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Ports of Call - China - Beijing

The Basics

Getting Around

The subway is a great way to get around in Beijing. Though it can be very crowded at peak commuter hours, the service is comprehensive and efficient. Line 1 and Line 5 can be used to access many tourist attractions. The subway shuts down at midnight and starts again at 5pm. Be aware that if you are carrying luggage you will need to go through x-rays. You can buy a prepaid card (Yîkâtông) that allows you to travel on subways and buses. The fare is the same for the subway, but reduced for buses. The Beijing bus system is comprehensive, but confusing for foreigners as most of the signs are in Mandarin. Most buses operate from 5am to 11pm. There are many taxis available, both official and unofficial. They charge a base fee of around 10 yuan, and there is a surcharge of one yuan on each trip. Tourists will generally pay more than locals, but if you feel you've been cheated, ask for a receipt to make a complaint with. All official taxis have license plates that begin with the letter B. It is a good idea to have your destination written in Mandarin to show the driver, as most do not speak English. Driving in Beijing is a complicated and sometimes frightening process, with few English signs and non-stop traffic jams in the city. Visitors are not permitted to drive in Beijing without a Chinese driver's license, which you can get at the airport or transportation police stations. Cycling is also a good alternative with numerous bicycle rentals around the city, and well-defined bike lanes, bike parks and the company of millions of other cyclists, especially at rush hour. It may look intimidating, but can be the best way to get around for the more adventurous traveller. For the Olympics in 2008, 50,000 brand new bicycles were made available and can now be rented at outlets close to subway stations, commercial districts, Olympic venues, hotels and office buildings.

Events

Longqing Gorge Ice and Snow Festival

Beijing - Longqing Gorge in Yanqing County, 56 miles (80km) north of Beijing

 

A magical winter wonderland provides a fun day out for locals and tourists alike at the three-day ice spectacle held annually north of Beijing. Try your hand at ice-fishing or one of numerous other ice or snow sports, and finish off the day marvelling at the intricately carved ice sculptures and ice lanterns on display, while fireworks turn the icy gorge into a colourful light show. 15 January to 28 February annually

 

Great Wall Marathon

Beijing - Tianjin Province

 

The longest man-made structure in the world lends just a small portion of itself for one of the most gorgeous races in the world. The two races of 3 miles (5km) and 6 miles (10km) each take place in some of the hilliest parts of the famous wall and are sure to be a test for any of those undertaking the race. 21 May 2011

 

Web:www.great-wall-marathon.com

 

Beijing Music Festival

Beijing - Various venues in and around Beijing

 

This event spans almost the entire month of October and features orchestras, opera houses and soloists from around the world. It is considered far and wide to be among the top five music festivals in the world. August 11-24th, 2010

 

 

 

 

Meet in Beijing Arts Festival

Beijing - Various venues around Beijing

 

The 'Meet in Beijing' Arts Festival transpires in and around the city starting in April/May annually and running on into the autumn months. Each year the festival takes on a different theme and nearly 10,000 artists from 80 countries presented over 100 performances to an audience of an estimated two million and 2010 is expected to be even bigger. April into Autumn, annually

 

 

Chinese New Year in Beijing

Beijing

 

Chinese New Year in Beijing is a noisy, colourful (and that's not just the fireworks) and busy occasion. Boys and girls on stilts, life-sized puppets and costumed carousers sing and dance in the streets. Not a whole lot of sleep is possible during this week of celebration. The Eastern Mountain Taoist Temple on the east side of the city hosts the New Year Temple Fair where one could find some respite from the revelling in the main hall, which features a Taoist orchestra playing traditional flutes and pipes. February 2011 TBC

Spring Festival

Beijing - Various

 

Most tourists know the Spring Festival as the Chinese New Year, and it is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. Hundreds of thousands of people take the streets and parks across the country to ring in the New Year. Traditionally, the Spring Festival is celebrated by enjoying a New Year feast, setting off firecrackers, hanging red lanterns, and visiting relatives and friends. The Festival takes place every year on the first day of the first lunar month. 3 February 2011 (Festivities take place from 2 - 8 February 2011)

Attractions

Zhoukoudian Cave

About 25 miles (40km) south of Beijing in the Fangshan District is the Zhoukoudian Cave, source of the largest collection of Homo erectus fossils from any single site in the world. The fossils recovered from Zhoukoudian represent about forty individuals. Most famous of these remains is a cranium element commonly known as the 'Peking Man', the world's earliest fire-using primitive man who lived between 200,000 and 700,000 years ago. German anatomist Franz Weidenreich studied the Peking Man remains in the 1930s and recognised 12 anatomical features that he believed Peking Man shared with modern Chinese, a milestone in the study of paleoanthropology. Visitors to the Zhoukoudian site on Dragon Bone Hill can view a comprehensive seven-room exhibition of fossils and artefacts depicting human evolution and the lifestyle of primitive man. Visitors can also enter the cave where the Peking Man cranium and other Homo erectus remains were found.

Forbidden City

Lying at the centre of Beijing, the Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is the biggest and best preserved complex of ancient buildings in China, and the largest palace complex in the world. Construction of the palace complex began in 1407 and for 500 years this inner sanctum was off-limits to most of the world as the emperors lived in luxury, secluded from the masses, surrounded by their families, court officials, servants, eunuchs, concubines and other members of court. The Forbidden City and its centrepiece, the magnificent palace, have a permanent restoration squad, which continually works to keep the 800 buildings and 9,999 rooms inside the Forbidden City complex in top repair. The once Forbidden City is now open to all visitors.

Tiananmen Square

The famous square at the heart of Beijing, recently renovated, is still not much to look at, but it attracts curious tourists simply because it was the scene of so many historic events and is the largest city square in the world. In the ancient imperial days it was a gathering place and the site of government offices, but more modern history, particularly the 1989 massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators, has made it a site of great political significance. Major rallies took place in the square during the Cultural Revolution when Mao Tse Tung reviewed military parades up to a million strong. The square is surrounded by several monuments, some ancient and some modern, including the former gates to the Forbidden City, the Gate of Heavenly Peace and Qianmen (the front gate); the Chinese Revolution Museum; and the Mao Mausoleum where China's former leader lays preserved in state.

Summer Palace

The magnificent Summer Palace in northwest Beijing at Kunming Lake was built in 1750 by the Emperor Qianlong, and continued to be an imperial residence until the Empress Dowager Cixi died in 1908. The palace and stunning gardens are open to visitors, who enter through the East Palace gate, pass through a grand courtyard into the Hall of Benevolent Longevity, the Hall of Jade Ripples, and the Hall of Joyful Longevity. Empress Cixi's private theatre in the Garden of Moral Harmony is a must-see, as is the long corridor that skirts Kunming Lake's northern shoreline to reach the marble boat, an elaborate two-storey structure of finely carved stone and stained glass.

Great Wall of China

Several sections of the Great Wall of China, a man-made phenomenon that has become a symbol of Chinese civilisation, can be viewed in the Beijing area. In Yanqing county in northwest Beijing is the 600-year-old Badaling Fortification, representative of the Ming dynasty sections of the Great Wall. Other sections can be seen at Jinshanling, Mutianyu and Simatai. The Great Wall, 4,000 miles (6,350km) long, was built in stages from the 7th century BC onwards, snaking its way across the mountains and valleys of five provinces in northern China as a mammoth defence bulwark.

 

Chairman Mao Mausoleum

Although Chairman Mao Zedong requested to be cremated it was decided hours after his death in 1976, that he would be embalmed. Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China from 1945 until his death, it is said that after his death doctors reportedly pumped him so full of formaldehyde that his body swelled excessively. After draining the corpse and getting it back to a suitable state, they created a wax model of Mao Zedong, lest his body wouldn't recuperate. It is unknown today, which version of the Great Helmsman is on display at the Mausoleum at any given time. The Mausoleum itself was built in 1977, on the prior site of the Gate of China, the main gate of the Imperial City during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Beihai Park

A place of tranquillity and grand imperial beauty, the Beihai Park in Beijing is a peaceful natural haven after a long morning of busy sightseeing. One of the oldest and most authentically preserved imperial gardens in China, the history of Beihai Park extends over 1,000 years to the ancient Liao dynasty (916-1125AD). Built up through five dynasties, the park is an emblem of olde worlde China and the ancient Chinese art of landscaped gardens with artificial hills, colourful pavilions and intricate temples, dominates. Kublai Khan lived in what is now the Round City of Beihai Park and the Tibetan style White Dagoba, built in 1651 on Jade Island (JiongHua), is a landmark for both Beihai Park and Beijing, having been constructed on the suggestion of a famous Tibetan Lama priest, NaomuHan.

798 Space

Beijing's prominent art district is home to 798 Space, a former electronics factory, which built components for China's first atomic bomb and early satellites. Exhibiting the latest in contemporary Chinese art in its lofty space, 798 Space is a visual delight to any traveller. Besides the regular national and international exhibitions, there is also a film and video viewing area and a tempting gallery bookshop. The precinct itself is dotted with avant-garde statues, charming coffee shops and noodle bars, and a plethora of other wonderful art galleries to visit.

 

Tel: (0)10 5978 9180

Great Bell Temple

The Qing Temple is home to the Ancient Bell Museum (Gu Zhong Bowuguan) and is a must see for travellers en route to the Summer Palace. The temple, originally known as 'Awakened Life Temple', apparently wasn't experiencing enough 'awakening' and a 47-ton bell, with a height of 22.77 feet (6.94m) was transported to the temple on ice sleds in 1743. The bell is inscribed with Buddhist Mantras on both the inside and outside of the body and features over 227,000 characters in all. The bell was often chosen by the emperors to pray for rain and blessings for the people of China and was one of three projects that Emperor Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) commanded after re-establishing Beijing as the capital. The other two were the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. The bell is considered as an auspicious article in the Chinese tradition and nowadays it is rung 108 times to begin the celebrations at grand ceremonies.

 

Tel: (0)10 6255 0819

The Underground City

For more than 20 years, Beijing's Underground City, a bomb shelter just beneath the ancient capital's downtown area built in case of nuclear attack, has been virtually forgotten by Beijing locals, despite being infamous amongst foreigners since its official opening in 2000. A sign near the entrance announces this rarely visited attraction a 'human fairyland and underground paradise'. Aside from some rather odd recent additions, the Underground City features factories, stores, guesthouses, restaurants, hospitals, schools, theatres, reading-rooms, a roller-skating rink and many other curious features. Built from 1969 to 1979 by more than 300,000 local citizens including school children, The tunnels were initially built to accommodate all of Beijing's six million inhabitants upon completion. Winding for over 18 miles (30 km) and covering an area of 85 square kilometers from eight to eighteen meters under the surface, the underground City includes more than 1,000 anti-air raid structures.

 

Tel: (0)10 6702 2657

Beijing Aquarium

Located within the Beijing Zoo, the Beijing Aquarium is the world's largest inland aquarium. It's an absolute must see with features such as an imaginative Amazon rainforest, complete with piranha, as well as an exquisite shark aquarium where the very brave can plunge into the tank with these infamous predators. Families flock to see the dolphin shows at 11am and 3pm and a boat from the canal south of the aquarium runs to the Summer Palace, giving visitors the opportunity to sightsee while en route to the attraction.

 

Tel: (0)10 6217 6655

The Beijing National Stadium

Also known as The Bird's Nest due to its appearance, this colossal stadium was the hub of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, hosting all of the track and field events as well the opening and closing ceremonies. The unique-looking steel support structures framing the stadium, weigh in at 110, 000 tons (99,790kg), making the stadium the largest steel structure in the world. The stadium has reopened as a tourist attraction, and the public can tour the facilities, or visit the ski resort now housed inside.

 

 

Happy Valley Amusement Park (Beijing Huanle Gu)

This amusement park, which opened in 2006, is a fantastic place to spend the day with the little ones. Featuring 40 rides, such as the Energy Collector, Trojan Horse and the Crystal Wing Rollercoaster, and IMAX Theatre and even a shopping centre, kids of all ages will have a screaming good time at the Happy Valley Amusement Park.

 

Tel: 010 6738 3333

 

 

 

Milu Park

Milu Park is a large public park located in Beijing is the perfect place to take the kids for a picnic for the day. With plenty of open space to run around, Milu Park is also an ecological research centre and serves as natural park for Beijing's animals. Milu deer, which nearly became extinct in the 1800s and which the park is named after are one of the park's best attractions and kids will love trying to spot these creatures.

 

Tel: 010 8796 2105

Sony ExploraScience

The fascinating Sony ExploraScience museum is an interactive educational centre encouraging children to take an interest in science. The museum features live science shows and interactive educational exhibits combined with Sony's latest digital technology. The museum is divided into four themed sections, covering illusion, refraction, light and sounds. All small enquiring minds will love a trip to the Sony ExploraScience.

 

Tel: 010 6501 8800

 

 

Beijing World Park

The Beijing World Park features 100 miniature models of some of the world's most famous attractions from over 50 countries across the globe. A great place for the kids to learn and enjoy naming the attractions as they stroll through the replicas, sight such as Egypt's Great Pyramids, France's Eiffel Tower, India's Taj Mahal and even New York City's Manhattan island, complete with Empire State Building and World Trade Center.

 

 

 

Fundazzle

The perfect place to take the kids on a rainy day, Fundazzle features ball pools, trampolines, a two-storey jungle gym, a toddler area with cars, swings, seesaws and houses. On the weekends there are even arts and crafts classes and performances for the kids to enjoy.

 

Tel: 010 6500 4193

 

 

 

 

Airports

Beijing Capital International Airport

 

The airport is situated 17 miles (28km) north of Beijing.

 

Tel: +86 (0)10 6454 1100

 

There are several bureaux de change, a bank and ATMs, as well as telephones, tourist information, numerous shops and duty free, and a business centre with Internet access. A food corridor provides a range of eating and drinking options, while an entertainment centre offers everything from films to Chinese massage. Facilities for the disabled are good, but passengers should contact their airlines in advance for more information.

 

There is a multi-storey car park with ample capacity.

 

Car rental is available at the airport.

 

A shuttle bus service runs between the two terminals.

Restaurants

Aria - International

Beijing - Jianguo Men Wai Dajie, inside the China World Hotel

 

With a pleasant outdoor garden enclosure, this restaurant is an ideal lunch venue from which to take in some fresh air. Also, this pricey eatery boasts a reasonable and generous lunch menu - perfect for that business lunch. Travellers with more to spend might want to dine inside the venue, where live music and a late bar will complement the night out.

 

Web:http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/beijing/chinaworld/dining/restaurant/aria

Lily Vegetarian Restaurant - Vegetarian

Beijing - Bei San Huan Jimen Qiao, Jimen Fandian, Xicheng & Haidian

 

This vegetarian restaurant chain comes highly recommended, even among the most ardent of meat lovers. Generous servings, at a decent price, and innovative cooking with a uniquely Chinese flair keep the locals coming back for more. Try the yam broth with mushrooms, vegetarian sushi rolls and seasonal organic vegetables.

Otto's Restaurant - Chinese

Beijing - Dongdan Dajie 72

 

The inside of Otto's is vaguely reminiscent of a high school cafeteria; what sets it apart is that this is authentic Chinese dining at its most affordable. The house specialises in claypot dishes, the most remarkable of which is their fried rice with sausage and chicken.

Xibei Youmian Cun - Chinese

Beijing - Yayun Cun Anyuan 8 Lou

 

This is a cosy family restaurant with a wholesome atmosphere. Most of the dishes come with a sizable jug of thick suannaiyoghurt, which can be (if used strategically) a delicious compliment to your meal; their lamb skewers, cubes and roast beef are certainly best savoured when stewed in their own juices.

 

Dao Jia Chang - Chinese

Beijing - Guangxi Men Beili 20

 

The word 'chaotic' is often bandied about when travellers describe this restaurant; the other word you're likely to hear is 'delicious' - in relation to the food. In and among the scrambling, screaming waiters you'll find the tasty Jingjiang Rousi (shredded pork rolled in tofu skin with scallion) and Yangrou Madoufu (mashed tofu and whole soybeans drizzled in lamb oil) well worth a somewhat distracting dining affair.

 

Café Sambal - Asian

Beijing - Doufu Chi Hutong 43

 

The word is that this modest looking little courtyard restaurant has a flawless menu. Everything from their kangkung belacan(water spinach) to the spicy signature dish, the Kapitan chicken, is exquisite and their Malaysian chef takes great pride in his work.

 

Web:www.cafesambal.com/

Quanjude Kaoyadian - Chinese

Beijing - 32 Qianmen Xi Dajie, Chongwen District

 

Peking duck is quintessential Beijing and to taste where it all began head to this famous haunt where the recipe was created more than 150 years ago. The duck can be prepared a number of ways with a number of parts, not all of which sound appetizing, but unless you are a Peking connoisseur the best way to first enjoy this delicacy is one roast duck straight up.

 

Fangshan - Chinese

Beijing - Beihai Gongyuannei , inside Beihai Park's south gate

 

Chinese royalty were renowned picky eaters and ate only specialty dishes with carefully selected ingredients with even more carefully selected names. Such dining gave way to its own culinary tradition that can be enjoyed at the enormous banquet style dining hall with such imperial classics as 'jade phoenix returning to the royal'. Choosing from a huge selection of dishes is a fun way to eat like an emperor.

Maison Boulud - French

Beijing - Ch'ianmen 23, Qian Men Dong da Jie

 

This well received new restaurant brings New York bistro style and French dining tradition together in the old American embassy in Beijing. Despite international cuisine such as Stuled Suckling Pig in the Style of the City of Nice, the ingredients are local and fresh. This is considered one of the city's finest restaurants. Reservations are advised.

 

Web:http://danielnyc.com/maisonboulud.html

China Grill - International Beijing - Park Hayatt, 2 Jianguomenwai Street, Chaoyang District

 

Sixty six floors above the sparkling city makes any dish seem dazzling but the views aren't the only reason to eat at China Grill. The international menu is a simple selection of fine dining with both Chinese dishes and grilled western classics. The romantic ambiance is set by a surprisingly cosy interior surrounded by floor to ceiling windows for a 360-degree view of the city.

 

Web:http://parkhyattbeijing.com/dining/en/