Capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing has been the scene of a long cultural history. Today you can see evidence of all those who contributed to the development of the city making for some pretty interesting explorations.
Hostelworld.com's Selina Tan speaks to different people in the Chinese city of Shanghai about things you can only find there, such as an area with many architectural styles known as 'The Bund' and more.
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Download Beijing Pocket Guide View all guides »Super polluted and gray. Not the cleanest city. Go to the must see spots and move one because the pollution is pretty bad. Do not bother getting the Beijing Duck, it is overpriced and turned out to be disappointing.
Insider Tip:When going to the Wall go super super super early (take the first bus) and don't pay more than 30 yuan per person for the minibus. Don't waste money with a tour.
Not my first time in Beijing and I am still surprised by how nice people are over there. I am fond of the smiles and the friendlyness. If you're too overwhelmed by all the pollution, cars, noise in the main streets, you just have to turn in the small streets and wander a bit. Serenity will come catch you !
Insider Tip:If it is your first time in Beijing, visit the "not-to-be-missed" spots ... but take time to wander around, catch the whole ambiance of the city and enjoy ! Each corner you'll take is a new discovery for both architecture and people.
Obviously, Beijing is a crazy city, with 22 million people living on top of each other! It was a lot of fun, but a bit of a culture shock. The air pollution is out of control, and for the entire time we were there, we only saw the sun once, but it was faint through a thick layer of smog. Sometimes, Chinese people can be rude, so you have to be very patient, and understand that it's not you, it's just culture.
Insider Tip:They love taking pictures with foreigners, so don't be afraid when they keep snapping pictures in your face. Politely tell them NO if you are not interested, and really mean it! ALSO DO NOT TAKE A RIDE ON THE TUK TUK! They will rip you off and bring you to the middle of nowhere and demand that you pay 10 times the price of a cab! This was my only negative experience of Beijing! Also, babies don't wear diapers. They have slits in their clothes and parents just squat them under trees or on the streets.
Maybe the best Chinese city for sightening， the Summer Palace and Great Wall are the highlights！
Insider Tip:Stay near Qianmen Area， really good for shopping and dining。 Don’t miss the Kung Fu show， and the Hongquiao Market if you wanna grab a bargain， but neeed to develop your bargaining skills。 Start by offering 10-20% of the price and see how you go from there， you‘ll most likely get what you want for 20% of the listed price。Although being the major tourist attractions， the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven are just ok， too crawded with Chinese tourists coming in groups。better to go ea
Thousands of years of history make this place unique in the world. Tiananmen Square, the forbidden palace and the great wall are just a few of the wonders you'll see here. The city is smoggy as so don't expect to be breathing like you do at home but in the end its all worth it.
Insider Tip:Get Peking Duck!!
Asian cities, and particularly Asian capitals, are wonderfully fascinating. The continent’s love affair with technology is evident in every city you go to, yet they all manage to maintain many of the characteristics which make them some of the most historical cities on the planet. Beijing is no different.
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