Beijing Travel
 
Beijing Travel
 

BEIJING - GENERAL INFORMATION

As the proud capital of modern China, Beijing is fast becoming a popular and fashionable tourist destination. And for good reason too. Beijing is not only the modern political, cultural and educational center of China, but holds the biggest collection of ancient sites and relics in the nation. Beijing has been at the center of China and the heart and soul of politics and society for over 5000 years. If the pace of change in the city today is anything to judge by, Beijing is determined to stay at the forefront of Chinese civilization.

As you fly into the city, the most famous site in all of China, the Great Wall, rises up beneath, slithering its way like a dragon along the tops of the surrounding mountains. Seen from above, other city sites gradually appear, well ordered and arranged in a grid, in keeping with the principles of Feng Shui.

The sheer size of the city is reflected at almost every level. The magnificent Forbidden City and the vast Tiananmen Square all add to the feeling and atmosphere that Beijing is, and always has been, a city that means business. Home to over 1000 years of imperial rule, and now the hub of modern China's political system, Beijing is a city with a lot to offer.

Any visit to this modern capital must include a trip to the major historical sites. But it's certainly worth getting to know Beijing a little deeper than this. Take some time and make the effort to explore the sites that are less well known. The Hutongs, the small windy alleyways between the city's main boulevards are delightful. Taking a stroll here, you'll experience the more authentic parts of the city and really get to grips with the old Beijing. The city is ideally located too, for trips outside Beijing itself. Follow the trend set by the emperors and take a retreat away from hectic city life to the Summer Palace.

The biggest surprise that travelers to Beijing often experience is how modern the city is. China has awakened like a lion from its slumber and Beijing is now catching up on what it missed while dormant. Skyscrapers are shooting up across the city at an unstoppable pace. Five star hotels now provide excellent service, restaurants offer some of the best food in the world, from all over the world and the city's bar scene is surprisingly trendy. The shops here too, rival those of any large Western city. Beijing is an international metropolis and a melting pot of different cultures now inhabit this traditionally Chinese city. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and explore and experience, life in this rapidly changing and exciting city!

PLACES TO VISIT BEIJING

Badaling Great Wall Baiyun Guan   Beihai Park
Biyun Temple Forbidden City   Guozijian
Jingshan Park Lu Gou Bridge   Mutianyu Great Wall
Peking Man Site The Ancient Observatory   The Fragrant Hills
The Great Bell Temple The Ming Tombs   The Summer Palace
The Temple of Heaven Tian'anmen Square   Yonghegong
Yuanmingyuan Zhongshan Park

SHOPPING IN BEIJING

TRANSPORTATION IN BEIJING

CLIMATE OF BEIJING

LINKS FOR BEIJING

LOCAL CUISINES


In order to judge how international a city is, look at the variety of culinary options on offer. Beijing surely qualifies as "an international city" as the city offers its residents and visitors cuisine from all over China and the world.

As for cooking native to Beijing, the most popular methods are roasting, frying, stewing, braising, and steaming. A prime example of Beijing cuisine is the Beijing Roast Duck. Follow the link for a virtual taste of this wonderful dish. Another favorite Beijing meal is Shuanyangrou or "hot pot", which is especially popular in the cold Beijing winter months. Around the Chunjie or Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, Beijingers make meat dumplings called jiaozi that are a special part of Northern Chinese Cuisine. Beijing's strong Muslim community with both Beijing's local Muslims and others who migrate from Xinjiang and other parts of China lends its own flavors to the mix that is modern Beijing. Perhaps the most unbeatable dining is to experience the cuisine of the Imperial kitchen.

As a great international city, Beijing also offers many choices in western and non-Chinese cuisine and the range of International cuisine here should satisfy even the most westernised of palates. Beyond this, there are plenty of fast food options, handy your shopping expeditions or whenever you just need a cheeseburger. McDonalds (Maidanglao), Kentucky Fried Chicken (Kendeji), Pizza Hut (Bishengke), Starbuck's Coffee, Subway Subs and Dunkin' Donuts have all established chain stores in the city.

SHOPPING
Jade Chinese Ceramics Silk The art of Cloisonne
TRANSPORTATION
By plane:
Most major international airlines have regular flights in and out of Beijing to cities throughout the world. Most cities in China have regular flights to and from Beijing. Check our flight reservation system for what you are looking for. The airport here is 27km from the city center. From here there are a few airport buses (RMB16) that will take you into town. A taxi should cost approximately RMB100.

By train:
Travelling by train, one can reach almost anywhere in China and even other destinations in Europe and Asia such as Moscow and Ulanbator.
Some of the major domestic routes include:
Shanghai to Beijing: normally about 14 hours overnight.
Guangzhou to Beijing: normally about 30 hours.
Harbin to Beijing: normally less than 20 hours.
Xi'an to Beijing: normally less than 10 hours.
There are two train stations in Beijing, the main station, Xizhimen Station and the west station, although most trains to major cities use the Beijing west station. The easiest way to get to the station is to take the subway. A taxi from the Forbidden City should cost approximately RMB20-40. There is a foreigners ticketing office in the station and most hotels will also arrange tickets for you (for a charge).
Tel: (010)65634512, 65634622,65634632,1605266

By bus:
There are four major long distance bus stations here: Biennia in the north, Dongzhimen in the northeast, Majuan in the east and Haihuhun in the south. The bus can be a convenient way to reach cities close to Beijing such as Tianjin and it is easier to get seats for the bus than the train. For longer journeys though, it is worth taking the train.

City transport:
Compared with other Chinese cities, Beijing has one of the best bus and subway systems. While we provide bus information for travelers (in the descriptions of various sites), using public transportation (with exception of the subway system) may be more trouble than it is worth. The buses, although very inexpensive, will not have English speaking staff, nor are bus signs marked in English or pinyin Chinese spelling. Nevertheless, if you are willing to brave the language barrier and go prepared with the Chinese character names of where you are going, then the bus system is a unique way to experience Beijing life. Furthermore, there are also several travel buses to some of the important sights such as Badaling Great Wall, the Summer Palace, Fragrant Hills and the Ming Tombs. You can get the ticket on 4 Qianmen Street.

Otherwise, take one of Beijing's approximate 70,000 taxis but go prepared with the Chinese name of your destination to show the driver. If you have any problems with taxi drivers in Beijing, be sure to take down your driver's ID number that should be prominently displayed on the dashboard. Then take this information to the Beijing Taxi Association and the situation. Your hotel should be able to help you with this.

CLIMATE

The best times to visit Beijing are in spring and autumn, particularly in the months of April, May, September and October. In particular, autumn is considered to be the best time to visit Beijing as the skies are clear and the weather is very comfortable. The four seasons are very clear in Beijing with a temperate spring, rainy summer, clear autumn, and a cold, snowy winter. The average temperature throughout the year is 11.8C. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of -4.6 and the hottest month is July at an average temperature of 26.C. Unfortunately, spring and autumn are shorter than summer and winter. Although winter is technically longer, that should not keep you from travelling to Beijing as indoor heating is widely available. Nevertheless, as the indoor / outdoor temperature difference is rather large, travelers should be prepared with warm clothing and a thick coat is recommended for the colder months of the year. In winter, off-season discounts are to be had as well.

Bilingual weather information can be obtained by dialing 121 when in Beijing.

The average precipitation in a year is 644 mm. The frost-free period is 180-days.

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Temperature (Celsius) -4.6 -2.2 4.5 13.1 19.8 24.0 25.8 24.4 19.4 12.4 4.1 -2.7
Rainfall (cm) 3.0 7.4 8.6 19.4 33.1 77.8 192.5 212.3 57.0 24.0 6.6 2.6
Days of rainfall 2.0 3.1 4.1 4.6 5.9 9.7 14.1 13.2 6.8 5.0 3.7 1.6