fee, shuttle bus) for this day trip (13hrs) from Nanning to Detian Waterfall is CNY228 (Rm136.80=US$34.20)

1) Langdong Coach Station - opposite the Langdong Metro station


2) Countryside scenery from Nanning to Daxin County & Detian Waterfall Tourist Distributing Center


3) Daxin County & Bus Terminal (brief stopover)


4) Arriving at the Detian Waterfall Tourist Distributing Center  Ticketing Counters & Inbound Shuttle Bus Service Centre

Detian Waterfall Entrance Ticket CNY40 (Seniors) & Shuttle Bus Ticket CNY35

5) Scenery from Tourist Distributing Center to Detian Waterfall Scenic Area


6) Arriving at the Detian Waterfall Scenic Area - front entrance


7) Detian Waterfall - China / Vietnam Gourmet Street & downtown area



8) Detian Transnational Waterfall Passenger Station - opposite the Detian Waterfall Tourist Distributing Center - our group took a late afternoon bus departing 17.00 arriving Langdong Coach Station, Nanning at about 21.30 - a long day indeed but very satisfying after seeing the Detian Waterfall !