Is it worth taking the Beijing hutong tour?

Yes, absolutely! I was afraid that it would be overly touristy and geeky, and it WAS, but it was also very, very fun and interesting. Definately a "don't miss".

Don't miss this one! Just returned & I would say it was one of the highlights. You ride in Rickshaws pulled by bicycles into the hutongs then walj once you're in the middle. We visited a home and talked with the family while having tea. There are many different tours and we opted for a private tour so don't know what the group tour does. Be sure to rent bicycles if you ride! That was the best way to really experience Beijing.

Yes! Even my husband who wanted to skip this part of our tour, found it to be one of his favorites of the two weeks. The children were adorable, and my husband does not like children! He took a whole role of film there!

Absolutely. It was the high point of our time in Beijing. This was the point during our trip that we felt that we learned the most about everyday life in modern China. <BR> <BR>See pictures (and a movie of the children!) at http://www.peacham.com/china/hutong.htm <BR>

As an alternative, if you don't want to go on an organized tour, it is quite easy and inexpensive to rent a bike and go around the hutongs on your own.

The advantage to the organized tour is the access to private facilities arranged by the tour. Going around on your own you would be limited to what you could see from the street. <BR> <BR>The streets were cooler and quieter than the rest of the city since they are tree-shaded and have much less motorized traffic. The shops are colorful and a welcome relief from the gift shops that repeat themselves over and over at the tourist sights.