Chengdu & Xinjiang Adventure: My 15-Day Epic (June 22 - July 6, 2024)
Last year, Xinjiang was THE place to be, and I totally jumped on the bandwagon! Here's my take on a 15-day trip to Chengdu and Xinjiang, packed with tips and tricks to help you plan your own adventure!
I. Essential Apps for China Travel
Beyond the usual suspects, let's dive deep into the 12306 app, your key to unlocking China's incredible train network:
*) 12306: Your Train Ticket Champion
- B1: Aliyun Email Registration: https://mail.aliyun.com/alimail/auth/login?reurl=%2Falimail%2F
Important: Use the EXACT name and passport number as they appear on your passport.
Example: If your name is JOHN SMITH, enter JOHN SMITH.
- B2: 12306 Account Creation: https://www.12306.cn/en/index.html
Use your Aliyun email to register.
- B3: Download the 12306 App: Booking on the app is WAY easier than on the website!
- B4: Ticket Selection & Payment: Choose your departure/arrival, dates, desired train, seat type, and then pay!
Why 12306 is Awesome:
- Total Control: Manage your train tickets directly, without the Trip.com middleman. You'll know the exact seat type (upper/lower bunk, etc.) immediately after booking!
- Say Goodbye to Fees: Pay via Alipay directly on 12306, avoiding Trip.com's service fees AND foreign transaction fees from your bank. More yuan in your pocket!
II. Sim Card Showdown
Staying connected is crucial. Here are my two approaches:
- Shopee 3G Sim Card:
China Unicom Network
15GB for 30 Days
Approx. VND 359,000
- Urumqi Local Sim Card:
Location: 中国移动(北京路营业厅) (Paste into Baidu Maps for directions)
Price: ~130 RMB total
III. Flights
My flight details for reference:
- HCM-Urumqi (via Chengdu): VND 6,664,000
- Urumqi – HCM (8-hour layover in Chengdu): VND 6,859,000
IV. Hotel Highlights (Booked on Trip.com)
*) Chengdu:
- Desti Youth Park Hostel (Chengdu Chunxi Road):
Address: Building 1, No.82 Sanduoli, Qingyang District, 成都青羊区三多里82号1栋
Wechat: 18081998606
Room: 6-bed dorm, shared bathroom
Price: VND 599,623 / 2 nights
Pros: Trendy design, English-speaking staff, close to Chunxi Road, 2km from IFS, cheap laundry (8 RMB including detergent!)
Cons: Not close to metro/bus, but easily accessible by bike.
*) Urumqi:
- Yunbo Youth Hotel (Urumqi High-speed Railway Station):
Address: 23rd Floor, Commercial Building B, Taojuyuan Commercial and Residential Community, No. 212, Gaotie North 2nd Road, 乌鲁木齐沙依巴克区高铁北二路212号陶菊园商住小区B座商业楼23层
Phone: +86-19399101118 / +86-991-5361118
Room: 4-bed dorm, private bathroom
Price: VND 479,788 / 1 night
Pros: New, clean, modern, laundry facilities, restaurants/shops downstairs, close to train station (1km)
Cons: Hard to find (inside an apartment complex on the 23rd floor - weak 3G signal!), requires ID to enter complex.
- Xihe Hotel (Urumqi Airport) (熙閤酒店（乌鲁木齐机场店）):
Address: Building 2, Urumqi Aviation Production and Operation Base, 1165 Wuchang Side Road
Phone: +86-991-6152222
Room: Single room with one bed
Price: VND 1,347,730 / 2 nights
Pros: Close to airport (2km), laundry service, breakfast, airport shuttle - perfect for your last night!
Cons: Far from metro (2km to airport metro station - need to take a DiDi), isolated location with limited dining options.
*) Yining:
- Yining V8 Business Hotel (Teachers University):
Address: 4F, Passenger Transport Building Comprehensive Building, No.308 Jiefang West Road, 伊宁市解放西路308号客运大厦综合楼第四层
Phone: +86-999-7821789
Room: Single room with one bed
Price: VND 1,750,164 / 3 nights
Pros: Next to bus station, close to bus stops and Liuxing Street, plenty of restaurants/shops nearby.
Cons: Old-fashioned decor, but good value for the price.
V. Train Tickets (12306 FTW!)
- Urumqi (乌鲁木齐站-北广场) – Bole: 186 RMB (lower soft sleeper bunk)
8h16m journey, departs 22:29, arrives 06:45 the next morning
- Yining - Urumqi (乌鲁木齐站-北广场): 231 RMB (lower soft sleeper bunk)
8h55m journey, departs 22:20, arrives 07:15 the next morning
VI. Itinerary - My Xinjiang Adventure Unfolds!
Day 1: Hopping from HCM to Chengdu (9:00-13:40)
Landed at Tianfu Airport, 51km from Chengdu. Travel time to the city center: ~2 hours.
Options for getting into Chengdu:
- Metro (requires line transfers - I skipped this)
- DiDi/Taxi
- Airport Bus (15 RMB) - The easiest, most convenient option, well-signposted at the airport.
I took the bus to Chunxi Road (close to my hostel), then a quick DiDi to the hotel (2km).
Getting around Chengdu: Metro, bus, and bike are all super convenient.
Chengdu evenings start late (8 PM!), so I strolled around Chunxi Road, visited the "climbing panda" at the top of IFS, and explored Taikoo Li.
Day 2: Chengdu Sightseeing Spree
- Wangjianglou Park (20 RMB)
- Wuhou Temple (50 RMB)
Day 3: More Chengdu Exploration & Fly to Urumqi!
- Wenshu Monastery (free!)
Airport Transfer: Airport bus from IFS (look for the panda!), easy peasy.
DiDi from Urumqi airport to my hotel (7.5km, 33 RMB).
Day 4: Urumqi Vibes & Train to Bole
Morning: Grabbed a local sim card.
Checked out, left my luggage at the train station (10 RMB), then metro + bus to explore Erdaoqiao Grand Bazaar.
Evening: Back to the station, luggage retrieval, and security check (remove power banks and liquids!).
Check the electronic boards for your departure gate.
Foreigners, seniors, and families use the priority lane on the far right (show your passport - no need to print the ticket!).
Show your passport to the conductor before boarding. My soft sleeper cabin had a door, 4 beds, and a charging outlet.
Urumqi to Bole: departs 22:29, arrives 06:45.
Day 5: Bole - Sailimu Lake - Yining
Arrived in Bole at 6:45 AM, conductor knocked to wake us up!
Foreigners show their passports to exit the station.
Getting from Bole to Sailimu Lake:
- Bus next to the station (30 RMB, departs 9 AM)
- Private cars outside the station (40 RMB, depart when full)
I took a private car (saved 2 hours!), arrived at the Sailimu Lake tourist center around 8:30 AM.
Bought the day ticket (129 RMB), the staff kindly pointed out luggage storage and the bus queue (buses depart at 9:30 AM).
Luggage storage opens around 9 AM.
Sailimu Lake Stops: (Sit on the right side of the bus for the best views!)
- Woaisailimuhu: Quiet wooden path leading to the lake.
- Nanmen: Wildflowers and a large meadow.
- Songshutou: Rest stop with restrooms, hot water, and food. Hike to the Guozigou Bridge viewpoint (3 hours round trip!).
- Tianeyaoshui: Spotting swans!
The last bus to Yining departs around 5:30-6:30 PM. I caught the 5:30 PM bus from the lake and asked a local for the bus stop, and he lead me to it. They fill the bus up and take off, so be ready to jump on!
That same person pointed me to a bus going to Yining, and it cost 49 RMB. Be sure to sit on the right side of the car to check out the Guozigou Bridge again.
Back to my hotel and ready for dinner.
Days 6 + 7: Kazanqi & Liuxing Street Exploration
Getting around Yining: bus, bike, or public electric bikes.
Days 8 -> 12: 5-Day Tour Time!
Booked a 5-day private tour (driver + me) at Yining train station. Custom itinerary!
Price included: transport, breakfast, hotels, entrance fees (lunch/dinner not included).
Locations:
- Day 1: Shatta Trail
- Day 2: Qiongkushitai Village
- Day 3: Karajun Grassland
- Day 4: Qiaxi Grassland
- Day 5: Nalati Grassland
Returned to Yining train station for my train to Urumqi on day 5
Days 13-> 14: Urumqi Relaxation & Souvenir Shopping
Day 15: Homeward Bound to HCM!
My flight departed at 7:55 AM with an 8-hour layover in Chengdu, landing back in Tan Son Nhat Airport at 22:10.
Checked out at 5:00 AM, took the airport shuttle at 5:30 AM.
End of my 15-day adventure! Safe Travels!
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