Extra Day in Beijng-Looking for Ideas

Old Jul 10th, 2007, 02:05 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Extra Day in Beijng-Looking for Ideas

We are taking a Viking River Cruise trip that starts in Beijing on 9/21/07. We are flying in a day early and so will have a day before we meet the rest of our group and start our sightseeing of the city. The trip already includes (from their brochure) the following sites in the city: Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City; Summer Palace, Great Wall & Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs; Hutongs & Silk Carpet Workshop tour.

Looking for ideas of some "can't miss" that are not included. For example, I've been told the Temple of Heaven is interesting and it's not in our tour. Devote our extra day to that?

Comments appreciated. Thanks, Pat
patandhank is offline  
Old Jul 10th, 2007, 02:34 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,854
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Temple of Heaven is very interesting to visit and you can go without a guide if you read up on it a bit. It takes less than 1/2 day which you can spend the rest of the time in Beihai Park and the Back Lakes area unlessyou want to go shopping.
Shanghainese is offline  
Old Jul 10th, 2007, 03:00 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,609
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Second the vote for the lakes, and for the Temple of Heaven, easy to do on your own, and nice grounds to wander round. And the last time I was at the Temple of Heaven (2004) they had installed stellar new toilets!

Also, I love the Lama Temple, which is conveniently close to a metro station.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Jul 10th, 2007, 03:30 PM
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thank you so much. Sounds like a good way to spend our extra day.
patandhank is offline  
Old Jul 11th, 2007, 07:27 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
There are also the Underground City and the HouHai district and lake. The UC was Mao's answer to the Sino-Soviet conflicts of the 1970s. Mao was so worred about a nuclear war with the USSR, that he built an incredible underground tunnel system. HouHai is near the hutongs and bell and drum tower. It is a quiet lake with upscale bars and outdoor restaurants. Very nice place to take a break.
rploehn is offline  
Old Jul 11th, 2007, 01:19 PM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,854
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
HouHai is the same as Back Lake.
Shanghainese is offline  
Old Jul 11th, 2007, 04:43 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 23,254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I would suggest going early in the morning to Temple of Heaven so you can see the (mostly elderly) locals engage in their ballroom dancing, choral singing, card playing, and various games and exercises i the large park surrounding the various structures. Get there before 8am if possible. Some good shopping can be found at the Pearl Market across the street from the Temple of Heaven. Then you could have lunch and head for the Lama Temple.

I talked a bit about these places in my trip report dated a few months ago:


http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...7&tid=34984181

I would guess that your tour will take you to the Badaling section of the Great Wall. You could also devote your extra day to the Mutianyu section which might be more enjoyable.
ekscrunchy is online now  
Old Jul 11th, 2007, 05:06 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes,Temple of Heaven and Lama Temple,if you are free on 9/22/07,don`t miss Weekend Market.
Violet_1125 is offline  
Old Jul 11th, 2007, 08:51 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Some things your tour is most likely not doing and some suggestions:

1. There is flag-raising twice daily at Tiananmen Square which is kind of fun, goose-stepping soldiers and all. It is at sunrise and sunset, I like the sunrise one better for some reason, less people I guess, it is also easier to plan this into a schedule. It is also a good opportunity to take pictures of Tiananmen Square at sunrise when it is relatively empty. Check with your hotel or sunrisesunse.com for approximate sunrise times. It only takes 15 minutes or so. The flag pole is on the north end of the square near the entrance to the Forbidden City (i.e. the Gate of Heavenly Peace). After the ceremony, you can stop somewhere nearby for breakfast or coffee, and then you can go back to the square if you want to see Mao in is mausoleum (see below). The Grand Hyatt is a few blocks down East Chang Ave and would be a good place for breakfast; at the north end of Tiananmen Square with the Forbidden City across the street and in front of you, turn right and walk down this huge main street for 2 or 3 long blocks, hotel is on the right.

2. Chairman Mao is buried in a Mausoleum right in Tiananmen Square and you go inside to view the body which is interesting and good people watching. Still quite the Mao cult going on. There is usually a line for this, but it moves quickly.

3. As mentioned above, a great place to go is the Hongqiao Pearl Market. It is not far from the Temple of Heaven and could be combined with a trip there. Once you get past the dried fish on the first floor, the top two floors (3rd and 4th if my memory serves) you will "pearls" and other jewelry. You can also find some "antiques" as well as copy Prada bags, etc on the second floor. Bargain hard, pay cash for a better price, and have fun. Most, if not all, the pearls are fake, some may be freshwater. But they are good fakes and for costume jewelry they are at very good prices.

4. The Hutoung tour is interesting, I am betting the silk carpet “workshop” is one guy making a rug and 5 guys trying to SELL you a rug. I would pass on that if you can (or cut out early after the Hutong part) and do something on your own.

5. Personally I think the Ming Tombs are a great big yawn, if there is any way to pass on that I would. I would personally do my own Great Wall tour with my own car and driver and have a picnic up on the Wall and spend some time wandering along it, and make your own day out of it rather than being tied to the tour’s schedule. If you do the tour, make sure you are going to the Mitianyu access point and NOT the Badaling which is just chock-a-block with tourists.

6. Personally, again, I think the Summer Palace deserves a lot of time, there are so many areas to walk around in, boats you can take on the lake, etc; check you tour’s schedule and see how much time you are actually spending there, if less than 2 hours, you might want to do this on your own.

7. Be sure to see an acrobatic performance one night, your hotel can arrange tickets, there are performances most evenings. There is a least one children's troupe, which is quite interesting. You can also get tickets to see a Chinese opera most nights which you also might find interesting.

The Fodors guidebook for Beijing will give you a good list of sights to see, or take a look at the "Destinations" guide put together by Fodors, click on Destinations above. You can also see restaurants reccos there.


Cicerone is offline  
Old Jul 12th, 2007, 09:46 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
All the above suggestions are good.

Lama temple and its immediate surroundings are interesting, and a bit different feel from a lot of the other 'official destinations' in Beijing.

Houhai/Beihai is also very nice and a relaxing way to spend an afternoon or evening.

Depending on the time of week of your free day, panjiayuan (dirt market) is a must see on the weekend, offering the widest variety of trinkets, etc.

Definitely try to skip out on the silk carpets & workshops tour. This is a tourist trap just waiting to happen.

Beijing has some of the best restaurants in China, if you want to try some of the authentic (not made for tourists) Chinese food from all over the county. I hesitate to suggest until I better know your tastes (like spicy foods? seafood? etc). Whatever you choose will probably outshine by far the food that you at while on the tour. Tour food is reputed to be some of the worst in China which is really sad, considering the incredible amount of options there are.
baaj is offline  
Old Jul 12th, 2007, 09:47 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cicerone has nailed it, however Mao's Tomb is closed until fall, and i would not bank on that.
rploehn is offline  
Old Jul 12th, 2007, 10:49 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 23,254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I would skip the Badaling/Ming tomb organized tour and take your own car to Mutianuyu on the same day. You can see the Lama Temple on the way back. that will leave you another full day to tackle some of the suggestions here..
ekscrunchy is online now  
Old Jul 12th, 2007, 05:52 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I thought the tomb we re-opening in early September...but perhaps not, another pre-Olympics clean-up I am guessing...
Cicerone is offline  
Old Jul 13th, 2007, 05:30 PM
  #14  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
WOW! Thanks everybody. A lot of great suggestions. Appreciate all the help. Will let you know how it goes!
patandhank is offline  
Old Jul 13th, 2007, 05:35 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cicerone writes:

another pre-Olympics clean-up I am guessing...

You're still talking about Mao, right? Wouldn't that be a bath?

Anyways, it's a mausoleum, and he's not buried. You go in to see his actual embalmed body.
rkkwan is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Lorenky1
United States
7
Sep 26th, 2011 09:51 AM
nelcarp
Europe
15
Jun 10th, 2007 02:10 PM
holly
United States
13
May 22nd, 2007 07:42 PM
canuckuphereathome
United States
5
Sep 8th, 2005 07:54 AM
tissm
United States
4
Jun 17th, 2003 04:03 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -