It does not matter where your final destination really is because all the transportation is overcrowded during this time. Buses is the most convenient because they have extra buses during this time. However, expect delays because of traffic accidents. Example, a bus ride from Kunming to Dali is usually 4.5 hours but during Golden Week (GW) it may be 6-7 hours because of accidents. Planes and trains will over book so some people get bumped and there are major delays which can be very annoying. Trains will sell hard seats when there are no seats available. Booking sleeper trains and planes must be done in advance because they sell like hotcakes. You need more then 15 days for planes and 10 days for trains. I tried to get a sleeper train from Kunming to Lijiang 5 days early but they were already sold out during GW. Hotel prices in Lijiang and many other places will double during GW.

www.hugoyunnantravel.com/Destinations.asp

I recommend you go to out of the way places and most importantly, do NOT make any plans to go to 3-4 places as you will become very frustarted when your plans do not work out. This is NOT the time to go hopping from one place to another. If you need some help making an itineray let me know as I will do this for FREE. Make sure you have some basic idea of where you want to go.

Nothing like a first time poster living outside of China to revive an old thread from March 2012.

Express Bus, Change Money, SIM Card, Payphone Card. Try to do all this upon arrival is just asking for trouble. I think you will be lucky if you find a direct bus to get you home. Also, depending on the time of arrival, if you arrive late you will probably have to take a taxi or black taxi. Have no idea what a payphone card is as it is very difficult to find payphones anywhere nowadays.

Never been cheated in a Kunming taxi and I use a taxi often and have so for the last 10 years. Some people can get cheated if they dont have a clue as to where they are or where they are going. Taxi drivers will sometimes ask the passenger which way they want to go. The longer fast way or the shorter slow way. Some people dont have a clue as to how to answer this question. I always sit in the front of the taxi and never in the back seat. This way I can monitor the meter and see if it does not function properly. I think many people THINK they have been cheated but they do not how to prove it. If anyone wants to know what being cheated in a taxi really means then go take a ride in any Anning taxi. Most people do NOT have a clue as to what is the basic fee/distance for a meter or when the meter begins to charge. They just FEEL cheated.

Purposely tearing out visas out of your own passport would be a very stupid idea. I do not recommend you do this. Do the right thing.