Beijing, worth the trip?
Aug 21st, 2003, 09:51 AM
#2
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Beijing is totally and utterly worth it! So much history and beauty and such a fascinating culture. November will be cool to cold (think of NYC in November) but much less crowded than the high season, and with bare trees and less people I think it will be romantic (in the original sense of the word), esp Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall. Take a look at weatherbase.com for average temps and precip. (Very little rain in Nov, if you are lucky you might have snow!)
There is a lot to see and in Beijing and even in 6 days you may feel you have not seen it all. You might also consider a brief side trip to Xian or other places for 2 days. Run a search here for ideas and suggestions, and take a look at the suggested itinerary and other information guide put together by Fodors on this site, click on Destinations above. Better yet, buy one of the Fodors guides. Generally Beijing is not that expensive outside of some of the 5 Star hotels. However, in November you will probably find deals even there. With a good guidebook, you can see and understand most of the sights on your own by taxi or (if you are intrepid) public transportation.
There is a lot to see and in Beijing and even in 6 days you may feel you have not seen it all. You might also consider a brief side trip to Xian or other places for 2 days. Run a search here for ideas and suggestions, and take a look at the suggested itinerary and other information guide put together by Fodors on this site, click on Destinations above. Better yet, buy one of the Fodors guides. Generally Beijing is not that expensive outside of some of the 5 Star hotels. However, in November you will probably find deals even there. With a good guidebook, you can see and understand most of the sights on your own by taxi or (if you are intrepid) public transportation.
Aug 21st, 2003, 11:42 AM
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Hi
My wife and I went to China in March and we went to Beijing, Xi'an and Hong Kong. Before the trip I was looking forward to Hong Kong but I didn't really have any expectations for Beijing. Well, after the trip I have to admit that I was really surprised by Beijing. We got a few days with great weather and I got to see the Great Wall of China at Simatai and the Forbidden City on these days and it was just breathtaking. So yes, I would recommend you to go there and see Beijing.
If you want more details please take a look at my homepage www.gardkarlsen.com. I have posted a long trip report with pictures from the trip there
Please get in touch if you have any questions.
Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway
My wife and I went to China in March and we went to Beijing, Xi'an and Hong Kong. Before the trip I was looking forward to Hong Kong but I didn't really have any expectations for Beijing. Well, after the trip I have to admit that I was really surprised by Beijing. We got a few days with great weather and I got to see the Great Wall of China at Simatai and the Forbidden City on these days and it was just breathtaking. So yes, I would recommend you to go there and see Beijing.
If you want more details please take a look at my homepage www.gardkarlsen.com. I have posted a long trip report with pictures from the trip there
Please get in touch if you have any questions.
Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway
Aug 21st, 2003, 03:24 PM
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It's hard to tell whether your "great deal" is worth it without knowing more details. But if you find the price appealing, and the hotel is a tolerable one, then five days in Beijing is perfect. There's a great deal to see.
November can be a little chilly, but especially in the first half of the month the days are pleasant and dry, and the nights crisp.
Beijing's best-known sights, anyway not expensive by Western standards, run lower rates in the off-season, as do some of the sections of the Great Wall. The Forbidden City, one of the most expensive, only costs Y40 ($5) per person in November. Few taxi journeys will cost you more than $2-3. The subway is easy to navigate, very cheap, and avoids the coagulated traffic of the 7.30-9am and 3.30-7.30pm rush hours.
Even two weeks isn!?t enough to see all Beijing has to offer, but with five days you can devote a day to the more interesting Great Wall walk from Jinshanling to Simatai, and still have time left over to see a good selection of what's in the city proper.
Carefully group the attractions you plan to see by area, as as to spend less time in traffic. For example, if you!?re visiting the Temple of Heaven in the south of town, also see the fascinating but far less well known Gudai Jianzhu Bowuguan (Museum of Ancient Architecture), travel a little east to the Yuanlong Silk shop (if that interests you), before taking a short cab or bus ride to the Gu Guanxiang Tai (Ancient Observatory) or Ming City Wall Park to watch the sunset.
In the north, the Lama Temple is perhaps Beijing's most spectacular temple, but you should also see the less-visited and more atmospheric Kong Miao (Confucius Temple/Capital Museum) and Guozi Jian (Imperial Collage), which are all within strolling distance of each other.
Devote a generous half day to the Forbidden City getting off the main central axis trodden by all the tours to the labyrinthine residential areas, particularly to the east, and see the residences of retired concubines, the Qianlong emperor's garden, and the theatre where the Empress Dowager Cixi would have her own opera troupe perform. Leaving from the eastern side, for perfect contrast visit the charming small courtyard house which was the residence of the writer Lao She ("Rickshaw Boy", "Tea House", etc.), the newly revealed St. Joseph's church on Wangfujing (and neighbouring shopping--more to see the image of prosperous China the government wants you to take home than actually to shop), and perhaps the tiny mosque in Dong Si (good walking shoes recommended if you want to do all this).
Hope that helps.
Peter N-H
http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html
November can be a little chilly, but especially in the first half of the month the days are pleasant and dry, and the nights crisp.
Beijing's best-known sights, anyway not expensive by Western standards, run lower rates in the off-season, as do some of the sections of the Great Wall. The Forbidden City, one of the most expensive, only costs Y40 ($5) per person in November. Few taxi journeys will cost you more than $2-3. The subway is easy to navigate, very cheap, and avoids the coagulated traffic of the 7.30-9am and 3.30-7.30pm rush hours.
Even two weeks isn!?t enough to see all Beijing has to offer, but with five days you can devote a day to the more interesting Great Wall walk from Jinshanling to Simatai, and still have time left over to see a good selection of what's in the city proper.
Carefully group the attractions you plan to see by area, as as to spend less time in traffic. For example, if you!?re visiting the Temple of Heaven in the south of town, also see the fascinating but far less well known Gudai Jianzhu Bowuguan (Museum of Ancient Architecture), travel a little east to the Yuanlong Silk shop (if that interests you), before taking a short cab or bus ride to the Gu Guanxiang Tai (Ancient Observatory) or Ming City Wall Park to watch the sunset.
In the north, the Lama Temple is perhaps Beijing's most spectacular temple, but you should also see the less-visited and more atmospheric Kong Miao (Confucius Temple/Capital Museum) and Guozi Jian (Imperial Collage), which are all within strolling distance of each other.
Devote a generous half day to the Forbidden City getting off the main central axis trodden by all the tours to the labyrinthine residential areas, particularly to the east, and see the residences of retired concubines, the Qianlong emperor's garden, and the theatre where the Empress Dowager Cixi would have her own opera troupe perform. Leaving from the eastern side, for perfect contrast visit the charming small courtyard house which was the residence of the writer Lao She ("Rickshaw Boy", "Tea House", etc.), the newly revealed St. Joseph's church on Wangfujing (and neighbouring shopping--more to see the image of prosperous China the government wants you to take home than actually to shop), and perhaps the tiny mosque in Dong Si (good walking shoes recommended if you want to do all this).
Hope that helps.
Peter N-H
http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html
Aug 22nd, 2003, 02:00 AM
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I think Beijing is a must see destination. I was there for 5 nights in April, 2001, and had a great time.
My trip was part of a Pacific Delight Tour that I bought on www.skyauction.com and it was a great bargain. I paid about $1,250 per person for a 15 night guided tour of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong with all air, about 10 days of tours and half my meals included.
I just took a look at Sky Auction and for about $850 per person, you should be able to take a quality five night trip with a stay at a "Deluxe" hotel. There is an 10/05 Departure, a much more desirable date before it gets TOO cold.
While your price may be lower than $850 per person, look closer to see what kind of hotel you are staying at, how many days of tours are included and if airport transfers are included.
One piece of advice...DO NOT BUY FROM SHOPS THAT YOU ARE TAKEN TO WHILE ON GUIDED TOURS! The commissions that the tour company gets are astronomical. With Pacific Delight, I was given a "10% Discount" card to give to the shopkeepers, that amounted to nothing more than a way to identify me as a Pacific Delight tour member which actually qualified me for a 40% MARKUP to cover the commission costs that the shop would have to pay Pacific Delight!
I bargained SO HARD to get a beautiful silk rug for $1,200 USD, only to see an equally sized and equally beautiful silk rug while on my own for $800, and this was the initial asking price without bargaining!
Back to the subject at hand, I think you will enjoy Beijing immensely. Walking on the Great Wall of China is so cool, as is seeing the Forbidden City and other historical places. Plus, if you don't care for Chinese food for 5 days and nights, there are quite a few Western franchises over there, including Pizza Hut and even Outback Steakhouse. I even ate at a "Mexican" restaurant that was pretty good, definitely better than the "Mexican" restaurant I ate at in Cape Town, South Africa.
Here is a link to the trip being offered on Sky Auction, in case you are interested. I am showing you one that has already ended but there should be more of the same being currently offered:
http://www.skyauction.com/action/offer?OFFER_ID=772487
Good luck.
My trip was part of a Pacific Delight Tour that I bought on www.skyauction.com and it was a great bargain. I paid about $1,250 per person for a 15 night guided tour of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong with all air, about 10 days of tours and half my meals included.
I just took a look at Sky Auction and for about $850 per person, you should be able to take a quality five night trip with a stay at a "Deluxe" hotel. There is an 10/05 Departure, a much more desirable date before it gets TOO cold.
While your price may be lower than $850 per person, look closer to see what kind of hotel you are staying at, how many days of tours are included and if airport transfers are included.
One piece of advice...DO NOT BUY FROM SHOPS THAT YOU ARE TAKEN TO WHILE ON GUIDED TOURS! The commissions that the tour company gets are astronomical. With Pacific Delight, I was given a "10% Discount" card to give to the shopkeepers, that amounted to nothing more than a way to identify me as a Pacific Delight tour member which actually qualified me for a 40% MARKUP to cover the commission costs that the shop would have to pay Pacific Delight!
I bargained SO HARD to get a beautiful silk rug for $1,200 USD, only to see an equally sized and equally beautiful silk rug while on my own for $800, and this was the initial asking price without bargaining!
Back to the subject at hand, I think you will enjoy Beijing immensely. Walking on the Great Wall of China is so cool, as is seeing the Forbidden City and other historical places. Plus, if you don't care for Chinese food for 5 days and nights, there are quite a few Western franchises over there, including Pizza Hut and even Outback Steakhouse. I even ate at a "Mexican" restaurant that was pretty good, definitely better than the "Mexican" restaurant I ate at in Cape Town, South Africa.
Here is a link to the trip being offered on Sky Auction, in case you are interested. I am showing you one that has already ended but there should be more of the same being currently offered:
http://www.skyauction.com/action/offer?OFFER_ID=772487
Good luck.
Aug 22nd, 2003, 03:34 AM
#8
I just happened to see the following ad and thought of this thread.
Beijing - from $489
Nov 11, 25 $499
Independent Package Includes:
� Round trip flights LAX-Beijing
� 6 nights First Class Best Western, Beijing
� Arrival transfer
� Breakfast daily
� USTOA Consumer Protection Plan
