eznmomma

I have four nights in Beijing and would like a combination of great dining and nightlife - with three other women. We want traditional food and nightlife - not tourist trendy but safe to eat and not a dance club or jazz club, we can get that at home. Also if you know of any unusual must sees where tourists don't usually go.

Thanks.

kja

Well, it isn't exactly off the tourist trail, but I would strongly recommend Da Dong for its roast duck -- awesome!

I visited some places in / around Beijing that weren't massed by tourists, so you might find some ideas in my trip report. Just click on my screen name to find it. But with only 4 nights, I'm not sure you have time for even short lists of must-sees for Beijing....

Enjoy!

32gemoshushi

Hello, I am glad to share my experience travelling in Beijing with you. I have been to Beijing for several times. The safe food: Peking Duck, hot pot, noodles with Soy Bean Paste,Beijing Style, Beijing sweet pease pudding, snowballing usury, toffee haws , fry liver, etc… These traditional diet is well received by friend all around the world. They are delicious and safe with traditional characteristics.
Top attractions: Nanluoguxiang Hu Tong, Great Wall and Ming Tombs
I put a video in youtube about top 10 attractions, Beijing China Travel Guide: user/chinatournet/. Hope it can help you.

jobin

If weather mild, you will find, in many city parks and squares, couples dancing various western dance steps to the tunes you know and love, blasted out by loudspeakers. Join the fray. Dozens, 100s, may be out enjoying the evening and, maybe some flirting etc happening but mostly older folks.

If your'e a morning person, the same parks will have 'tree shouters', and women dancing traditional fan, sword dances as taught 400 years ago. Bright red is the color of consequence. Tai ji quan also widely seen and welcomes all to join. Just follow along. You won't lose face coz aliens can't have face in china. In the hierarchy of china, the elite on top (0.000001% of the pop), then the billions plus masses at zero standing and finally aliens at minus 5.

kja

If you are interested in seeing Beijing Opera, you might consider the Huguang Guildhall.

CodyDeegan

Despite the controversies involved between China and the Philippines, there are still a significant amount of Filipinos going to China and Chinese going here in the Philippines. Although both of these nationalities have cultural differences and learned to adopt the each other culture and live with it. Hope you have fun on your trip, madam.

eznmomma

Thanks all. I'll check these out and let you know how I do.

shelemm

The Red Sandalwood Museum is very impressive and exciting. Woodwork from the Quing Dynasty. Since they don't get many foreign visitors, you will be treated like VIPs.

Almost anywehre you go is safe to eat.

Three Guizhou Men is cusine for the Guizhou province, which can't easily be found outside of China . Everyione raves aobut the ribs, and they're right to do so.. It is a spectacular dish. Fried eggplant is also excellent. Cannot go wrong here.

While in China, you absolutely should try Xinjiang cuisine, though I do not have a personal rec. Go for a dish of dry-fried lamb and bread. You should look up listings in beijinger.com or City Weekend Beijing. Go for things you cannot find in your home country.

Here is an interesting article of places to go outside of tourist haunts. You are absolutely right to avoid touristed places. They do not offer you a transportive experience:

http://www.nicolemones.com/food-lovers/beijing-2/

theecoquest

Head out to the Hutong and check out Hua's Restaurant on Ghost Street, it gets busy so make a reservation.

or walk down Jiaodackou North 2nd Alley and you will see a chinese restaurant where people are roasting there own lamb on spits on the table. You order by the Jin, very busy place.

temppeternh

Some footnotes to the previous post to make it comprehensible:

There still remain a few hundred hutong. 'Gui Jie' (簋街, the 'gui' character isn't 'ghost' but 'cooking pot') isn't one of them, but an avenue called Dong Zhi Men Nei Dajie (东直门内大街). This is lined with restaurants of all sorts and conditions on either side, many open 24 hours a day, so just wander along and see what you like. The branch of Hua Jia Yi Yuan (花家怡园) mentioned here (one of two in this street) is set back on the north side a walk west of Dong Zhi Men metro station. I prefer the original hutong location in Bei Xin Qiao Tou Tie.

The restaurant has an English-language web page here:

http://en.huajiacai.com

braintom

I also suggest you to go to "Gui Jie" and you can watch Kongfu shows in the night. Find http://en.damai.cn/All_Tickets.aspx?...6&dt=0&st=&et= for details.