Curious

I only have one week vacation and I just can't wait any longer. Is a week enough time to see the Forbidden City, Great Wall, day trip to Xi'an? I want to see at least one museum. I like exploring, so don't want a set schedule and don't want to feel too rushed. Thank you! Also, any reccomendations for budget hotels would be great. I am also a single woman going alone.

Andrea

Absolutely, positively!<BR><BR>While certainly people do that itinerary with more time, it's certainly enough to see what you want to see and hit the main highlights without being too rushed. <BR><BR>You could easily do Xian in one day if you fly. It depends on the flights; we ended up flying in late one evening, seeing the Terracotta warriors in the morning, exploring the muslim area (by bicyle rickshaw, which I highly recommend), then leaving on the late afternoon or evening flight. (This was from Shanghai, though, so your flight times may be different). <BR><BR>That will leave you the rest of the week in BJ, which is plenty of time to see the main highlights and spend some time just exploring the old neighborhoods.

Peter N-H

A week is plenty of time for the limited schedule given, and it's certainly worth going to Beijing for that length of time.<BR><BR>I'm always astonished to see people recommending Xi'an as a day trip, however. Even if you are short of time, you should spend at least one night there. The Terracotta Warriors are a half-day trip, and another day could easily be used in visiting the Shanxi Lishi Bowuguan, which is one of China's better museums (better than any in Beijing, for instance), and the Great Mosque, which is one of China's finest, along with the surrounding backstreets. That leaves trips out to the quiet rural Xingjiao Si undone, as well as better known trips to numerous tomb sites, etc., or a view of the smaller Terracotta Army in Xianyang.<BR><BR>But even with a morning flight to Xi'an, and an evening return the next day you'll have enough time in Beijing to be worthwhile without rushing too much. The Forbidden City is a half day, the Great Wall a half day or whole day depending on the section chosen. For a museum I'd recommend the Capital Museum inside the Confucius Temple, rather than the monstrous History Museum in Tian'an Men Square.<BR><BR>Being a woman travelling alone is not an issue in China, and you need have no fears on that score.<BR><BR>'Budget' is a term which means different things to different people, so perhaps if you make it clear what *you* mean by it, someone can help.<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html

ic

One week is enough to do those 3 things.<BR>I was there for 5 days on business, and even THEN managed to see the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square (was interrogated and nearly arrested for just aiming a camera at a few protesters, who were later arrested), the Great Wall - I went to Sumatai and 4 weeks later am still showing all my friends the pictures of this section of the wall... I also had enough time for the Hutong Tour and a walk through Beihai Park. <BR>I didn't go to Xi'an, so no comment. But 1 week is definitely enough to have a great time in Beijing.

Curious

Thank you! I have decided to go ahead and do it.

Victor

Plenty of time! I was there for only four days and I managed to see the forbidden city, Behai park, Summer palace, Temple of heaven, 6 hrs on the great wall, Tianamen square, Chinese opera...and some other sites which I cant recall the names.. took a 2hr drive to Tianjin...Got lost in a residental area near antique mrk...Pretty cool, able to see how people really live..instead of a hutong tour...Plan it all out before you go and make the most of whatever time you have...Go for it!