leosmith Posted June 3, 2007 at 02:30 AM Report Share Posted June 3, 2007 at 02:30 AM I'm going to travel to China for about 3 weeks in August. Will there be any problem bringing a laptop? And I heard they sometimes confiscate Lonely Planet guidebooks due to the maps showing Taiwan as a different country. Is that true? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senzhi Posted June 3, 2007 at 02:52 AM Report Share Posted June 3, 2007 at 02:52 AM Absolutely no problems bringing in a laptop, except that they might ask you to get it out of it's case and boot it at an airport security check .... as at any airport in the world. The booting is just a check to see that your laptop is really wired as a laptop inside and not as a hazard. In a very extreme case, they might ask you to put the battery as luggage and not as hand luggage. But this is very rare. I find the stories about books, CD's, DVD's etc. being confiscated extremely exaggerated. If the stuff is legal (and no copies) you shouldn't have any problems at all. In fact, good chances are you can buy the same edition here ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted June 3, 2007 at 04:32 AM Report Share Posted June 3, 2007 at 04:32 AM There have been repeated reports of Lonely Planets being confiscated at a (the) land crossing from Vietnam, but nowhere else that I've heard of. If you are coming through Beijing and Hong Kong the chances of being even glanced at are slim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koreth Posted June 3, 2007 at 05:31 AM Report Share Posted June 3, 2007 at 05:31 AM I went to China and not only brought a guidebook that says Taiwan is a separate country, but also a Taiwanese person who says the same thing. They didn't confiscate either one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickyrice Posted June 3, 2007 at 07:55 AM Report Share Posted June 3, 2007 at 07:55 AM Just met an English couple over the May holiday who came in via the Vietnam border and had their LP confiscated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leosmith Posted June 3, 2007 at 06:07 PM Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2007 at 06:07 PM Whew. Thanks everyone. I'm coming through Beijing, so I should be ok. I haven't actually bought a guidebook yet. I normally get LP, but does anyone prefer something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onebir Posted June 4, 2007 at 01:14 AM Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 at 01:14 AM I normally get LP, but does anyone prefer something else? If you're (mainly) staying in Beijing, someone's been recommending the That's Beijing guidebook. If not, for 3 weeks you hardly need a guidebook for all of China & it's a lot of excess weight. Maybe you could just photocopy the relevant towns/provinces from a library copy. Don't worry too much if it's not the latest edition - LP often seems to be wildly wrong ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted June 4, 2007 at 04:46 AM Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 at 04:46 AM They also have LP just for Beijing (it's much smaller than the LP China), but like Onebir mentioned, the "that's beijing" guide is also pretty good. It's called The Insider's Guide to Beijing, and you can read more about it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william Posted June 4, 2007 at 05:58 AM Report Share Posted June 4, 2007 at 05:58 AM I have traveled to china for three months.I can say I have no disconvenience in china .Nomally they only check my laptop bag simply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
md1101 Posted June 8, 2007 at 11:14 AM Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 at 11:14 AM yeah should be fine. i travelled around china with laptop and lp book no problems. maybe you should try a different book though seeing as EVERYONE uses lonely planet. i like to think im special travelling around the place then i get into a youth hostel and see everyone holding their lonely planet bible close to them and i realise im just another backpacker. get a different book to make yourself feel special Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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