Cycling Central Asia-Peking to Paris

felbur

Very good advice. If you don't get embassy support, forget arranging things directly with the authorities in China. Not only is cycling a less lucrative form of tourism (and generally considered a means of transport for the poor, a token of low status), cyclists with lots of hi-tech equipment (say helmets, cyclometers, etc) are susceptible to all forms of questionable anti-China activities.

The Chinese police (gong'an) seldom know which areas are closed, and which open anyway. I once lived in the central city of Xi'an and was intent on doing it all by the books so inquired with the local police chief on the distribution of nearby closed zones - he didn't know how to answer.

Some areas are really closed and you will just see - more often nowadays than previously - signs in English. Then the issue is clear.

Otherwise just cycle wherever you please; if you run into a checkpoint and they bug on you, remember: 1) even "closed zones" are open to transit, and it's always feasible to paint cycling through as a form of transit (if you know Chinese, that is!); 2) be polite and smile a lot (if you don't know Chinese that's about as far as you can go; after 30 minutes or so an official police interpreter should arrive and be sure to compliment her/him on their excellent English, once you soften them up they will be on your side with the tough local sherriff); 3) have all your money deep inside your panniers (or in some other secret place), and be always ready to perform with your friends a scene of "thoroughly" emptying all your wallets, purses, money-bags of "all" your local currency, making sure in advance that what you have there does not really amount to much, but enough for the police team to get a good meal and a drink and some cigarettes.

Well, all the best: heal fast, get ready, and go - go, before these last few remnants of (almost) unspoilt and pristine nature get a taste of Chinese nihilistic "liberation"...

Oliver1231

I read the posts by Felbur and Waterford-Camel, and I thought I should post a reply. I went cycle touring in China last year, on a fully supported tour with a China-based company called Bike Asia. They are westerners working in Asia, running cycling holidays. My experience was that China was really tourism-friendly, even bike tourism. We didn't see or feel any issues with the authorities and we cycled some remote and not-so-remote areas in South West China. Maybe it was because the tour was so professionally planned and organised that we didn't experience anything like that, but I just found the local people to be really friendly and welcoming. Had an amazing two weeks and I'm hoping to go back to China next year to join Bike Asia's new China cycling tour in Guangxi and Guizhou Province in 2007. Highly recommend these guys btw, they really know the country and they really know cycling!