GoKunming Forums

Paranoid about postage...

Kirkpatrick (56 posts) • 0

Hi I'm moving soon from Hanoi to Kunming. I plan to cycle so I need to send some stuff through the postal service.

After 4 years around and about in Asia and experience of numerous missing packages I am quite worried about my stuff going missing.

The main issue is my climbing gear, rope; harness; quickdraws; shoes; etc. I could deal with it if some clothes or my old rucksack never make it, but if my gear goes missing I am stuffed.

honest opinions on the safety of sending stuff like this would be greatly appreciated.

lummerlaoshi (130 posts) • 0

Make sure to write the mailing address in both pinyin and chinese characters. They can translate addresses at the post office, but you have a better chance if you have the chinese characters on the package. Also make sure you have a reliable place to send the packages (I used to live in an apartment complex where I never got my packages).

no way (104 posts) • 0

Howdy, I'll be cycling to KM as well, from Thailand.

Will be sending three boxes 49x39x47, total weight about 65kg. Contents include clothing, shoes, books, about 100 CD's (that were mailed out of China a year ago), and a notebook computer. Total value ~US$1000.

Are there customs duties to be aware of, and if so, is there an exemption for those arriving on a WORK visa?

I know that large boxes posted to Kunming are held for pickup at the main post office. Will Fedex deliver to a residence or business, or are these subject to hold and personal pickup as well?

LuJingLin (28 posts) • 0

Yeah i sent a huge box from bangkok to Kunming. Keep in mind it often actually ends up at an international post office holding store on Beijing Road, so you'll have to look out for a pickup slip at whatever address you send to. I dont think that residence/business makes any difference but I'm not sure.

Not sure about customs either but my box made it fine after about 3 weeks, though my coworker definitely involved our office in figuring out his shipping issues, so I suggest you talk to your work sponsor about it.

DanTheMan (620 posts) • 0

It seems like people have way fewer customs problems sending through regular post than with FedEX UPS etc, where practically everything seems to get held up and have duties levied.

Might be better to send by post and hire a minivan driver (50-100 kuai) to help you retrieve the boxes from the Beijing Lu post office.

no way (104 posts) • 0

just to follow up....

i sent my stuff via shipping company (regular trucks between
bangkok and kunming) july 28. took the laptop on the bicycle
across laos, then ems'd from mengla. arrived in kunming
on the 14th, laptop was waiting for me. called the shipping
company as soon as i arrived, they delivered within 2 hours.
no customs duties, boxes were unopened.

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