Trish1983

I will be in Beijing on my own for a day and a half- before joining a tour. I am looking for ideas. I would like to see another section of the Great Wall (I will see Badaling on the tour). Is it worth the time? How about Peking Opera? Any particularly great shopping experieinces to suggest? Anyone familiar with Beihai park? Any suggestions welcome!

wiselindag

Hi Trish,

If you read the section about our Beijing visit in my extremely long Trip Report (23 Days in China) on this website, you'll know more than you ever wanted to about touring and shopping in Beijing.

Feel free to ask questions after you read it or to use our guide, Violet, for help.

Best regards,
Linda

wonderful_life

For the Great Wall, I sugget you to go to another part: Mutianyu Great Wall,cause in my opinion, there are too much visiteurs in the Badaling Great Wall. If you link the culture of different country, I think you can have a try,alhought you didn't understant what it means.

afterall

Will your tour be taking you to the "Palace of heaven"?

If not go there. If yes, then hire a bike and go riding.

There are far more interesting things to do in Beijing that visit the soulless shopping malls.

You can do that anywhere - they are all the same.

marya_

If you can tell us what is on your tour, we can better advise you about supplements.

You asked about the Beihai Park area. I very much enjoy strolling there. Also the nearby back lakes area which has lots of restaurants and cafes now. One idea is to explore that area and sample imperial cuisine at the Fanshang Fandian (if I am recalling the restaurant name correctly).

If the Lama Temple is not on your tour, you may enjoy that. Some of us love the ambiance. If you are not yet familiar with temples, it is a must, I would say.

Badaling is perhaps not the best place to experience the Great Wall although organized tours commonly go there because the location is convenient. Mutianyu is not that much further out from the center of Beijing and some of us much prefer it to Badaling.

teacup123456

Definitely go to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. After driving up the mountain, you walk up an incline in order to board a gondola which sweeps you up to the top of the mountain and onto the Wall. It is breathtaking! The vendors will ignore you as you ascent, but, wow, when you descend they are like vultures. Wait to buy until you are near the end of the booths as the prices/bartering will be less! Visit the Temple of Heaven and make time to stroll through the lovely park adjacent. It is huge, people are truly enjoying it and you will, too. You can read my 5-part tour journal on this site, having returned from 3 weeks in China in March.

Nutella

Trish, you might also consider a hike on the Great Wall from Jinshanling to Simatai. It's a strenuous 4+ hour hike, but truly an amazing experience that was a highlight of my entire trip to China. I booked through the Downtown Backpackers hostel - they provided round trip transport, entrance tickets and a bus full of fun trekking companions. Highly recommended!