Beijing Travel Forum

I have a chance to fly to Beijing next week. Until I fly, I will be working long hours in the office so I may not have time to surf and compare tips. VT members help - I've never been to China before, let alone Beijing. Please recommend anything that you would do in five days while there. Info on transportation from airport to the city centre would be very helpful too. I would not like to miss a visit to a Chinese Theatre and would very much like to see the Great Wall of China. Thank you!

On my last trip to Beijing, I visited the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Silk Market, Summer Palace, Peking University. This time, we will visit Forbidden city (again), the Great Wall (again), the hutongs, and another market. I have time left for one or two extra spots in Bejing to visit and need some suggestions. Here's a little hint: I am interested in taking photos of old architecture, not so well-visited by throngs of tourists. I like long empty corridors or interesting statues etc, sense of serenity. I won't be doing the Ming Tombs or the Old Summer Palace ruins, or any gardens or zoos. Something like the White Cloud Temple or Lama Temple would be ideal (although I'd like something truly unique to explore in terms of ancient architecture). Has anyone found a spot in Beijing where it feels like you are transported back in time?

Hi Everyone,

I have two questions.

Where is a reputable place to buy jade (rings and pendants) in Beijing?

A friend wants a Mao suit. I don't think that any are to found nowadays in China but I told him that I'll give it a try. Does anyone know if there are still places in Beijing that still sell Mao suit?

Am in Beijing for work and have some time free on Thursday and Friday 18/19 June for sightseeing and shopping.

Can anyone suggest a good local guide, reasonable rates for a day or two, who can provide insights into getting around town, the silk markets, good place to get a meal and a place to have a drink in the evening etc.

Suggestions welcomed. Thanks.

Jim

Hey all

I will be in Beijing 14/7 - 18/7

If anyone else is there at this time and would like to meet, get in touch and see what we can work out

STEVE

I'll be traveling through Beijing on my way from Frankfurt to Guam. I arrive around noon one day and will leave at 1:45pm the next day. Is there anything meaningful that can be seen in Beijing in that short of time? Tiananmen square, the Forbidden City, the zoo, and the Great Wall all come to mind. I've never been there so I don't know the logistics of getting from the airport, to a hotel, find a transportation source, overnight, check out, and get back to the airport in time to make the flight. Any experiences and advise would be helpful.
Thanks.

What should I budget per day in Beijing for expenses approximately?

Hi,

Looking for a market or area at Beijing where you can find car parking sensor systems.

Thanks in advance

dirrta

Hi everyone -

We've recently became aware of a few boutique hotels in Beijing - The Emperor, The Opposite House and Hotel G. They look interesting on the their websites, but you never know?

Does anyone know anything about them? Decent amenities? Good location? Accessible via public transportation? Not to far from major sites? Service oriented for non-Chinese speakers? Etc?

As always, any guidance greatly appreciated.

Hi Everyone-

We're brand new members here looking for some guidance. We'll be in Beijing beginning Sept 5 then travelling to HK Sept 11. We also want to visit Xian. The question is...should we do a day trip (fly into Xian one morning and back that evening), or perhaps fly to Xian Thursday evening, spend the night, see as much as we can (primarily TC Warriors), and fly straight to HK on Friday night?

Suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

How to get Great Wall of China through public bus from city of Beijing?

We are a couple and a single friend travelling to Beijing in August for approx 8 - 10 days. Does anyone know of a Hotel/Apartment that is a 2 bedroom, with 1 or 2 bathrooms with a lounge living area combined. Would like something near The Forbidden City/ Tienanmen Square or Wolfgang area. Reasonably priced - does not need to be 5 star, but clean and comfortable. I have checked a lot of the hotels but they mainly cater for triple rooms which is not really suitable for a couple and a single. Would prefer separate bedrooms with a combined living area. Thanks

I'm a lone traveller, heading to Beijing tonight from Nanjing. I'm really interested in getting to the HuangHua section of the wall, and walking to MuTianYu...
Is there anyone who can offer some advice on whether this is possible/worthy and how long it would take?
I can speak some Chinese, so when I tire I plan on heading into a village to find a place to crash.

This is on short notice, so thanks a lot for any help!

I'm going to be in Beijing in a few days and read that the best place to purchase true jade was at Gongmei Dasha, Dongcheng. I read to bargain down to a third of the posted price but I have never bought jade before. What is an average price to pay for a jade bracelet or jade pendent necklace? Just a ballpark is all I need so that I know I'm not paying an overpriced amount. Thanks.

My friends and I are in Beijing for an exchange for a few months and we are looking for a clean massage place. No funny stuff, just massage for an affordable rate. Any ideas?

Hi,

I wonder if bus 919 from Deshengmen and tour bus from Qianmen share the same bus stop at Badaling. Some of us will use tour bus for Badaling and Ming Tomb, others use 919 for Badaling. We would like to meet at Badaling.

Thanks.

Does anyone know if Alvin is still offering tours of Bejing? I can't remember his last name nor his email addy but I got it from this site 4 years ago and he was a great tour guide with great rates! Any help? Thanks!

Hi Everyone,

Ill be staying in Beijing for 7 days in September. I'm thining of staying at the Wangfujing Grand Hotel because it is so close to all the major sites near the Forbidden City. One drawback that I've heard is that the subway stations are about a twenty minute walk away.

For anyone who is familiar with that area of Beijing, are there convenient public transportation near that hotel to the subway stations? Walking twenty minutes back to the hotel form the subway station after a day's excursion to sites not near the Forbidden City is not appealing.

If anyone has suggestions of other hotels in the area. Let me know.

Thanks.

Hi,

I'm travelling to Beijing on August 20-24, 2009 and I would like to get your recommendations for budget hotel which is preferably close to the must-see sights. I am not very meticulous on the "ambiance" as long as it's clean and the location is safe for women and non-chinese speaking like me.

Would also greatly appreciate any recommendation for the "must-see". My trip is relatively short and I wouldn't want to run from one site to another so I was thinking of just going to top 5 destinations in Beijing which include Great Wall and Forbidden City.

If anyone is interested in meeting up, would also be great :)

Cheers,

Nalie

Hi all,
As I am planning our trip, I wanted to learn if there are any festivals or holidays in the month of Aug. in this city. I think it would be fun and more colorful to be in a city in a festival (some of my best experiences have been stumbling into a parade in a small city) and some times its downright bad timing to be in others on a particular national or local holidays.

Could you enlighten me if there are such days in August, both a must be there and must be avoided. Thank you so much!
Ken

Hi,

Our family of 5 (2 adults and 3 chidlren aged 10,12,14) will be in Beijing for a week in Mid June on a free and easy package.

Heard from the friend recently that taking a taxi there with a family of 5 may be a problem as taxis accept only 4 persons.

1.Not sure if this 4 person limit per taxi info is correct. Wonder if the more experienced travellers can advise on this?

2.Are Multi Personnel Vehicle (MPV) with 3 row of seats type of Taxis available in Beijing? Considering this option for the trip to Great Wall as it will be long journey.

3.How hot does it get in Mid June? We are from Singapore so quite used to temp of 30 celsius.

Thanks.

Low

I have a few questions about the "Heavenly Ladder" that is on the Great Wall, I think in the Simatai section.

(1) If I do the walk from Jingshanling to Simatai on the Wall, do I have to go oup the Heavenly Ladder, or is there some way around it ?
(2) Is it dangerous ? Do people fall to their deaths on it ?
(3) Are there chains to hold on to ?
(4) Is it scarier going up it, or down it ?

I would like to go by public transit from Beijing to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. Can anyone tell me how to do that ? I do NOT want to take a tour - I want to do this myself.

I am going to Beijing 25 April to 2 May 09.
Wonder how the weather like around that 8 days. Still cold? wonder can we wear shorts rather than long pants?
TQ..

I just found out that there is a new (Aug 2008) train (S 2) from the Beijing North Railway station to the Badaling portion of the Great Wall. I was told to take Line 2 of the subway and get off at the Xizhimen station. Does anyone know the directions to walk from the Xizhimen subway station to the BJ North railway station? I also heard that the Xizhimen subway station is kind of complicated to exit?

Have a complimentary stay at this hotel. Any reviews and comments about this hotel?

Is it convenient for food and toddler?

How much wouod taxi fare costs from the hotel to Yiheyuan/Yuanmingyuan and Badaling? Do speak Mandarin and planning to tour Beijing on our own. Should I charter a car+driver for the day to the summer palaces and another day to badaling/ming tombs? Coz afraid would not be able to hail a taxi on the way back.

Thanks in advance.
Cheers.

Anyone have an idea how much it would cost to hire a driver to take me to the JuYongGuan portion of the Great Wall, wait for 1-2 hours and return me back to my hotel in the Wangfujing area?

BTW, we will be there late April..Thanks everyone for your replies..

we 2 women from the states are meeting her potential Daughter-in-law In beijing. She is from Chendu..any special/unusual suggestions for our 5 days in Beijing since we will be with her? I want to see the usual tourist stuff but I like off the usual path as well and we can do it with her..I'm SO excited!!

Hello,
I am flying back for the second time to China. This time I would like to travel from Beijing to Shanghai on 2 different ways. Partly by train and by boat. I know that there are boat trips on the Big Canal and we would like to make stop in Senzhuo, which I heard it's a beautiful town full of parks.

Is there anyone that knows where we can book the boat trip or any suggestions where to stop along the trip?

Thank you for any information.

Cornelia