Thrifty China student goes from Shanghai to Singapore by bus in 29 days for only US$400

Jiang says ground travel means meeting more people and having a richer experience. Photo: Baidu

• Adventurous Shanghai student enjoys challenge, says ground travel is best

A university student from China who spent 29 days travelling by bus from Shanghai to Singapore at a cost of just 3,000 yuan (US$400) has divided opinion on mainland social media.

Jiang Xia, 23, a final year student in Shanghai, decided to undertake the unique challenge before he graduates this summer.

With Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand now offering visa-free entry to Chinese citizens, he seized the chance to explore the countries by bus.

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His decision followed a previous adventure in January when he travelled by bus from Shanghai to Mohe, China's northernmost city in Heilongjiang province.

That journey covered a distance of 3,865 kilometres across half of China in just 16 days.

For his trip to Singapore, Jiang set off on April 5 and arrived on May 27, spending a total of 29 days on the road and paying out about 3,000 yuan all in.

The student's itinerary showed that he initially took the bus, metro and train to reach Kunming in southwestern Yunnan province.

From there, he continued his journey by train and light rail through Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia, before reaching Singapore.

From Singapore, he flew to Indonesia, then continued to travel by bus and train through the country, on to East Timor and Cebu in the Philippines, before returning to Shanghai.

Jiang said that throughout his journey, he met many kind locals who showed him around, reaffirming his belief that ground transport is a better way to see more and make more friends.

"I feel very happy and excited. I really like it here. There are many Chinese people in Singapore, and I made a lot of friends. They are really nice," Jiang told Shanghai Morning Post.

"I am now at Marina Bay Sands, planning to visit the landmarks there. I feel a sense of relief now that I don't have to rush any more. I plan to leave the day after tomorrow," he said.

Chinese netizens' opinions about Jiang's adventure are mixed, with some arguing that such an endeavour is a waste of time and money for a university student.

"A round-trip flight ticket from Shanghai to Singapore on Singapore Airlines only costs 1,700 yuan (US$230). This is a typical case of having too much free time," one online observer said.

"A university student wasted a precious month and spent 1,300 yuan more to travel from Shanghai to Singapore," another said.

Others questioned the feasibility of his budget, with comments such as: "3,000 yuan for 29 days? That's just over 100 yuan (US$14) per day. Does this include food and accommodation? If not, please clarify that the 3,000 yuan is just for bus tickets."

However, many other online observers supported Jiang and some said they were jealous, wishing it was them on the adventure.

"Sometimes I really envy people who have the time. Money does not matter, but having more than 20 days to travel is really rare," one person said.

"Why are so many people knocking him? I think it's cool. Doing things that others wouldn't even dare to think about is great. If you have the time and money, just go for it. The scenery along the way, the cultural differences, and all the experiences are unforgettable memories," said another.

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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.

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