I have so many fantasies about Lake Baikal because of a song. I have always wanted to come here to see the mountains, the water, the way of life, the people, everything here. I am full of curiosity, so this time I came.
About the itinerary
Day 2: Irkutsk – Olkhon Island
Day 3: Olkhon Island South Line
Day 4: Olkhon Island Cruise Line
Day 5: Olkhon Island – Irkutsk City
Day 6: Irkutsk City – Listvyanka – City
Day 7: Irkutsk 130 District
Day 8: Irkutsk – Beijing – Shanghai
First, the most important thing before the trip is the flight, hotel and visa
Irkutsk group visa is visa-free. There are many free travel routes on Qiong.com and Mafengwo.com, which basically include the air ticket, the first night hotel and the group visa. We also chose free travel, but chose to solve it all by ourselves. You should know that although it is troublesome to apply for a visa by yourself, it is also very rewarding. Russian visas require invitation letters, which are purchased online. It is said that you can also ask the hotel you stay in to provide them. There is a consulate in Shanghai where you can apply for a visa directly. There are very few people. Basically, as long as the materials are complete, there is no problem.
The air ticket was booked on Skyscanner, which was cheaper than domestic platforms such as Feizhu and Ctrip. There are direct flights from Shanghai to Irkutsk, which can save you the trouble of transferring, but the price is also more expensive.
Second, the pace of life
The pace of life in Irkutsk is very leisurely. Yes, in other words, it is too slow. So when entering the country, you must be at the forefront. Otherwise, you will not be able to determine how long you have to wait… The airport is very small. After getting off the shuttle bus, you will directly reach the entry point. Be quick. If you can be among the top three in the queue, you can enter the country within half an hour. Otherwise, if you encounter a group, you will have to wait.
Third, airport pick-up
There is a bus stop directly opposite the airport entrance, and many routes can reach the city center directly. The city center is relatively small, and basically everything can be reached on foot. A good map is 2GIS, which can download offline maps; Baidu Maps can also be used. It is 15 rubles per person, and you can pay the driver directly when you get off the bus.
If you don’t want to trouble yourself, you can directly find an airport pick-up service on Taobao. The price is about 60 yuan.
Fourth, how to play on Olkhon Island
Olkhon Island is basically the highlight of the entire Lake Baikal trip, but it also takes a lot of time. It takes about 6 hours one way, basically a day. Fortunately, the daylight hours are long there, and it’s just getting dark at ten o’clock at night, so there is still a lot of time to play. There are two regular lines on Olkhon Island: the South Line Prairie and the North Line Pine Forest, each with its own characteristics. We took the South Line plus the summer-only cruise line.
You are a tiny pixel
Fifth, who is a foodie
A typical Chinese stomach is basically useless when it comes to foreign countries…Friendly reminder: If you really don’t like exotic food, you can still eat instant noodles, after all, instant noodles all over the world taste the same.
Recommended local food suitable for Chinese stomachs:
Buns: It’s really the buns you know, exactly the same, a bit like the soup dumplings in the south, and they are pure meatball, which is very filling.
Grilled meat: You definitely can’t eat such tender grilled pork in China. Well, maybe they are wild black hair pigs? Grilled meat without extra seasoning, tender and fragrant, mouthwatering…But this kind of primitive food can basically only be found in Olkhon Island and Listvyanka, don’t miss it. Similarly, there are grilled chicken wings~
Fish: How can you not eat fish by the lake? We tried the famous grilled fish in Listvyanka Fish Market, but we didn’t feel it at all! Recommend a super delicious fried fish, in a snack shop in the central market of Irkutsk. There is a whole fish, deep-fried with flour, it is simply too beautiful!
Central market in Irkutsk: A good place to buy fruits. Local fruits are not fresh, but this is the local large agricultural and sideline market. The taste of fruits is acceptable.
Yogurt: The yogurt in the supermarket tastes good too.
The above is only suitable for typical Chinese stomachs. If you already love Western food, feel free to eat, eat, eat.
Sixth, those pits I stepped on
1. Many local students on Taobao can help you book trips, but it is ultimately the land of the fighting nation, and the locals will eventually pick you up and take you to play. So there may be all kinds of small problems due to poor communication, such as trip cancellation, uncertain time, temporary price increases, etc. Please take it with a smile.
2. Many places will mark NO SMOKING. Please pay special attention to the hotel you stay in. Maybe it is not stated, but it is generally also non-smoking. Violators will be fined 1500 rubles, no kidding, they will really be fined.
3. If you go in the summer and you love swimming, you can bring a swimsuit to Olkhon Island. After all, Russians can go swimming in the lake for only 5 minutes.
4. Try not to pay for meals at the hotel, because you can eat more delicious food in restaurants on the street for the same price.
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