Top Places to Visit in Beijing
China could keep a traveler occupied for years but most people donít have that much time, so on your trip to China make sure you check out one of China's biggest cities - Beijing. There'll be more than enough historical and cultural sights to keep you occupied for a week or two, the food is delicious, the prices are reasonable and you will receive a great insight into the most populous country in the world.
Let's have a look at the 'must-sees' awaiting your arrival in Beijing:
The Great Wall: Potentially the highlight of your trip and every bit as impressive as its reputation, the Great Wall stretches almost 9,000 kilometres and is an absolute requirement for any visit to Eastern China. There are countless areas to visit the Wall but from Beijing, the most popular access points are Badaling and Juyonggua which are 1-3 hours from Beijing depending on both the traffic and how many tacky tourist shops you stop at on the way! Naturally, these are the most crowded spots but midweek shouldnít be overly busy (note overly busy has different connotations in China!). The easiest way to visit the Wall is through an organized day-trip from Beijing. You won't have to go looking for them, theyíll find you and offer you various prices. Normally you can negotiate down to around 200 RMB ($30 USD) which will include transport, ticket and maybe even lunch if your bartering skills are up to scratch. Alternatively you can take public transport (bus or train), it's cheaper than the day trip but without Chinese it may be a bit of a struggle!
The Forbidden City: The former home of the various Emperors over the years, the Forbidden City is a huge complex consisting of almost 1000 buildings, each with distinct Chinese architecture. Itís located right in the middle of Beijing so you can jump on Metro line 1 and head straight to Tiananmen East or West stations and follow the giant Chairman Mao picture at the entrance (you really canít miss it). It will take a couple of hours at least to wander around this massive place, head in a generally northern direction and youíll eventually come out the other side. (RM60/$10USD entrance).
The Summer Palace: A large area packed with a numerous palaces, gardens and other Chinese architecture. Like most of Beijing's UNESCO sights, it's accessible by public transport - take line 4 to Beigongmen Station and youíre ready to go. This is a great spot to visit on day 3 or 4 of your Beijing experience, the hills, open-water and various temples offer a serenity youíre highly unlikely to find in the city centre. Truly a welcome respite.
Donghuamen Night Market: Everything you heard about Chinese cuisine may be proved on one trip to this crazy place. If scorpions, silk worms, testicles and bees werenít getting your gastric juices flowing, head down here and that may change. You can eat almost everything here. Prepare your stomach, jump on Line 1 to Wangfujing Station and get ready for a very unique experience.
Tiananmen Square: Built by Mao, the largest square in the world was the scene of one of China's darker days when the Chinese army opened fire on the protesters, massacring hundreds. Chairman Mao's body is viewable in his ornate mausoleum and there is plenty to see, do and buy in the area. Also, if you're feeling energetic you can attend the flag ceremony pre-sunrise. The event lasts around 15 minutes and is certainly impressive, just bring a camera and lots of patience, the Chinese locals can get a bit boisterous in search for yet another pic.
So those are my top 5 for Beijing - if you have plenty of time maybe you can check out the hugely impressive Birdís Nest Stadium et al at Olympic Park, the Ming Tombs and the Temple of Heaven.
| 
