Northeast Asia: Round-the-World Travel Destinations
Budget Scale: 1-5
1-least expensive; 5-most expensive
3– Beijing is expensive compared to the rest of the country whose name isn’t Shanghai. Even though it’s expensive by Chinese standards, travelers can get by on a backpacker’s budget if they are used to traveling like a backpacker. There are plenty of expensive options though, too, if that’s your style.
Indie Travel Scale: 1-5
1-not a good Indie Travel destination; 5-a great Indie Travel destination
4– Traveling in China is difficult, particularly if you do it independently instead of going the tour route like the vast majority of tourists to China. Difficult to one traveler means options to the indie traveler, though, and traveling in China is the definition of indie travel.
Indie Travel Tips
Just traveling in China without a tour is tip enough to have an indie experience in Beijing, but if you follow these tips, you can get the most out of your trip.
- Experience the vast differences that are evident all throughout China – from bland, Soviet style communist buildings to bomb shelters to extravagant temples – Beijing has it all.
- In a concrete jungle like Beijing, it’s nice to see a little green. Luckily Beijing has green space to complement the chaos of the rest of the city:
- The Temple of Heaven is surrounded by a park filled with locals.
- Most museums in Beijing, with the exception of the Forbidden Palace, are free. You may have to reserve tickets up to three days in advance, so do your research.
- If you’re into art, check out some cutting edge districts in Chaoyang and Tongzhou.
- If you plan to see the Great Wall (and why wouldn’t you?), head to the Jinshanling, Huanghuacheng and Simatai sections as they are far less crowded, though a bit further outside of Beijing.
Why you should add Beijing to your RTW travel list
- Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, “the Forbidden City,” 2-minute noodles – it’s all here
- Experience the city as it changes into a modern marketplace and society
- Not only explore Beijing, but use it as your starting point for all of China
- Experience the old colliding with the new
- Visit one of the world’s great wonders – The Great Wall of China
- Food! The food is incredible, and don’t be afraid of the street food, as its the most authentic.
Why you should not add Beijing to your RTW travel list
- Traveling in China can be extremely challenging and frustrating, so it’s not for the novice traveler.
- The pollution can be unbearable at times.
- If you don’t know what you’re doing, Beijing can become really expensive really quickly.
Are you heading to Beijing? What do you need to do?
- Buy an international plane ticket to/from China
- Book a Beijing hostel
- Book a China hotel
- Talk to travelers on the Asia message boards
- Read travel articles on Beijing
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