Your Personal Travel Guide to Beijing

Are you thinking about planning a trip you have never visited? Well, though not a very conventional choice before, more and more people are being drawn towards China these days. It is emerging as one of the most preferred tourist destinations in the world, and when one is planning a trip to China, how can you not plan a trip to Beijing! Capital of this country, Beijing is always the first stop when planning your tour in China. There are plenty of things to see and explore in Beijing, the most important one being the mixed culture of this place. If antiquity, philosophy and technical aspects of modern-day life and of course their amalgamation is what you are intent on exploring, then a stop at Beijing for a couple of days is a must!

Travel Guide Part 1

Well, when it comes to having your personal travel guide, there is one very basic thing that you have to keep in mind – start with the basics! While planning the tour of a place can be both fun and exciting it is also essential that you first get the basics for your travel-ready. So what are these fundamental travel pointers?

The thing is you will first need to get the most tedious task done with and that is arranging for accommodation. While there is no dearth of hotels in Beijing you need to keep in mind that the number of tourists coming in is quite heavy as well. So how do you make sure that you get the ideal accommodation for yourself? It’s simple – you get the booking done from before. Do not leave it till the last minute. When you book your flight tickets, arrange for your accommodations as well.

Pro Tip: When choosing an accommodation for yourself, always make sure that you get the type of stay that will be ideal for you – like, if you are travelling with your family, choose a hotel best for family stays and when travelling with friends, choose your stay accordingly.

• The other thing that you need to take care of is making sure that you have all your papers in order. Your passport and VISA is something that you will require and it will take some time to get your tourist visa approved. So if you want to make sure that you do not run into a trouble because of that, you really need to get the process started. Check for your passport update and validity. Renew it if your passport is soon to expire or else you will not get your VISA approved. Take the help of an agent if you are not sure about getting the process done yourself.
• Flight tickets also need to be booked in advance and ideally it should be done after getting your VISA. The prices remain cheaper 3-4 months before the date of travel, barring the tourist season, so make sure that you get your booking done in time.
• Know the best time to visit. When planning the trip it is best if you do it between September and November. February to mid-April is again a good time. January is quite cold, so you might to want avoid visiting this city during this time of the year.
• Get the currency sorted. The currency in Beijing, China is Chinese Yuan. So whatever currency you will be carrying with you, get it converted to Yuan based on the conversion rate. Carry a travel card as well, since that will make your transactions easier and hassle-free.

Travel Guide Part II

Now, that you have taken care of the basics, you can move on to the next stage – planning your tour.

• In this stage, the thing to keep in mind is whether you are planning on travelling solely to Beijing or China as a whole. If you are planning on a tour of the country, then make Beijing your first and last stop, since it is the most well connected with the rest of the world. And now based on that, you will decide your duration of stay. Keep at least two nights in hand when visiting Beijing if you want to truly experience what the city has to offer.
• Once you have decided on the duration of the trip, the next step would be to make a list of all the places that you would want to visit here and the various places that you can try out. Just a few kilometres away from the city is the Great Wall of China, and hence, a visit to that place is a must. You can ask any one of the hotels in Beijing where you will be staying, to arrange for your transportation. Keep at least half a day in hand to explore this site, because it will take time. Apart from the Great Wall, there are quite a few other places to take a tour of like museums and temples. Beijing is the perfect blend of the old and the new and hence if you want to know more about the culture there, do not hesitate to roam about the city streets, getting in touch with the locals which will help you to get a better idea about the city that you will be visiting. Beijing is more about the culture than the important and popular tourist destinations and this is the best way to get to know the city.
• Trying out the local cuisine is a must. While the Chinese cuisine is famous across the world, it is also true that when in China, Chinese food can be explored in its own true flavour. There are a variety of local dishes which call for trying out at least once. So do visit local eateries, near the place where you will be staying.

Beijing has a lot of to offer and hence to make the most of this place, you need to have an organized travel itinerary before heading out to the city. Keep the process simple and systematic. Plan out according to your travel guide and make the most of your stay in Beijing! Happy holiday to you!