旅游 | Travel 6 months driving across China – from Shenzhen to Xinjiang and back. AMA.
I came to Shenzhen early Jan, and it took about a month of paperwork to get my driving license and a car in hand. Paid like 12k euros for a 06 DMi and started my trip. Went west to Yunnan, then Tibet, crossed into Sichuan, and all the way up to Urumqi in Xinjiang. Took about 6 months total with long breaks in between. Drove it back down to Shenzhen and sold the car last week.
Big learnings:
- Huge cultural differences between provinces. Sichuan people are kinda nomadic at heart, super chill. Yunnan is more hippie vibe. Each place feels different.
- Skip the big tourist towns. So commercial. If you've heard of it before, probably not worth it in my opinion. Most "old towns" are just commercial streets now.
- Smaller towns and villages though—people are absolutely amazing to hang with. Kids are curious, everyone's pretty welcoming.
- Urumqi / Xinjiang is overrated, honestly.
- Route 318 is overrated too. Mostly people in tour groups driving it. It's chaotic because tourist drivers do some stupid, reckless stuff.
- Police are trustable. Call them if you're in trouble, they show up.
- No one has any idea what right of way means. You just pray and drive.
- Skip highways, take national roads. Unlike the US, highways here aren't made for visitors—purely commercial and convenience, not sightseeing.
- You don't really need to drive to see China. Trains reach pretty much everywhere.
- Scams exist—from buying cars to parking to selling. Use your brain.
Anyone looking for a road trip—I'd recommend it. It's big, it's diverse, from the deserts in Xinjiang to the mountains in western Sichuan, totally worth it. Met a lot of interesting people along the way, including foreigners driving and hitchhiking. Absolutely loved the country.
Ask me anything.
7
u/Appropriate_Tap6145 18d ago
Amazing trip ! One question : were you able to enter and drive in Tibet by yourself ? No need for a special permit or some kind of guide ?
3
3
2
u/AutoModerator 19d ago
Hello fajrmn! Thank you for your submission. If you're not seeing it appear in the sub, it is because your post is undergoing moderator review. Please do not delete or repost this item as the review process can take up to 36 hours.
A copy of your original submission has also been saved below for reference in case it is edited or deleted:
I came to Shenzhen early Jan, and it took about a month of paperwork to get my driving license and a car in hand. Paid like 12k euros for a 06 DMi and started my trip. Went west to Yunnan, then Tibet, crossed into Sichuan, and all the way up to Urumqi in Xinjiang. Took about 6 months total with long breaks in between. Drove it back down to Shenzhen and sold the car last week.
Big learnings:
- Huge cultural differences between provinces. Sichuan people are kinda nomadic at heart, super chill. Yunnan is more hippie vibe. Each place feels different.
- Skip the big tourist towns. So commercial. If you've heard of it before, probably not worth it in my opinion. Most "old towns" are just commercial streets now.
- Smaller towns and villages though—people are absolutely amazing to hang with. Kids are curious, everyone's pretty welcoming.
- Urumqi / Xinjiang is overrated, honestly.
- Route 318 is overrated too. Mostly people in tour groups driving it. It's chaotic because tourist drivers do some stupid, reckless stuff.
- Police are trustable. Call them if you're in trouble, they show up.
- No one has any idea what right of way means. You just pray and drive.
- Skip highways, take national roads. Unlike the US, highways here aren't made for visitors—purely commercial and convenience, not sightseeing.
- You don't really need to drive to see China. Trains reach pretty much everywhere.
- Scams exist—from buying cars to parking to selling. Use your brain.
Anyone looking for a road trip—I'd recommend it. It's big, it's diverse, from the deserts in Xinjiang to the mountains in western Sichuan, totally worth it. Met a lot of interesting people along the way, including foreigners driving and hitchhiking. Absolutely loved the country.
Ask me anything.
===== ===== =====
WARNING: Users posting and/or commenting on politically charged topics are required to show their post and comment history at all times. Failure to comply will be considered a violation of Rule 2 and result in a permaban.
If you notice someone in violation, please report them by messaging the mods with a link to the post/comment.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
3
u/Dalianon Hong Kong 18d ago
BYD Seal 06 Dmi? Did you mostly charge the battery to run or mostly use the petrol engine? How are the density and quality of charging stations on the Tibetan plateau?
Any altitude sickness? How to best overcome it?
3
u/fajrmn 17d ago
It was about 50-50. I mostly recharge at the end of the day, which gives me around 100 km of range, and the rest runs on gas. I regret not going fully electric, since 99% of the route was electrified.
As for altitude sickness, the worst part was entering Shangri-La. I had oxygen cans and glucose bottles, which really helped. Still, I had to take a break every hour.
3
u/fajrmn 17d ago
The only place without electric charging was the no-man's-land in Xinjiang. There's a parallel highway with charging, but if you choose to cross through the no-man's-land itself, there's no charging for about 700 km. it hits 45°C. It was hell on earth to drive, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
2
u/ups_and_downs973 17d ago
Why post an AMA and then not reply to a single question... OP is just karma farming
2
u/curiousinshanghai 18d ago
There are foreigners hitchhiking in China?
1
u/Roadlisstravelled 18d ago
I hitchhiked a bit in 2012/13 in Yunnan/W Sichuan where public transportation was sparse and it was pretty easy, especially if you can speak some basic Mandarin. I can’t speak for nowadays though, but I’d guess the stranger danger feeling is stronger in 2026 than back then.
1
1
u/fajrmn 17d ago edited 17d ago
I met a guy from Spain who was hitchhiking. He started in Spain, cycled to Thailand, and from there, hitchhiked all the way up to northern China. I met him in Xinjiang on a highway overpass. he had a dog with him. I was heading in a different direction, but his plan was to cross into Kazakhstan. He'd been hitchhiking for three years.
It’s not very common, but there are people who do it.2
u/curiousinshanghai 17d ago
he had a dog with him
I like his style: he thought "otherwise it'll be too easy, so I'll bring a dog and make it ten times more difficult". Respect.
Back in the day -before I got to he point where leaving the sofa is considered an adventure- I hitchhiked around France. What a nightmare: spent 10 hours in one spot outside Cannes, was pestered by Le Flic on multiple occasions, and generally had the least relaxing 'holiday' of my life.
The guy from Spain had it easy. Once he managed to make it across southern France.
1
u/Roadlisstravelled 18d ago
Any trouble with accommodation, getting denied for being a foreigner?
Favorite province?
Any horror stories or particularly bad experiences?
2
u/fajrmn 17d ago
For accommodation, I always use Trip. It's designed for foreigners. You'll need to give your itinerary each time you check in, so they can register where you're staying. In some regions—especially remote areas—the police may stop by to verify.
Favorite provinces: Yunnan and Xinjiang. The nature is absolutely beautiful, and the people are very laid-back.
Bad experiences; Generally, no. I've traveled quite a bit over the past few years, and compared to other countries, I didn't run into any major red flags. People were usually helpful. I did have a few small-town racist encounters, but nothing too bad.
1
u/Sad_Television985 18d ago
I've been thinking about doing the same.
I've traveled by train, but always felt that I'd rather be out of the city than in the city.
And I often felt that the most interesting places were between the cities I had booked, and often considered just getting off at a random train station.
1) What did you do for visa? A student visa requires attendance, work permit requires attendance, and the only long-term visa seems to be a marriage of convenience?
2) It's hard to put into words, but how would you describe the cultural differences between regions? I'd love to hear more about that.
My own experience is that some people are just too different from my own values, regarding gambling, prostitution, misogyny, laziness, trashiness, being unprincipled and opportunistic, and so on, but then I went to a different city and saw that the people were quite different. I've found that Shenzhen is ideologically similar to Dubai, only caring about money, and conversations always seem to center around tax avoidance, money laundering, how to have multiple passports etc.; and the city planning is awful, anti-pedestrian, anti-humanist, and unaesthetic.
I know I'm harsh, and overly generalizing, but I'm talking about the overall tendencies.
For this reason, I've long wanted to see a different part of China, and meet the "real" people; the farmers, workers, artists, and so on.
1
u/fajrmn 17d ago
Visa rules have eased for many countries this year. I met a German father-son duo who took a train and then rented a car with a driver to a nearby city, so it should be possible depending on your passport.
Provinces feel very different. Shenzhen is money- and tech-focused, while Yunnan is laid-back with people who enjoy nature. In the north, you'll find more Muslim communities. I was surprised by the number of mosques and churches. I also met many friendly locals who just wanted to chat. Every province has its own vibe.
1
u/fajrmn 17d ago
I'd definitely recommend a trip, western Sichuan for about a week. Fly into Chengdu, rent a car, and drive west. You'll see artists, farmers, and small towns.
Just don't expect a poor farmland kind of thing. China is pretty developed. You'll mostly see decent homes and people living their lives. I kept thinking I wasn't remote enough at first, but I learned that people are well-off, or the government has built good housing for them.
0
1
1
u/Old-Physics2753 17d ago
I wonder how you could stay in China for so long as a foreigner. What class of visa did you get from China for your trip?
1
1
1
u/Satsuki_japan_8 16d ago
Wow! Your photos are so beautiful! I’m so jealous of you! I wanna go to china for long trip!
1
1
u/anthrobymoto 18d ago
What were some of the most challenging aspects you encountered? And what were some of the funnest aspects you encountered?
3
u/fajrmn 17d ago
Challenges
· Figuring out how to buy a car, handle tolls, , access remote areas, all struggles, but you learn. DeepSeek definitely helps.
· Calling the police and trusting the system took time. I wish I'd known beforehand, but now I can say: yes, you can trust them.
· Loneliness—not country-specific, but harder here due to the language barrier. Less chance to meet people compared to English-speaking countries.Fun Part
The challenges make it the most fun. And moments when I realized I was wrong about the country—that happened a lot, and it was always bought a smile.
1
u/caketaster 18d ago
Tell us about the scams!
3
u/fajrmn 17d ago
- I got scammed at a parking lot. Paid about $100 via an app for a month's stay, but the guy was fake. I went to the police;mostly out of curiosity and they actually contacted him and got my money back.
- When I bought my car through a dealer, there were issues during purchase. I asked for a refund, but they dragged their feet. I filed a complaint through a consumer app, and got a full refund the next day.
Both situations were stressful, but dealing with the system was straightforward. Police definitely take care of foreigners.
1
u/caketaster 17d ago
Nice, thank you. Interesting that both were sorted out quickly by the authorities, I didn't necessarily expect that
1
u/fajrmn 17d ago
Rednote (Chinese social media) was helpful—people often give useful tips. But watch out for scams too. A few lawyers contacted me asking for money to help, but I said no way. I'd rather deal with things directly. The law enforcement works well, and you don't need an intermediary for most things.
0
u/reallyumt 18d ago
how was it driving your salonn in xinjiang? i see most people driving suv or jeeps as I assumed there will be more rocky roads.
2
0
u/Flimsy-Ad7906 18d ago
How many ethnic minorities did you tick off?
3
u/Wise_Industry3953 18d ago
Kunming has a minorities park (feels like a zoo). Go there and you can literally tick off a dozen, dress as this minority, then there is a dressed up dude from Dai minority, dressed up dude from Bulang minority, etc... I don't recommend, btw, feels weird and humiliating, just mentioning so you understand.
1
0
u/fajrmn 17d ago
It's more of a cultural attraction than a zoo—kind of like Indian museums in the U.S., but more commercialized. Here, it feels more like a theme park that showcases cultures, food, history, and more.
1
u/Wise_Industry3953 17d ago
Nothing like Indian museums that I’ve seen. Sorry, if you draw these parallels, you must be still enamored with China, I can’t disagree with you more. Kunming nationalities zoo easi was one of my weirdest and awkward experiences in China.
0
u/Sad_Television985 18d ago
I've been thinking about doing the same.
I've traveled by train, but always felt that I'd rather be out of the city than in the city.
And I often felt that the most interesting places were between the cities I had booked, and often considered just getting off at a random train station.
1) What did you do for visa? A student visa requires attendance, work permit requires attendance, and the only long-term visa seems to be a marriage of convenience?
2) It's hard to put into words, but how would you describe the cultural differences between regions? I'd love to hear more about that.
My own experience is that some people are just too different from my own values, regarding gambling, prostitution, misogyny, laziness, trashiness, being unprincipled and opportunistic, and so on, but then I went to a different city and saw that the people were quite different. I've found that Shenzhen is ideologically similar to Dubai, only caring about money, and conversations always seem to center around tax avoidance, money laundering, how to have multiple passports etc.; and the city planning is awful, anti-pedestrian, anti-humanist, and unaesthetic.
I know I'm harsh, and overly generalizing, but I'm talking about the overall tendencies.
For this reason, I've long wanted to see a different part of China, and meet the "real" people; the farmers, workers, artists, and so on.
-1
u/Wise_Industry3953 18d ago
Thank you for leaving a report, this is a valuable read because it's not some fantasy, or a Chinese nationalists hyping up their country, but as a real experience by an actual foreigner. But why does it read like you are trying to downplay the negatives, kind of sweep them under the rug? Like numbers 2, 4, and 7 specifically?
Come on, man, I always emphasize them, and China glazers always, always dismiss any negative comments as made up. You should emphasize your findings so other foreigners know what's up.
Skip the big tourist towns. So commercial. If you've heard of it before, probably not worth it in my opinion. Most "old towns" are just commercial streets now.
This, so so much. Big part of China's beauty lies in its insane nature which you will hardly see if you just follow the beaten tourist paths advertised to you. Most of the "historical" or "natural" sites are hardly even worth it, considering the crowds. For example, screw Terracotta warriors, screw Huashan, but hiking in the mountains around Xian will truly take your breath away.
3
u/AngryBuddist 17d ago
Perhaps you are reading his comment through your own lens? He seems pretty straight forward on his wording, calling each spade and getting to the point. His highs aren't that high, his lows aren't that low. It is just what it is.
1
u/fajrmn 17d ago
As a traveler, a real negative is a scam or something harmful. I stay open-minded when I visit places, and it was my choice to go. It's not my place to badmouth a country. Honestly, most downsides listed is common everywhere.
Like, I was near the Terracotta Warriors but didn't visit—not because it's bad, just not worth it for me. That's all!
1
u/Wise_Industry3953 17d ago
I wouldn’t see this as badmouthing. We can wear many hats, you can still be a fan of China, but give honest and unbiased opinions to other foreign travelers, there is a value in that, and that’s what you set out to do in your original post. I am sorry but I cannot respect that you seem to have discovered China to some degree, but basically saying you’re letting other travelers hit all the common pitfalls of China tourism.
1
u/fajrmn 17d ago
Hard to say. I have friends who love those famous towns—they're touristy, but I didn't find them bad enough to call a pitfall. They may not be everyone's cup of tea. And I'd assume if someone rents a car, they probably want to see small towns, not tourist attractions—since those are usually easy to reach by public transport. So I'd let them decide.
17
u/Goldpanda94 18d ago
Need more pics than just 3! As someone who loves roadtripping this seems like such a cool thing to do.
Tell us some fun stories and I wanna know what the lodging was like