The 5 Best Land Borders of China

Article by  John McGovern

For many living in Xi’an, the only border crossing they know is stepping across the threshold at Xianyang International Airport.
But there’s more to travel than taking a flight, or crossing the land border to Hong Kong or Macau! China offers a wealth of borderland adventures which are fascinating not only because they are places to see two nations and cultures collide but also because they are often in Chinese ethnic minority areas.
So here’s my list of the top five accessible land borders in China. How many have you done?

5-1Manzhouli, China-Russia

China borders Russia in its northeast as well as in Xinjiang in the far west. The two countries went from communist allies in the 1950s to nuclear armed foes in the late 1960s, with border conflicts erupting. From the 1980s, relations began to normalise, and one of the Chinese cities that has gained from this is Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia.
When you’re in Manzhouli you already feel like you could almost be in Russia. Now a relatively big urban centre, it links with the Russian city of Zabaikalsk, and is located right on the Trans-Manchurian Railway from Beijing to Moscow, the original design of the Trans-Siberian.

5-2Mengla, China-Laos

It was hard to decide over the Laotian or Vietnamese border, but in the end I chose Laos because you can simply take a train from Nanning to Hanoi, and trains are somewhat cheating.

The best way to get there is from Kunming to Mengla in Xishuangbanna, the tropical region of southern Yunnan province. Again, in Mengla you already feel like you’re not quite in China. And from here you can catch a bus across the border to LuangNamtha, or just head straight to the beautiful northern Laotian town of LuangPrabang. And if you think China has a lot of ethnic minorities, just check out Laos!

5-3Tumen, North Korea

The Yanbian Korean Prefecture in Jilin province in China’s northeast is a great place to go if you just want to take a look at North Korea from the safety of Chinese territory. From the main square in the city of Tumen you are literally 20 metres away from the Korean bank, and you can look at the villages, farmland and guard posts placed sparsely along this seemingly non-existent border!
Even better, you can cross the border and step into Namyang city, visiting North Korea with a tour group. It is one of the only border crossings in China where it is possible to simply check out of the Chinese side and walk across a narrow footbridge into another country, and one of the borders unrivalled as an experience.

5-4Khunjerab Pass, China-Pakistan

It was hard to decide over the Laotian or Vietnamese border, but in the end I chose Laos because you can simply take a train from Nanning to Hanoi, and trains are somewhat cheating.

The best way to get there is from Kunming to Mengla in Xishuangbanna, the tropical region of southern Yunnan province. Again, in Mengla you already feel like you’re not quite in China. And from here you can catch a bus across the border to LuangNamtha, or just head straight to the beautiful northern Laotian town of LuangPrabang. And if you think China has a lot of ethnic minorities, just check out Laos!

5-5Zhangmu, China-Nepal

My favourite land border crossing from China though is over the Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge. The setting itself is spectacular, in a deep valley across the Sun Kosi River. It was closed after the earthquake in Nepal in 2015, but has recently opened up again.

What makes it my favourite crossing is also the journey to and from the bridge. From Lhasa through Gyantse and Shigatse, up to Everest Base Camp before driving down towards the border, it is impossible to stop looking at the mountains, lakes and glaciers, let alone the herds of yaks. And the drive on the other side down to Kathmandu, seeing the change from Chinese and Tibetan society to a Nepalese one is one of the drives of a lifetime!

John McGovern is a tour guide at Young Pioneer Tours. For information on tours in China, Russia, Pakistan, Tibet and Nepal, Southeast Asia and North Korea, contact john@youngpioneertours.com or check out itineraries at www.youngpioneertours.com