Beijing, China City Travel Information
Looking out the main gate of the Forbidden City towards Tiananmen Square.
City Description:
Beijing is the capital of China, the most populous country in the world. With a very rich and colorful history, as well as a vibrant culture rapidly progressing both culturally and socially, Beijing will leave a visitor with no shortage of things to both do and see.
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City Highlights:
The Forbidden City is a must on any visit to Beijing. It used to be the seat of the Chinese emperor during the height of the Chinese empire. Now however, tourists are allowed to visit two-thirds of the complex to marvel at the amazing architecture and imagine what it used to be like hundreds of years ago.
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City Lowlights:
Cough, Cough! The pollution in Beijing is horrendous. Every day after sightseeing around the city I would come back to my hostel with a headache.
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Restaurants:
There is absolutely no shortage of restaurants in Beijing. You can find all manners of Chinese cuisine in Beijing. In the morning, eat with the locals by sampling a batch of steamed dumplings along with a bowl of local soup. For lunch, maybe some noodles or rice and meat. For dinner, any Chinese meal your heart has ever desired! The local specialty however is "Peking Duck", which originated in Beijing (hence the Peking moniker).
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Nightlife:
I was a little disappointed with the nightlife in Beijing. It seems that most locals spend their time at smaller bars/restaurants to drink the night away while many foreigners frequent the night clubs and fancy bar scene. Make sure if you do head out, to find out from your accommodation's staff which bars/clubs are the ones that the locals go to, otherwise you can find yourself with a bunch of foreigners inter-mixed with a couple Chinese prostitutes at the various clubs.
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Public Transport:
Thanks to the Olympics that were held in Beijing, it now has an extremely well connected subway system that you can get around by. If that isn't your thing, take a public bus. Taxis are also abundant and extremely inexpensive.
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The People:
The people in Beijing were very polite and friendly. They would not hesitate to help me out if I ever had a question or needed help (but don't expect many to speak a lick of English). It was so nice to be in a culture that was so friendly to foreigners. Also, at some of the more popular tourist destinations that are frequented by Foreigners and Chinese tourists alike, don't be surprised if a Chinese person asks to take a picture with you.
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Sights:
There are so many sights in Beijing, in order to see them all adequately would take a good deal of time. You have: The Great Wall of China, Forbidden City, Llama Temple, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and a vast array of other parks, cultural areas and temples.
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My Thoughts on this City:
I absolutely loved Beijing. The people were beyond friendly, there is a TON of amazing sights to visit, the culture is full of meaning and history, food is delicious and the prices are amazing!
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