Overlanding: China mainland into Hong Kong

As I noticed that readers enjoyed my post on China bus travel ,  I thought to continue giving some extra advice on the Middle Kingdom…

hongkong
Image Credit: Flickr/SBoyd

So are you departing from China, right? You have indeed a few border options: Mongolia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan… or probably much easier: Hong Kong.

So many people cross into Hong Kong daily from the mainland.  Some to fly back home, or to renew their Chinese visas. Whatever is your reason to come to Hong Kong, this brief post will explain how to get there overland. My personal favorite way.

Shenzen
Hong Kong’s sister city sits in the mainland, and connects through easy customs. There is not that much in Shenzen to lure you in, but if you have time, try to check out the art districts and the commercial center. Shenzen is a jewel of booming China’s architecture, and boasts spacious lanes and has a definitely “western” feel. There are many connections to Shenzen. You may connect to Shenzen by sleeper bus from the North: popular Guilin in Guanxi is 10 hours overnight ride away. Guangzhou is otherwise the hub from incoming traffic. From Shenzen main bus station, cross the road and avoid the taxi driver touts and get to the bus stop. For only 2 yuan, bus 7 will take you directly to the main train station and Luo Hu exit/entry point. Get off at the last stop, and keep your right: Luo Hu is in front of you. A fast 10 minute walk will get you trough customs and out of Mainland China, and a further 5 minutes walk will get you into Honk Kong territory proper. Take an LRT train from there and get to your central destination changing trains at Kowloon Tong station. Welcome to Hong Kong!

Macau
With more time and money on your hands, make Macau an interesting stop on your way out of the Mainland. Coming from Guilin or the North, reach Guangzhou first, and then Zhu Hai. By train, you will most likely have to reach Guangzhou first, but it is possible to get some sleeper buses and travel to Zhu Hai directly. Zhu Hai itself is a nice harbor town, and you might want to linger for a bit, enjoying its breezy air and detached atmosphere. From here, the cross into Macau is straightforward.
Be forewarned: your passport will be stamped, so check if your nationality allows you visa-free entry into Macau territory. Most likely, the answer is yes. If not, a visa on arrival will be generally issued for around 20 US $. Macau is quite compact, made up by the peninsula of Taipa and the island of Coloane, and can be walked on foot in a few hours. From its main jetty, half hourly boat departures to Hong Kong make a scenic entry into the city,  for 150 HK $ one way. Once in Hong Kong, your passport will be stamped again. Indeed, a nice collection of foreign ink!!

These routes make for a straightforward, easy entry or exit from China. Remember that you need to be on a double entry visa to activate your second stay in the Mainland or you will have to get a new visa once in Hong Kong in order to get back in trough Shenzen or Macau/Zhu Hai. If you only intend to visit Macau from Hong Kong, Chinese visas are not necessary… have fun!!

Posted by | Comments Off on Overlanding: China mainland into Hong Kong  | July 4, 2013
Category: Asia, Backpacking, Destinations, On The Road

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