Author Topic: Travel advice for Beijing.  (Read 4874 times)

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brett

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #15 on: September 16, 2009, 09:43:19 am »
Yeah, I always carry my passport just in case, time is money on a vacation like this and you don't want to spend it in a police station!

I am a master in blending into my surroundings, I wonder how noticed I'll be in Wuhan. Well I'll find out in less than a month!

Offline JimB

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #16 on: September 16, 2009, 12:42:31 pm »
Quote from: 'Paul Todd' pid='16806' dateline='1253104915'

It costs 1 yuan to ride the bus in Beijing for a single fare and all the interesting smells come free!:dodgy:

The same for the subway.  Whats your point?
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Offline markymark

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #17 on: September 18, 2009, 09:13:21 pm »
I will plan to go there in mid October when hopefully the festival should be finished. Thank you to everyone for your advice and information
"You'll like this, not a lot" Paul Daniels

David5o

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #18 on: September 19, 2009, 05:13:54 pm »
As Al said above.... better to carry a copy of your passport on your person, after all, you can't travel back home with a copy of your passport, if you know what i mean. hahaha!!

I have in the past, asked the hotel where i'm staying to make the copy of my passport, and asked them to stamp the copy with there hotel stamp, and write in there language that the original passport is in there possession and sign it.... That should be more than enough for a casual enquiry from a policeman as to your identity, and also confirms where your staying....

David....

Offline ahkiwi

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #19 on: September 19, 2009, 05:44:30 pm »
Now that is an excellent idea David!  ... and simple too.
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Offline Ed W

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #20 on: September 19, 2009, 05:56:31 pm »
I got a question for anyone who knows but when I arrive in Beijing airport, and going through immigration and getting to baggage claim, i look to the right and says something like "Customs Domestic Flights", and I look left and says "Customs". Not knowing the difference I went left and ended up outside with a few thousand others who are in long lines to check in their bags for other flights.

My question is, should I have gone to the right that said "Customs Domestic Flights" since im guess this was the transfer station I was looking for?
Alright earthlings, what form do you want me to take?....How about a taco, ....that craps icecream?  My trip to china

Offline Brian Mc

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #21 on: September 21, 2009, 08:30:13 am »
Quote from: 'JimB' pid='16561' dateline='1252907273'

First off make sure you get a regular licensed taxi, they are easy to spot.  The are totally like a regular taxi. DO NOT let a person tell you he can get you wherever by private car.  he is the one that can rip you off, they are at least twice the price of a regular cab.  The three times I have come in, twice I took a taxi, usually ran me about 50 rmb to the forbidden city area.  Not a lot of taxi drivers speak English, so bring the name of your hotel in Chinese.  For touring around, I would suggest a guide.  They are not expensive, I have a friend here in Beijing that does that and I am sure others here know people.Should run you between 100 to 175 rmb ($15 to $25)per day plus expenses. Taxi's are cheap and plentiful.  I have run across a couple here that do not like foreigners, once stopped and see me that just take off.  So I usually let my wife flag them down.  They have a red light behind the rear view mirror when they are available. They start about 68 cents  for the first couple of miles.  The most I have ever paid here was 57 RMB, that was from one end of town to the other.  Usually runs between 10 to 30 rmb. or.68 cents to about $2.00.  

If you are going to change money here, make sure you get as new as you can, no marks, no dirt nothing or they will not take it..  Bank of China is giving 6.8 right now.   Other banks are giving less.  They turn all of their foreign currency over to Bank of China so they have to make a buck here and there.  Check your exchange rate before coming.  There are ATM's all over the place.  But it depends on your bank whether you are charged a fee or not.

Chinese National Day, according to my wife, is sort of a reunion day so most people are traveling home that is why the trains are booked.  I would also book my flight as soon as you can.  

I have an apt here now, but I stayed at a couple of nice places.  Days Inn of the Forbidden city is good, has clean rooms and is walking distance to the Forbidden City and Tiannemon Square.  They also have a good tour bus that runs to Mings tomb, Great Wall and the Jade factory.  Hotel usually runs about $60 a night.  I am sure you could find cheaper.  It all depends on your taste.  Make sure you take the directions to it with you in Chinese because most taxi's do not know where it is at.  

Getting to Guangzhou, I havent a clue.  Others here would be better to give you info on that.

Hope that helps.
Greetings Brothers,

Beijing was a wonderfull time for Zhen and I.  We stayed at the Days Inn as Jimb has recommended and other than the issue with Jim and I getting hooked up its a decent place to stay.  At the end of their driveway across the street is a bank and a good place for breakfast everyday.  A mix of chinese and western.  Also right outside the Inn's front door is a family run chinese restaurant.  Not much to look at but the food was great.  Zhen and I ate there every night we were in Beijing.  Also just around the corner is a romantic park the stretches all the way up to Tiananmen square and the forbidden city.  Again a great place to walk with your lady or by yourself.  Definitely better than walking along the street.

As for taxis, the only issue I have with them is they are so small.  I was not built to fit in the back of a Jetta hehe.  However we took cabs pretty much anytime we had to go somewhere and never had any issues, just do as jimb suggests and make sure you take a real cab not a scammer.

There is so much to do in Beijing and area that you probably need a full two weeks to get it done.  One thing I should mention, some of the tourist things up by the forbidden city /Tiananmen Square are only open from 8 am until noon and are within an easy walk from the Days inn, so I suggest you do those in your mornings and other stuff after that.  Oh and that park I mentioned closes down and is locked up at ten pm.

Beijing was a great time for Zhen and I and the days inn coffee shop was open after 10pm so a good way to relax and end an evening.

Anyway good luck with your trip brother and if I can be of any help just ask.

Regards,

Zhen and Brian

Offline markymark

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #22 on: September 22, 2009, 02:17:00 am »
Thanks JimB, Zhen+Brian

Great info and just what I was looking for. I won't have the advantage of my lady being with me but I prefer to meet her in her own city where I think she would be more comfortable. However, the exciting or adventurous part for me is the challenge of getting around and sightseeing but this time I must remember to get the place names written down on paper.

Thanks to all
Mark
"You'll like this, not a lot" Paul Daniels

Offline Ed W

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #23 on: October 05, 2009, 10:42:43 pm »
Ok. So I figured out where I went wrong in Beijing and the customs/transfer station on my first trip.

The baggage claim area is HUGE and on two opposing sides are signs that say customs. One just says customs, the other says customs domestic flights. My first trip i went through the one that just said customs. Bad idea since i was now outside and had to stand in the long lines to get my boarding pass and check my bags. This time I went through the other customer domestic flights and while approching it, in much smaller letters, says transfer. So now I know...and you do too.

Another thing is if you're connecting to a domestic flight, there's a Bank of China ATM machine near gate 11C. It's a bit of a hike but you can avoid the other exchanges and save yourself a few bucks getting your western currency converted to rmb.

And lastly, if you're a smoker and get to Beijing and get to have that first smoke after the 12 hr flight. Be Careful!! Allow yourself a few extra minutes for the headrush to settle down before you try to run for the next gate.
Alright earthlings, what form do you want me to take?....How about a taco, ....that craps icecream?  My trip to china

Offline Martin

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RE: Travel advice for Beijing.
« Reply #24 on: October 05, 2009, 10:46:12 pm »
Quote
And lastly, if you're a smoker and get to Beijing and get to have that first smoke after the 12 hr flight. Be Careful!! Allow yourself a few extra minutes for the headrush to settle down before you try to run for the next gate.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA