First 24 hours BEIJING CHINA Where? North-east China Imperial capital for over 500 years, Beijing has Why? To combine a modern © metropolis with peaceful temples, undergone a dramatic transformation in the past 50. palaces and locals playing mahjong But amid the noise and smog, you can still find remnants When? Sep-Oct, for clear skies of the old city – Gabrielle Jaffe leads the way Before you arrive Before arriving, print out your hotel’s In Beijing cash is king. Get your yuan For a taxi, follow signs to the official Many miles from the nearest phone number and address in Mandarin before leaving the airport – either at the yellow taxi ranks on the first floor, but major river or sea, Beijing is an odd place characters; take this with you wherever Travelex by baggage carousels 19 and 40 beware of touts on the floor above. Make for a capital. But despite its frontier you go. Guidebooks with Chinese or from one of the few ATMs that accept sure you’re on the meter. Expect to pay location, it’s been at the centre of addresses are always useful. foreign cards, such as the Bank of China. around 70-120RMB (£6.70-11.60) to get China’s political life for half a millennium. For a thorough history In the arrivals hall there are into town, plus a 10RMB (£1) toll for the From the Forbidden City to Tiananmen of Beijing, read Jasper several stalls where you can airport expressway. Journey time can Square, it’s the place to get a grip on the Becker’s City of WORST pick up a local pay-as- range from 40 minutes to two hours. nation’s history. It also serves as the Heavenly Tranquillity SCAM you-go SIM card for ASM Chauffeur Services (+86 10 A ‘student’ takes you to perfect introduction to the country as (Penguin, 2009). your phone. 51661575) speaks good English and a teahouse to practise their a whole, as recent waves of internal English. When the bill arrives, The airport toilets offers an airport pick-up service to any migration have brought thousands of At the they’re conveniently broke. are some of the few hotel within the fourth ring road for people, shops and restaurants from each airport You don’t have to pay it all. public loos in China 400RMB (£39); chauffeured cars cost of China’s many provinces to the capital. Beijing Capital Instead offer a fair amount where you’re from 300RMB (£29) per half day. to cover the tea (say, In its sprawling entirety, the city can International Airport is 50RMB) and leave. guaranteed seat toilets, daunt first-timers. However most 30km north-east of the city though not always toilet roll. Other ways to arrive attractions are within the second ring centre. International flights arrive Beijing has four main railway road, in an area of about 60 sq km. at shiny new Terminal 3. The facilities Getting into town stations. Most international trains arrive Beijing is relatively crime-free and (including free WiFi for up to five hours) During the day, the quickest, at Beijing Train Station. High-speed Beijingers are friendly. Your biggest are top-notch while on the second floor cheapest way to central Beijing is the domestic trains depart from Beijing problem will be language. You can’t just there are free phone chargers as well as express train, running every 15 minutes South. Overnight trains to Xi’an, Guilin hop in a cab and say, “The Hilton, please”; private sleep and shower facilities available 6.35am-11.10pm (25RMB/£2.40). In 20 and Hong Kong depart from Beijing hotels and restaurants rarely have the to rent for 150RMB/hr (£14.60) for the first minutes you’re at Dongzhimen station, West. Sleeper buses run from over 20 ✃ same name in Chinese and English. four hours, 100RMB/hr (£9.60) thereafter. conveniently located on Metro Line 2. termini to cities across China . > Wanderlust March 2011 | 137 137-138_24hrs Beijing_SO.indd 137 18/2/11 15:29:33 Wanderlust Pocket Guides < BEIJING ORIENTATioN Some essential facts, plus touring the city and day visits further afield Essential info 40 First day’s tour ˚C mm 250 Population: 18 million With bus signs in Mandarin characters, Language: Mandarin 30 200 the easiest option is to travel by subway Time: GMT+8 and taxi. Alternatively, many hotels and +86 10 hostels hire out bicycles. Bear in mind, International dialling code: 20 150 Visas: Required by UK nationals. Pick however, that the distances between up a 30-day tourist visa from the China Beijing’s attractions can be large. 10 100 Visa Service Centres in London or The city’s key sights are located Manchester (£30 plus £35.25 fee; four along a central north-south axis. Begin 0 50 working days) or apply by post (£30 your day at the south end, in the plus £52.88 fee; two-week postal Temple of Heaven Park. The temple -10 0 return). Apply about one month in J F M A M J J A S O N D (right) opens at 8am but get there just advance. See www.visaforchina.org.uk. ■ Rainfall (average) Temperature (average high) before to watch local residents Money: Yuan renminbi (RMB), practising t’ai chi and sword martial arts currently around 10.5RMB to the UK£1. Web resources: www.beijingpage.com – worth the early start. Highest viewpoints: The 330m China is a well-organised list of links. Head north, diverting down World Trade Centre – although the best iPhone app: Pleco (free) is an English, Dazhalan Street. Here you’ll find views of the Forbidden City are found Pinyin and Chinese dictionary. centuries-old traditional shops on top of the hill in Jingshan Park. Climate: Beijing’s all too brief autumn – a welcome antidote to the now Health issues: The best state-run – usually from September to the first heavily globalised Qianamen Avenue. hospital with an English-speaking fortnight of October – is the optimum Then make your way to Tiananmen section is the Sino-Japanese Friendship time to visit: you can expect clear skies Square to pay your respects to the entrance at 3.30pm. Minus the morning Hospital (+86 10 6422 1122). The and light breezes. Winter temperatures Chairman (Mao’s mausoleum is here) tour groups, you’ll enjoy the imperial 24-hour International SOS Clinic can drop into the minus double digits. and the fallen of 1989. palaces in relative peace. (+86 10 6462 9100) is expensive but In summer the mercury surges over Lunch at Tiandi (140 South Chi Zi St; Take in the sunset from the pagoda excellent. Smog is horrific so asthmatics 30°C; July and August also see heavy www.tiandigroup.cn) or one of on top of Jingshan Park’s hill or over should bring plenty of medication. evening rainstorms. Spring Zhongshan Park’s restaurants. a cocktail on the Emperor Hotel’s roof Recommended guidebooks: Beijing brings pleasant Both are a stone’s throw terrace (www.theemperor.com.cn). (Insight Guides, 2010); Frommer’s temperatures but BEST from the Forbidden City, Then head to the west bank of Xihai, Beijing (Frommer’s, 2010). Buy a map also the occasional BARGAIN which you should hit the most tranquil of Beijing’s lakes, for before you arrive. dust storm. Time your trip right to join a free just before last dinner and a moonlit boat ride. tour. Once a month, local travel company 90Percent arranges guided walks exploring Beijing’s imperial past, which are absolutely gratis. For more details see the events section of www.90percenttravel.com. First night’s sleep Stay or go? Beijing’s abundance of hotels means few ] Mid-range: 4 Banqiao (4 Banqio Given that it’s roughly half the size If you want to get off the beaten guests pay the published rates. Don’t be Hutong, Dongcheng; www.4banqiao.com) of Belgium, you’d be mad to try to ‘do’ hutong, consider using Bespoke Beijing afraid to haggle (politely). Booking ahead Elegant rooms and a lovely rooftop patio. Beijing in a day. So, instead of rushing, (www.bespoke-beijing.com). For can save you up to 50%. For lodgings Doubles from 738RMB (£71). extend your stay and visit the 980RMB (£95) for four days, they’ll have with charm, try a courtyard hotel or ] Budget: Sleepy Inn (103 Deshengmennei Summer Palace (above), colourful a local mobile phone waiting for you at guesthouse hidden in Dongcheng Dajie; www.sleepyinn.com.cn) Basic but Yonghe Gong temple and Panjiayuan’s your hotel with 24-hour access to district’s historic hutongs (alleyways). clean, with 24-hour hot water, air-con enormous antiques market. Chinese translators and a mini-guide ] Top end: DuGe Courtyard and high-speed WiFi. English-speaking Spend an afternoon soaking up tailored to your personal preferences (26 Qianyuanensi Hutong, Dongcheng; staff and cultural activities. Great Beijing’s modern art scene in 798 – especially useful as Beijing moves www.dugecourtyard.com; above) The location on Xihai Lake. Dorms from Art District or join the Beijing Hikers so fast that some of the big brand swankiest siheyuan (courtyard house) 60RMB (£5.80); en-suite twins and (www.beijinghikers.com) for a trek guidebooks are out of date within Dreamstime ■ in town. Doubles from 1,815RMB (£175). doubles from 298RMB (£29). along the wild parts of the Great Wall. weeks of being published. ✁ 138 | Wanderlust March 2011 137-138_24hrs Beijing_SO.indd 138 18/2/11 15:29:46.