A Budget-Friendly China Stopover on Your Way Back From Japan
Just flew back from Japan with a stopover in Beijing on Air China and had a pretty great experience, so I wanted to share some details!
The Journey: Osaka - Beijing - Hanoi
- Legs: Osaka-Beijing-Hanoi (around 7 hours total flight time)
- Baggage Allowance: 46kg checked (no need to retrieve luggage in Beijing during the transit)
- Airfare: 3 million VND
- Layover: 21 hours. I intentionally chose a long layover to explore Beijing overnight.
- Food: The meals on both flights were surprisingly good. I think it was chicken or shrimp with rice. The Beijing-Hanoi leg was almost empty; I had a whole row to myself for sleeping!
Visa-Free Transit: Easy Peasy!
I applied for the 24-hour visa-free transit at the immigration counter, and it was completely free. They didn't ask many questions, just wondered why I travel to Japan so often and asked how to pronounce my (Nguyen) last name correctly (?????). Then they stamped my passport and let me through.
Free Tour & Accommodation
My flight landed around 11 AM, which was perfect for taking advantage of a free tour offered by Trip (tour at 1:30 PM, see photos below).
The hotel was also free! I booked it through Air China because my layover was over 8 hours and overnight. The hotel was very nice, spacious, and conveniently located near the airport with a free shuttle service.
Cost-Effective Exploration
Since the tour and hotel were free, I only spent money on food and drinks during my one-day stopover. I used Alipay, added my bank card, and used it for payments while I was there.
If you want to join a free tour through Trip, remember to book your flights accordingly to ensure you have enough time.
Lastly, a photo from Japan to keep things relevant :))
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