Flights and Travel Guide to Beijing

Overview

Beijing, a world renowned ancient city as well as young metropolis, is the capital municipality of the People’s Republic of China. It is undeniably the seat of power for the fastest and most populous developing country in the globe. Beijing is a pulsating jumble of districts and neighborhoods. It’s a metropolis that was transformed almost overnight owing to the preparation for the Olympics of 2008, often leveling vigorous old hutongs to make path for the dazzling towers that are rapidly dwarfing their environs.

Still, everyday life seems to pulse the livelihood of a Beijing that once was. Beijing is the ideal place to always surprise you with its amazing ancient history and exhilarating present. It is also a confident, aspiring and contemporary city that seems assured of its fate to rule over China ceaselessly. Book cheap flight to Beijing to experience the never ending allure of this remarkable destination. 

Geography

Beijing is situated at North China Plain’s northern tip, near the meeting point of the Yanshan and Xishan mountain ranges. Opening to the south and east, the capital itself lies on flat land which is elevated to about 20 to 60 m. The city’s outlying counties and districts extend into the mountains that encircle the conurbation from the northwest to the southwest. The highest peaks are above 2,000 m (6,600 ft).

Climate

Beijing is situated in zone with warm temperate, enjoying a climate that is semi-humid monsoon continental. It has rather four distinct seasons, dry and chilly in winter, dry in spring, rainy and hot in summer and cool in autumn. The wind has considerable seasonal variation, with prevailing southeast wind during summers and prevailing northwest wind during winters. Beijing has relatively short autumn and spring. The yearly average temperature of Beijing is round about 11.7 ℃. January in the month where the coldest weather falls with the temperature varying from -22.8 to 10.7 ℃ and the month of the hottest weather is July with the temperature ranging from 16.1 to 39.6 ℃. The twelve-monthly average precipitation is almost 644mm and most of the rainfall cascades in summer.

Getting in

The most feasible way to get in from all around the world appear to be through air, especially now with cheap air fares to Beijing available for tourists to take benefit from.

Major airport

Beijing Capital International Airport is the major international airport serving Beijing. It is situated 32 km (20 mi) of the capital’s city center’s northeast in an enclave of Chaoyang District that is bordered by rural Shunyi District.

Major airlines

• Air China
• China Southern
• Cathay Pacific
• Emirates
• Thai Airways
• Malaysia Airlines
• Etihad Airways

Travelling in and around

• By subway
  The Beijing Subway is a rather good way to get around the city quickly and is unambiguously marked in English for overseas travelers. The network has extended at a furious pace during recent years, with 9 lines now fully operational and another 9 to be opened by 2015. However, trains can tremendously crowded during rush hours.

• By bicycle
  This metropolis is flat as a pancake and all main streets have proper bike lanes. Bicycling is often quicker than traveling by taxi, car or bus due to the traffic congestion in the motorized lanes of traffic.

• By bus
  Beijing’s bus system is convenient, cheap and covers the entire city. It is ideal for locals but, alas, tricky to use if you do not understand Mandarin or Chinese. The bus staffs converse very little in English, and only a small number of bus lines in the city center broadcast stop names in English. However, most bus fares are relatively inexpensive, around ¥1, and if you acquire a public transportation card from a metro, you can get a discount of about 60% on all fares.

• By minibus
  Minibuses are pretty common in the countryside right outside the urban areas. These are privately operated and most trips cost below ¥10 per short journey and only a small amount more for longer journeys.

• By taxi
  Taxis are the much preferred option for getting around, as they are fairly inexpensive and convenient for overseas tourists from Western countries.

Attractions

Landmarks

The most significant landmark and centre of the city is Tiananmen Square which is situatedin Dongcheng District. This is the world’s biggest public square and definitely a must see for all overseas visitors as well as from elsewhere in China. The square is bounded by grand buildings such as the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, Great Hall of the People, the Qianmen Gate, the Museum of Chinese History and the Forbidden City.

The National Stadium or also known as the Bird’s Nest in the district of Chaoyang is a chief landmark and the symbol of the Olympic Games of 2008. Two modern buildings in Chaoyang District are extraordinary landmarks: World Trade Center Tower III and the CCTV Building (occasionally called Bird Legs or The Underpants or by locals).
There are also several remarkable leftovers from the medieval city such as the Park known as the Ming Dynasty City Wall Site and Qianmen in Chongwen District and the Drum and Bell Towers located in the Dongcheng District

Palaces, temples and parks

The city’s numerous green oases are a magnificent break from taking a stroll along the narrow hutongs and the never ending boulevards. The green areas are not only utilized for soothing oneself but also for dancing, sports, singing and recreation.
The most significant palace is the Forbidden City located in the Dongcheng District. The Forbidden City was house to the Imperial Court throughout the Qing and Ming Dynasties.

• The Temple of Heaven is the symbol of the great Beijing and is encircled by a vigorous park typically crowded with hordes of local people practicing calligraphy, drinking tea or just watching the world pass by.

• The Yonghegong (Lama Temple) situated in Dongcheng District is also one of the most vital and striking temples in the country.

There are several parks scattered around Beijing. Some of the best are

• hongshan Park in Xicheng District,
• Beihai Park in Xicheng District,
• Chaoyang Park in Chaoyang District
• Ritan Park in Chaoyang District.

Museums and galleries

The museums in Beijing are normally not yet up to the standard like seen in cities such as Rome, Paris and New York. However the city encompasses one of the biggest and most well recognized museums in Asia known as the Palace Museum. It is also included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. Another one of the most celebrated museums of Beijing is the National Museum located in the Dongcheng District. The Military Museum situated in the Haidian District has long been a much loved with tourists as well as domestic people. The Capital Museum in Xicheng District is a high profile new museum with art and historical exhibitions.

Cuisines/ restaurants

Cuisines from many diverse cultures seem to permeate the Beijing dining scene. With plainly thousands of restaurants available, tourists are provided by dining choices that are practically unlimited. However mentioned below are some of Beijing Specialties

• Beijing Roast Duck: there are two things that one must do while visiting Beijing; One is to take pleasure in the roast duck and the other is to saunter on the Great Wall. There is nothing like a roasted duck to perfection with bronzed crunchy skin and tender, juicy meat.

• Beijing Imperial Court Food: Imperial Cuisine has seen to evolve over time to be taken pleasure in by all of the country’s people, described by complex preparation methods, the freshest ingredients and sophisticated presentation including multicolored vegetable carvings. It is the very foundation of Beijing cuisine.

• Beijing Snack: A must try in the fancy Beijing snack is a if you want the authentic Beijing flavor. These dishes originate from many diverse cuisines, but the Chinese Muslim influences are the most apparent.

Things to do

Shopping

Beijing is not only famous for its historical monuments, places and temples but also for its variety of bazaars. With bazaars and shops situated in every nook and corner of the metropolis, shopping in Beijing is surely an appealing experience.

With shops and malls sprinkled all across the city, Beijing is undeniably a shopper’s paradise. From junk stuff to branded items at the flea market you will find everything in Beijing bazaars.

Beijing has above 13, 000 retail stores and 10 famed shopping streets. Some the famous ones are:

• Wa Wangfujing
•  Dongdanbei
•  Longfusi, Xidanbei
•  Qianmen and Xiusuhi streets
•  Liulichang Cultural Street

You will surely experience the Beijing flavor while shopping here thereby making your shopping journey an enriching and interesting one.

You can purchase unique handicrafts, cultural remnants full of Beijing flavor, including jade ware, bronzes, cloisonné and stone tablets with calligraphic works, inscriptions and handicrafts such as dough figurines and kites sole to Beijing.

Nightlife

From clubs to bars, from Chinese acrobatics shows to Peking operas, Beijing has it all as the darkness of the night prevails. Nightlife in Beijing has much to offer! So watch out and come equipped to have a ball out in Beijing during night.

If dancing is your ardor, then come and dance the night away at any of the nightclubs situated in Beijing. Even the non-dancers find it irresistible to shake a leg on the sprightly dance numbers that are played these vibrant Nightclubs. Delicious cuisines, live music and a lot more are in store for you during Beijing’s nightlife. ‘Diversity’ is one word that pops into ones head when discussion about Beijing nightlife.

Useful Tips

Best visiting time

May, September and October are the best months to visit Beijing. This is when the weather conditions are comfortable with pleasant panorama. However, during the summer holidays, which is considered as the tourist peak season, is often over crowded.