Istanbul to Ulaanbaatar and Beijing then onto Tokyo - Suggestions

[Traveler999]

Got a question for the brains trust. I intended to go to Beirut/Jordan/Petra in June next year for a week from Istanbul on the way to Japan but decided to give it a miss with current situation in Israel.

I currently have placeholders at DXB and AUH for 4 and 3 days respectively in nice Intercontinental hotels but it looks pretty hot. I then have a 40,000 American airlines miles cancellable booking to HND for a locked in stay in Tokyo

My question is I came cross a good fare of about $1,000 USD in business (not a special) from IST-Ulaanbaatar –PEK on Mongolian airlines. So could instead spend 3 /4 days at each location before a cheap flight to Tokyo. The IHG Regent on Beijing is right next to forbidden city and a good price both in $ and points. I am diamond IHG and Plat Accor.

This is on the tail end of several weeks in Europe so happy to spend just a few days somewhere interesting to get over disappointment of missing Jordan

Never been to any of these places should I stick with DXB/AUH or go the UBN/PEK route?

 

[torks]

If you like nature/outdoors I'd recommend spending a couple of nights in the Mongolian Steppe/Gorkhi Terelj National Park. Its a very different landscape to what we have here in Australia. I spent a couple of nights there staying in a Mongolian Yurt and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ulaanbaatar as a city itself didn't inspire me much.

If you are into train travel, you could potentially look at taking part of the trans-Mongolian railway to Beijing. The full route is Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia, however with the Russia/Ukraine situation I'm not sure if the Ulaanbaatar-Beijing section still runs, but if it does a very different way to get between the cities.

Another thing to note is that on an Australian passport Mongolia is the single most expensive country in the world to get a Visa for. When I went in 2018 I recall the cost being about $400 for a simple tourist visa.

 

[Traveler999]

eek, I had not looked at visa prices. I am on a kiwi one so hopefully lower as its a miss otherwise. Train from Mongolia to PEK was my thought also but with only a few days I thought I would just have a quick look see before deciding to come back. I would miss Mongolia at $400 and transit straight to PEK then the fast train from PEK to Shanghai would be on the cards

 

[Traveler999]

looks like both NZ and OZ are Visa free for the next few years. but guess I better check with the embassy since its close to home

Visit World - New Zealander Citizens Traveling to Mongolia: Entry Rules, Visa Requirements & Regulations

Many New Zealanders choose Mongolia as a top travel destination. Visit World is a reliable source of information for New Zealanders planning to travel to Mongolia.

visitworld.today

 

[Happy Dude]

I don't recall the Mongolian visa being expensive when I trained it between Beijing and UB (and then onto Russia) in 2010. 495 RMB at most according to the visa form I saved. But as you've found, it's now free till the end of 2025.

UAE will be warming up in June but that's not peak summer. Pretty much anywhere will be more interesting than DXB/AUH. Sounds like a good opportunity to check out UB and surrounds that may cost way more to do so in the future.

 

[kileskus]

The full route is Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia, however with the Russia/Ukraine situation I'm not sure if the Ulaanbaatar-Beijing section still runs, but if it does a very different way to get between the cities.

The 003/004 hasn't been in operation since COVID but obviously the war doesn't help. Probably not profitable for China Railway to just operate the UB-Beijing line without dropping off the Chinese tourists wanting to visit Russia or picking up the adventurous foreigners from Moscow. One can take the train from Ulaanbaatar to Erlian on the border with Mongolian rail company and then from there onward to Beijing, I think it uses the same tracks more or less but obviously without the 6-hr bogie exchange.

If you get the chance OP a trip report would be nice

 

[Mattg]

I went to Mongolia in June this year and it was excellent. I also flew MIAT Mongolian Airlines and was impressed (although if you can, try to book the 787 over the 767).

If I were you, I'd book the Mongolian Airlines fare and stop for 5-7 days in Ulaanbaatar. The city itself is lovely, and you could do a ~3-4 day tour into the Steppe or the Gobi dessert while you're there as well. It's a super interesting place and the visa-free status for Australians until the end of 2025 is the icing on the cake.

By comparison, the UAE will be extremely hot in June.

 

[Bengingerflea]

Tough break about Jordan, but the Ulaanbaatar and Beijing route sounds like a cool alternative! I’ve never been to Mongolia, but I hear it has stunning landscapes and a unique culture. Plus, staying near the Forbidden City in Beijing is a win. I’ve had great experiences exploring cities where you can just wander and discover hidden gems. Just keep in mind the heat in summer; it can be pretty intense. But hey, a few days in each spot could really help shake off the disappointment and give you some awesome stories to share.

 

[Traveler999]

Thanks all. Looks like UB and PEK are taking the win at present. AUH and DXB seemed a bit lame to me but I really hoped to pick up the fist class flight on Qatar to BKK and then onward to Tokyo with Japan airlines in first which costs 50,000 American Airlines points.

Seems a bit silly to go somewhere I do not really care about too much just on the off chance a couple of fist class flights will come up. I think I will be a lot happier going bush in Mongolia as Matt suggests followed by a few days in Beijing.