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Voykit pocket guide · China
Mohan
Visit Mohan only to cross the China‑Laos border; one‑day stop, 2–3 h total, no overnight needed.
Mohan is a tiny border town in Yunnan, mainly a transit point for the China‑Laos Railway and buses. The only sights are the border facilities; most travellers spend a few hours to get a stamp and return, or stay the night in nearby Mengla for more amenities.
- Country
- China
- Best months
- Oct–Apr (dry season, check for road closures)
- Avoid
- May–Sep (rainy season, possible delays)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥120–200 excl. bed · Mid ¥200–350 excl. bed · High ¥350+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Rice bowl with toppings | ¥10–15 |
| Lao‑style pad khaphrao | ¥25 |
| Milk tea (Fresh Tea) | ¥12–18 |
| Bus to Mengla | ¥19 |
| Bus to Kunming (722 km (449 mi))Bus to Kunming (449 mi (722 km)) | ¥252 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- JHG · Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport (Jinghong)
- Nearest airport; bus from Mohan to Jinghong 190 km (118 mi), ¥66, departures 08:30, 09:50, 15:50 (check)Nearest airport; bus from Mohan to Jinghong 190 km (118 mi), ¥66, departures 8:30 AM, 9:50 AM, 3:50 PM (check)Nearest airport; bus from Mohan to Jinghong 118 mi (190 km), ¥66, departures 08:30, 09:50, 15:50 (check)Nearest airport; bus from Mohan to Jinghong 118 mi (190 km), ¥66, departures 8:30 AM, 9:50 AM, 3:50 PM (check)
- KMG · Kunming Changshui International Airport
- Bus from Mohan to Kunming 722 km (449 mi), ¥252, departures 11:30 and 17:00 (check); China-Laos Railway also runs via MohanBus from Mohan to Kunming 722 km (449 mi), ¥252, departures 11:30 AM and 5:00 PM (check); China-Laos Railway also runs via MohanBus from Mohan to Kunming 449 mi (722 km), ¥252, departures 11:30 and 17:00 (check); China-Laos Railway also runs via MohanBus from Mohan to Kunming 449 mi (722 km), ¥252, departures 11:30 AM and 5:00 PM (check); China-Laos Railway also runs via Mohan
Typical fares
- Mohan → Mengla bus
- ¥19, 1 km (0.6 mi), every 20 min 07:10–18:00 (check)¥19, 1 km (0.6 mi), every 20 min 7:10 AM–6:00 PM (check)¥19, 0.6 mi (1 km), every 20 min 07:10–18:00 (check)¥19, 0.6 mi (1 km), every 20 min 7:10 AM–6:00 PM (check)
- Mohan → Kunming train stop fare (China‑Laos Railway)
- ¥252, check schedule
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk to border control (5 min). Buses depart from a small station 1 km (0.6 mi) away; tickets bought on the spot.Walk to border control (5 min). Buses depart from a small station 0.6 mi (1 km) away; tickets bought on the spot.
See and do
Known for
- China‑Laos Railway border stop
- Customs and immigration checkpoint
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mengla | Bus from Mohan station, 52 km (32 mi), ¥19, every 20 min 07:10–18:00Bus from Mohan station, 52 km (32 mi), ¥19, every 20 min 7:10 AM–6:00 PMBus from Mohan station, 32 mi (52 km), ¥19, every 20 min 07:10–18:00Bus from Mohan station, 32 mi (52 km), ¥19, every 20 min 7:10 AM–6:00 PM | ≈1 h total |
| Luang Namtha (Laos) | Van from Lao side, morning departure, wait for minimum 5 passengers | ≈2 h total |
Sleep
- Basic guesthouse
- Rooms from ¥80; limited services, suitable for a quick rest.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？duōshǎo qián? |
| Where is the border crossing? | 边境检查站在哪里？biānjìng jiǎnchá zhàn zài nǎlǐ? |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗？kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? |
| I need a visa on arrival | 我需要落地签证wǒ xūyào luòdì qiānzhèng |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Last bus to Mengla leaves at 18:00; plan return before then.
- Visa‑on‑arrival for Laos costs ¥400 (US$40) plus possible US$16 surcharge for other currencies.
- Banknotes must be in pristine condition; damaged notes may be rejected.
Mohan is low‑risk; main concerns are border queue delays and keeping proper visa documents.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mohan yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- China‑Laos Railway border stop
- Customs and immigration checkpoint
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Mohan, revision 5168387 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5168387
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/mohan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.