I have been travling around the world for the past year and have mongered in many locations inluding South America (Brazil, Argentina, Peru), Asia and China. One of the best locations was Hekou (China) in December 2003. Its on the Vietnam/China border. I got a double entry Visa for 45 USD in Hanoi. Lots of scary information about Falon Gong at the embassy. I took a booklet.

The train from Hanoi to Lao Cai (Vietnamese side of the border)was 109,000 Dong. Seat prices for foreigners (it says foreigner on the ticket) are as follows. Its is 55,000 Dong for Hard Seat, 109,000 Dong for soft sleeper and 160,000 Dong for Soft Sleeper.

There are three train classes. The best is soft berth, an expensive option roughly the same price as flying, and generally patronized by foreigners, party officials, and successful entrepreneurs. Basically, if you've a long way to travel and can afford it, soft berth is well worth the money and you'll arrive rested and ready to enjoy your destination.

Hard berth, is about half the price of soft sleeper. Carriages are divided into twenty sets of three-tiered bunks; if you ever have a choice in the matter, the topmost bunk is slightly cheaper (the Chinese regard it as the least comfortable option), and gives you somewhere to withdraw during the day ? though it's closer to the lights and radio, and cigarette smoke tends to accumulate up here. Every carriage also has a toilet and washbasin, which can become unsavoury; do what the locals do and carry a face towel to keep clean on long journeys. It's not a bad way to travel, though obligatory dawn-to-dusk music blaring out of the radio and a relentless investigation of yourself and possessions by fellow passengers can wear thin after a few hours.

For the really impecunious there's hard seat. In hard seat, you sit on a padded three-person bench with barely enough room to get comfortable, let alone sleep. But at around the same price as a bus fare, it's very cheap and considerably faster, though on long journeys it can get unbearable, especially as the air is thick with cigarette smoke and every available inch of floorspace is crammed with travelers who were unable to book a seat bear in mind that should you board a train with an unreserved ticket, you'll be standing with them. Again, you'll be the subject of intense and unabashed speculation, this time from peasants and labourers who can't afford to travel in better style.

It was a fine journey. I had a top bunk in the six bunk bed cabin. There was only one other person there and we agreed to turn off the lights at 10..00pm. There was a noisy bunch of students at the end of the carriage and by 2.00am, our cabin was full (of people who wanted some kipp). I slept Ok. Now and again I actually forgot I was on a train but every so often a nosy parker opened the door to see who was in there and what was happening. We receipted a free bottle of water.

From the train station I walked 20 minutes to the border. I am always afraid of border officials. Now I have to deal with both the Vietnamese and Chinese officials. There was lots of fruit been carried over to Vietnam from China.

I have heard that the border guards try to charge you 40000 dong to cross the bridge as a 'fee'. They did not hassle me. I also heard they open all bags. They didn't touch mine. The Vietnamese affair was a bit ramshaddle while the Chinese have a massive new emigration entry and exit building.

The Hekou bus station is 100 meters from the immigration exit on the left hand side of the road. There's a bank of China about 1 km down the road & turn right.

The trouble here is touts and language. Two touts approached me offering help and advice in exchange for an English lesson. Its and old trick and it took me some time to get rid of them. The trouble with hotels is that they font name them HOTEL. They are in Chinese text and so I may have passed a dozen but not known. After a while I walked into a building that looked like a hotel and paid 50 Yuan for a nice room. No pronblems in any oof the hotels bringinmg in girls.

Another problem is food. It looks great and what are they called. In all other counties, I could use Roman text to pronouce the words. Here with 6 tones and Chinese text its hard. I found a good buffet place with rice and vegetables for 5 Yuan.

Its very different here than Vietnam. People were well dressed with wide clean streets and fine modern buildings. There was a nice market with swords that a Kilingon would be proud of. They were massive. I was showed all types of flick knives, pepper strays, bows and sabers. Scary but tourist stuff.

There is a Bank of China here so I was able to use my credit card.

Night in Hekou is your first taste of travel far from the beaten path. The Lonely Planet and other guide books contain no information on the area, which can be unsettling in a not-too-friendly border town like Hekou.

You stroll down "Vietnam Street," a stone's throw from the country itself. People along the street examine you without smiling. Many locals live in bamboo shanties, waiting for an economic opportunity. With luck, the completion of the Kunming-Haiphong railroad will fulfill their wish. The railroad line was started at the turn of the century by French colonialists. Only 2 km of track remain to complete the line and to link western China to Vietnamese ports.

Here you are, right in the center of that small city, I got a cheap hotel but if you want comfort, try the Dongfang hotel, in the main street, with nice rooms around 130 yuan, no problem to bring girls to your room, and walking distance from the scene.

Once there, very little to do except fuck, fuck and fuck. It is so cheap ! 30 to 40 yuan for ST in the barbershop, 50 to 60 in your hotel room, 100 to 150 for all night ! Don't forget to bargain hard anyway. Apart from fucking and eating, there is nothing to visit, no disco, no bars. Chinese men will be a bit surprised to see a Foreigner hunting whores just as them, don't pay attention, nothing agressive, just curiosity.

Basically the scene is in what the Americans would call a mall (shopping centre). Its about 100 yeards south of the bus station (5 minutes from the immigration post). you cant miss it as its entrance is facing the river (Vietnam is accross the river). Its a two story bulding and there may be some touts on the strret (24/7) to led you in. once upstairs there are barber shps with girls sitting my the open doors. they will grap you and fondle you and are generally dood fun (90% Viet). Compared to cambodia, they are very well dressed with good clothese and make up. its nice they make an effort to look good. prices are dirt cheap and no hassles or riip off. All include BBBJ and full sex. Once yo make your choice you are led to the one room in each shop (it may just be as small as a westerb toilet with pre-fab walls). Otherwise bring them back to your hotel. Still they are clean.

So dont bother with the hassles and prices of Vietnam. If you want Viet girls, go to cambodia (for the bamboo shack experince) or in my opinion - go to Southern China.

Cheers
Mike

Very interesting report about a destination I for one have never heard of. Sounds very intriguing from a pure mongering stand point but if there is as little else to do as you state, it would get old for me fairly quick. Still has to be put on the " to do list " . Thanks for the fresh info !!!

$5 bootie makes it at least worth looking up on the map. Lao Cai seems to be the name of a province in Vietnam. I guess it is the "Economic Corridor" between the 2 countries. How did you find this place anyway?

Excellent report, and my already long to - do list has gotten longer as well.