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5 DAYS IN BEIJING

Replies: 27 - Last Post: Jun 23, 2012 7:17 AM Last Post By: chrisj

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darenvishal

darenvishal avatar

Jun 18, 2012 10:24 AM
Posts:  16

5 DAYS IN BEIJING

Hi guys...
i will be in beijing for shrt trip approx 5 days end of this month could anyone suggest me places that i can visit within 5 days in beijing. tot of goin to Xian but is it doable for this shrt trip.?
tq

chrisj

chrisj avatar

Jun 18, 2012 11:03 AM
Posts:  972

1

I think you will be flat out just cramming all the key sites of Beijing into 5 days. Xian is 11-14 hours each way by fast train or a 2 hours by plane each way. Best saved for your next trip.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Beijing#See

burstbubble

burstbubble avatar

Jun 18, 2012 5:28 PM
Posts:  25

2

You can see all the major traditonal tourst sites within two days In Beijing : Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Hutong (ancient alleyway), and Bird’s Nest &Water Cube.

It is better to visit mutianyu section of wall, which takes 1.5hr drive from the city. but you 'd better go early to avoid crowds for more enjoyment. Half day should be enough to see Mutianyu, which is also much better than Badaling.

Another choice is that spend one day or two day hiking / camping on wild Great Wall, for example, one day Jiankou- Mutianyu hike or one day Jinshanling hike. Both routes are very popular and are suitable for you if your time are NOT in short suppy.

johnlau

johnlau avatar

Jun 18, 2012 6:44 PM
Posts:  112

3

Beijing is a big city and offers much to see. Better save Xian for your next trip. You can check the things to do in Beijing here.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g294212-Activities-Beijing.html#TtD

jiejie

jiejie avatar

Jun 18, 2012 6:58 PM
Posts:  2,048

4

Yes, with only 5 days, stick to Beijing and immediate area, and leave Xi'an for next time.

chrisj

chrisj avatar

Jun 18, 2012 8:05 PM
Posts:  972

5

You can see all the major traditonal tourst sites within two days In Beijing : Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Hutong (ancient alleyway), and Bird’s Nest &Water Cube.

2 days would only allow you around 10 minutes at each place and assume you are fluent in Mandarin to get around quickly, or have money to burn using lots of taxis. And don't mind poor quality photos at midday. In 6 days, using public trains, & buses, I saw

  • Great Wall at Badaling twice (it was raining the first day I went) 1 full day + Ming Tombs enroute.
  • Forbidden City (takes at least 1/2 a day to see thoroughly)
  • Tiananmen Square (1 hour is enough), adjacent to the Forbidden City.
  • Summer Palace (another full day)
  • Tibetan Lama temple (1/2 day)
  • Taoist Temple 1/2 day
  • Temple of Heaven (1/2 day - 1 full day)

Bird’s Nest & Water Cube What are these? 2008 Olympics buildings? I went in 2007.

I think 5 days is manageable, but 2 days is not possible imho. There's just too much interesting stuff to see in Beijing, and it takes time to appreciate & savour it all. It really depends on the OP's personal interests & tastes, too. They might find museums boring, eg.

Anyway, the Wikitravel link gives a good overview:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Beijing#See

Some photos I took:

http://www.trekearth.com/members/ChrisJ/photos/Asia/China/North/Beijing/

http://www.trekearth.com/members/ChrisJ/photos/Asia/China/North/Beijing/page2.htm

http://www.treklens.com/members/chrisJ/photos/Asia/China/North/Beijing/page1.htm

WingKeung

WingKeung avatar

Jun 18, 2012 8:44 PM
Posts:  78

6

I cannot agree with #2, visit all the major site in Beijing within 2 day is squander.
Merely Summer Palace will take you at least half a day. Temple of Heaven take another half a day. and I not yet calculate the transport and meal times.
I myself spent 9 day in Beijing still feeling missed something.

at least 5-6 day is reasonable.

anneo

anneo avatar

Jun 19, 2012 3:45 AM
Posts:  92

7

My favourites in Beijing-
Tiananmen, Behai and Jingshan Parks, Houhai
Temple of Heaven
Great Wall Huanghua
Summer Palace
Llama Temple
Add a bit of shopping and eating and there is easily 5 days worth. Don't spoil your trip by trying to fit in more. If you find you like China, you will return.

burstbubble

burstbubble avatar

Jun 19, 2012 6:24 AM
Posts:  25

8

"Bird’s Nest & Water Cube What are these? 2008 Olympics buildings? I went in 2007. "
In 2007, you could't get by subway to Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven,Bird’s Nest & Water Cube ......

Just like Damian Harper said: the author of Lonely Planet Bejing Guide, ” the city seems too large to comprehend! Beijing is a city rushing towards the future so fast…”

burstbubble

burstbubble avatar

Jun 19, 2012 6:25 AM
Posts:  25

9

sorry for the repeat input...

chrisj

chrisj avatar

Jun 19, 2012 8:10 AM
Posts:  972

10

using public trains, & buses,

Yes, I DID go by bus to the Summer Palace in 2007.

And the Bird’s Nest & Water Cube were still under construction.

In 2007, you could't get by subway to Temple of Heaven

Umm, yes you could: Found this on the Temple of Heaven dating from 2007:

"The most convenient way for getting there is taking the Subway Line 5 to the Tiantandongmen Station (this is Tiantan's East Gate). It also can be reached by buses 2, 7, 17, 20, 110, 120, 803, 814, 826 to the West Gate (天坛西门 Tiāntán Xīmén); or buses 35 and 106 to the North Gate (天坛北门 Tiāntán Běimén). Bear in mind that walking around this park will take some time. Park and historical sights (like the temple) ¥35 (¥30 in winter half year), park only ¥15 (¥10 in winter half year).""

Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Beijing/Chongwen

darenvishal

darenvishal avatar

Jun 19, 2012 8:17 AM
Posts:  16

11

thks guys for the info given... very much useful for me..do i need to hire a guide and do it by myself... could anyone suggest me any nice hotel...

burstbubble

burstbubble avatar

Jun 20, 2012 1:35 AM
Posts:  25

12

"Bird’s Nest & Water Cube What are these? 2008 Olympics buildings? I went in 2007"
Yes, I DID go by bus to the Summer Palace in 2007. And the Bird’s Nest & Water Cube were still under construction"

You claimed that you didn't know what Bird’s Nest & Water Cube are in 2007 and then you continued to say that they were still under construction in 2007. Umm, How did you know that?

jiejie

jiejie avatar

Jun 20, 2012 6:52 AM
Posts:  2,048

13

FYI, Line 5 opened in the fall of 2007, so a visitor prior to October of that year would not have been able to use it to get to Tiantan or anywhere else on the Line. Put another way, for 9+ months of 2007, Line 5 was still in process, and for 3- months, it was open to the public. Water Cube's first public opening was a competition in January 2008; Bird's Nest, in April 2008. I should know--I was there for all of these openings. ;-)

chrisj

chrisj avatar

Jun 20, 2012 8:54 AM
Posts:  972

14

You claimed that you didn't know what Bird’s Nest & Water Cube are in 2007 and then you continued to say that they were still under construction in 2007. Umm, How did you know that?

As I have never visited either "Bird’s Nest & Water Cube" and had no desire to see a partly completed structure up close, I did not visit them in 2007, but vaguely recall seeing one of them in the distance. Pre Olympics advertising like this made me aware of the Olympics, but I haven't been back to Beijing since, so I am not familiar with either name. Until reading this thread.

http://www.trekearth.com/viewphotos.php?l=8&p=935922

Tiantangdongmen is only 2 stations from Chongwengmen, which WAS open in 2007. From memory only lines 1 & 2 were open in May / June 2007? I really can't remember if part of line 5 was open or not, & if I got a taxi from Chongwengmen? But anyway, I found the Beijing subway MUCH easier to use than Shanghai & without the pushing & shoving. People actually queue in Beijing, instead of stampeding, which was great.

http://www.blcu.edu.cn/blcuweb/english/img/BeiJingSubway.jpg

I just checked this image, & it was uploaded in 2009, so Jiejie is right.

http://www.treklens.com/viewphotos.php?l=7&p=512240
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