I've been noticing a few great deals on return trips from Melbourne to Beijing ($300-$400). Have also seen what looks like some good deals on what looks to be reasonable accommodation (7 nights for $400-$600). I don't have any reason to go there but will have time in March/April. What do you think? What are the pros and cons of embarking on this trip?
How to Spend a Week in Beijing?
Lthwarted on 22/01/2017 - 18:25
Comments
Pro - you can bring some Aus air and sell it
Bring some milk powder too.
I suggest you stay in the hotel for the whole week.
How to Spend a Week in Beijing
wearing a respirator i imagine :)
no ways i game enough, even for a week
I too am curious about how to spend a week in/around beijing after snapping up some $225 return tickets.
so far I have:
forbidden palace
great wall
some sort of market.I'd love to go somewhere there are mega factories.
or an empty city
something essentially modern chinaDon't forget The Summer Palace…absolutely breathtaking, pretty much a full day there, it's huge!
Wangfujing St is OK too for a wander around…be wary of the tanghulu though, I've eaten some sketchy stuff all around the world, but I've never been so sick as when I got some from an alleyway hawker there…if you wanna try it get it from the shops! ;)
The Ming Tombs are pretty awesome…
Damn I miss China! :'(
Not really answering the question, but remember to apply for a visa if you're visiting China. It could be an easy oversight with so many great deals on airfares!
Eat some local produce ;)
what?! you mean to say i dont gallavant around the world to eat maccas or other fast food joint we have in australia?
/sarcasm
Not that kind of produce but i like your non dirty innocent mind
I think if you go there you should stay in your hotel room with an air purifier. Also you won't get any decent hotel for the amount you mentioned. Beijing is a hell hole.
If you MUST GO however I can also suggest going to SOHO Galaxy. The place is 370,000sqm and located in a central part of Beijing… let that sink in. Imagine such a complex anywhere within cooee of Melbourne CBD. When I was there a while ago the place was empty bar some amateur Russian fashion models doing shoots and a handful of random shops. The size of the place compared to the stark emptiness of the mall is a very sharp reminder of what 6.8% GDP represents and just how precarious the financial position of the "government" over there actually is. Enjoy your trip!
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design…
some amateur Russian fashion models doing shoots…
Giggity! ;)
Just suck all AIR into your LUNG..
I just came back from a week in Beijing and I LOVED it! But I know that for the week I was there, we were very lucky with blue skies and hardly any pollution which is very rare I hear. But either way I loved it. So much to see and do!
I recommend you go to the Jinshaling section of the great wall as it is a lot quieter with hardly any touristst. Did a 6km hike there and loved it! Also I enjoyed the Temple of Heaven and the Lama Temple. And really enjoyed a lot of street food! Just be prepared with a translator app!
Hahah, street food, really? I hope you booked a week on the toilet after your trip.
Haha, a week? Sounds like a really weak stomach that you have.
sigh mod deleted his comment for personal attack. I wanted to see what he had to say. guy must got done by your comment to attack you like that.
I had some of the best food from street vendors and local eateries in China including Beijing! I did not get sick once, and I think it is your loss if you didn't make an effort to try the food! I think you just have to know where to go and pick wisely (like with anywhere). One night I also went on a food tour, which was amazing also and I recommend it as you get to try a lot of different dishes and local places that you wouldn't otherwise find on your own!
As a recent repatriate, I would advise you to look up day tours - and go for the longest one possible (assuming you have sufficient money). That way you'll have a driver, an english speaking guide, most of your meals and you'll have all your sightseeing organised.
Sure, it's possible to save a little bit of money by organising it yourself, but I found that the lack of English spoken in Beijing (well, China in general) makes it very hard to get around if you don't speak the lingo. You'll also be susceptible to dodgy scams that are targeted at foreigners - look up tea house scam, photo taking scam, overpriced taxi scam.
Also, if you're stuck in the middle of nowhere (and you only speak English), you'll be hard pressed to find a local that's willing to help, and your mobile phone probably won't work, and the internet will fail on you (also remember you can't get google without using a VPN). In terms of accommodation, avoid all non-western branded accommodation - unless, you like squat toilets, dirty floors and bedbugs. And remember that if it's cheap, there's always a catch - usually a bad one.
In summary, don't be an Ozbargainer in China.
I myself too find it absurd having seen broken English scattered at places that are mostly tourist centric. While it's still gonna take a while to improve there's an app that addresses such issues and it's been widely used amongst Chinese tourists overseas. I reckon it does better than the average translator apps in regards to English/Mandarin.
There is an extensive listing on Airbnb that accommodates overseas bookings well. Just use common sense to decide if the host is capable of proper communication in your language and check out the reviews too. I wouldn't go straight to the top tier hotels to just avoid squat toilets and bedbugs, these are more the case of a street side random motel that you bump into. Ctrip or elong could be handy in tracing down a hotel room the more traditional way.
Instead of fiddling with a VPN you'd better off go with some mainland-HongKong data sims (e.g. China Unicom). These are equipped with a Hong Kong APN which essentially unblocks everything. They won't need your details for activation either.
Bullet train to Shanghai ?.
Cons: Air won't be so fresh.