Rabu, 13 Februari 2013

Travelling to Beijing


Now, I write down place I’ve been visit at Beijing.

Greatwall Tour

For half day tour, to Great Wall, Summer Palace, Jade factory, Pearl market – CNY 220
Which is I regret for it.
Why, the tour was fine, but I didn’t like when they took us to jade factory or tea house (it just wasting time).

Great Wall.

It was must visit place when you came to Beijing. Even many people said, there was nothing inside, but still have to visit one of 7 wonder of the world, right?

To go there:

By bus, take number 919.
Bus frequency was many, so it won’t take long time to queue. Minus thing ride bus was traffic jam. It’s horrible.

By train, in one day only had several train to Great wall, of course no traffic jam. But sometimes the train ticket sold out.

Badaling was the famous one, of course it crowded, because Badaling was the first wall opened for public, so the facility more complete. But if I had other opportunity I’ll go to other wall, with not many people visit, Juyongguan pass maybe.

During walk to the wall, many good spot to take picture. Some people ride horse.
Best time to visit, for me at 16.30 – when the sun not too bright, so it will be pleasant walking around.
Every snack, water here was expensive. I didn’t buy anything here, just water CNY 5, for 1 bottle.

Summer Palace.

Opening Hour : 06.00 – 18.30
Admission fee: CNY 60

Try to take Dragon Boat CNY 30 (round trip) at Kunming Lake, Just follow the corridor (till the end). Some craft and painting was original.
The main Palace was forbidden to enter.

Inside the Palace there were some building, but to enter it had to pay admission fee.
No building we enter here, since we joint tour so we had to follow their regulation. This is also one thing I didn’t like joint tour.

Summer Palace was queen palace, inside there were 4 pavilions, symbol of 4 seasons.
One thing I like here, many willow tree.
Also the view was beautiful, like painting (it’s true).

The palace was great, but when I came, the palace was crowded, so can’t enjoy it.

Beside building, there were market (Suzhou Street and Danning Hall), but I didn’t visit it. Maybe it’s not worth to visit, since during my trip, all market at Beijing was same. Not to cheap, they open highest price, and to buy things had to bargain till 80%, and it’s really hard bargain with them. The goods quality also not too good, for me it’s not worth.

Olympic Birds nest stadium.

Best time to visit: at Night.

The easy way, take subway, exit at B2. Then just follow the sign.
It takes probably 8 minutes walk before I saw the stadium. A long walk, but it’s beautiful.
The lamp will be shut down at 22.00, so be there before it.

Tian an Men Square and Forbidden City

Tian An Men Square
Well this place was big, and crowded. I didn’t enter or go there, just passed by. It’s only building and tower.
Also the biggest subway station I ever visit during my trip at Beijing.
The tunnel was full with people cross by to from Tiananmen to Forbidden City.
It was my first time cross such a crowded and big tunnel, full with people, I suddenly want to go up stair as soon as possible, I couldn’t breaths.

Forbidden City
Opening Hour: 08.30 -1700
Admission fee: CNY 60
I found interest web for Forbidden City : http://www.kinabaloo.com/fcf.html
Best time to visit: very early after it open, so it won’t be crowded or hot.
I think early autumn is the best time to visit Beijing, not too hot or cold.

It was my first time I ever visit such a big palace. But when I arrived it already 11.00, and had to queue at ticket counter. And believe me it not comfortable at all. We had to queue without roof above, so it’s really hot. They only print 1 ticket, 1 ticket can be for 10 persons (max), not 1 ticket for 1 person, but 1 ticket for 1 payment. At the ticket it was printed amount of the people.

Tips: Don’t forget to bring maps, it’s really big place. Also bring your own food and water.
No free map, they only rent self audio. The citizen sold the map at entrance gate.

We enter from meridian gate and exit at north gate, so we just walk straight. Because we didn’t had map and no direction, so we didn’t know where are we.

The palace was soo big, from one gate to other was so far, we walk at the left edge, there were museum along the way. It took more than 3 hour to visit the whole place. Since we didn’t through from the middle (it really hot), only at left edge, so I can’t tell what at the middle and at the right side. But as I know it similar as I saw at the movie.

Behind the palace, near north exit gate, there were nice garden. I like this place. There were many trees and beautiful pavilion. There was old tree already 200 year olds, the tree was blacks, and big, of course forbidden to touch.

Also there were small room, at inside, there were ancient interior chair, table (like I saw at china historical movie), even the wood door knob (the knob was dragon craft) still original. Many poem hang there, it already dusted.

Oh, I only found one building with 9 dragons at the roof during my travel at Beijing, it was at Forbidden Palace entrance gate.
According ancient story, long time ago, the dragon had 9 child.
Each child had different symbolizes meaning. But I didn’t know it. I just knew the smallest one Killin (If I’m not wrong the head was dragon, but had tiger body), represent of prosperity, that’s why many business people buy it.

Beihai park

From Forbidden City north exit there were Jingshan park, just cross the street.
But we didn’t visit it, we went to Beihai park.
We took bus number 109 (don’t cross the street), only one stop.
Opening Hour: 06.00- 22.00
Admission fee: CNY 20
Of course no map here: at the entrance gate there were huge board about Beihai park.

There were mini lake, and it’s beautiful. The lotus blooms so beautiful at the lake. Willow tree surround the lake.
There were food stall, restaurant and picture counter with China traditional costume.
The place was huge, we took boat cross the lake. One way CNY 10, for round trip CNY 15. We bought for one way ticket.

This place nice, quite, not too crowded, enjoy afternoon here was great.
Many citizen doing activity here, dancing, singing, wushu, exercise, walking, or just blather with their friends spend the days.

There were many interest building can be enter with out pay admission fee (some of them closed when I came). I found ancient temple here, the wood totally black, the Buddha statue was old.

Shicahai

From Beihai park we just walk cross the street. And then walk with crowded, Don’t forget to bring maps. Map at Beijing were very very important.
Actually I had better map, but I lost the link. Just Google it, you’ll find it.

We rent bike here, CNY 10 per hour. It’s cheap. We rent not at the front, but we walk in till we saw the lake. We rent with a stall keeper lady beside the lake. We got new bike. Buy Chinese snack here, it’s cheap.
Beside cycle at Shichahai can ride canoe, it’s really nice. Many place can visit here like prince Gong Mansion, there were small garden, Hou hai Gong Yuan, temples, most of them closed at 17.00.
Shichahai was near Hutong (Beijing ancient village) – just cross the street, also Drum Tower and Clock Tower. Since we didn’t have much time so we skip Drum Tower and Clock Tower. It’s already near, what a pitty.

Other place must visit was Yandaixiejie. It’s only shop there, sold many things, bag, merchandise, accessories, clothes, books, tea, etc. But I didn’t buy things here, it’s expensive.

Temple Of Heaven

Opening Hour: 08.30 - 16.30 (Park open from: 06.00 - 22.00)
Address: 214 Dongsi North Street, Dongcheng
Admission fee: CNY 35
Get in: Subway Tiantan Dong Men exit A1.

Don’t forget to bring map, it’s very important. This places is huge and big, no direction and no map, no board. 75% of this place was garden, so don’t get lost, no one or counter at the garden.


Many citizens spend their day here, gathering with friends, knit (man and women), play china chest, practicing singing, or exercise. For photo snapper, this place offer many object to be snap, but had to search it.

There were only 4 places can be visit here:
  1. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿)
The biggest place at Temple of heaven, it was place for king pray to God. The main building not too big (forbidden to enter), but the yard was huge.
  1. The Imperial Vault of Heaven (皇穹宇)
Compare with The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, this place was smaller, the building also forbidden to enter.
  1. Echo Wall
No one can stand near it, it was forbidden.
Echo Wall was inside The Imperial Vault of Heaven (皇穹宇).
  1. The Circular Mound Altar (圜丘)
Only round altar, nothing there, only stone.

From one place to other was very far, I mean very very far, so prepare your feet well, don’t forget brings water, and no roof above, so bring umbrella too.
For me, this place was not too worth enough to visit, unless you have no place to visit then go there.

There were some stall food, but only sold drink and snack. Oh, also there were photo corner with king costume, but I didn’t know the price.

Lama Temple

雍和宮Yōnghégōng
Address: 12 Yonghegong Dajie, Dongcheng, Beijing
北京市城区雍和大街12
Admission fee: CNY 25
Opening hour: 09.00 - 17.00
Get In: Yonghegong subway station Exit follow the sign.

At subway station I already can feel the temple, during walk along the street to the temple, there were many store sold dupa, candle, flower. Also the only place I saw bagger at Beijing was here.

There were many Temple inside, with different Buddha statue at each building. Citizens pray or maybe tourists who understand how to pray, they pray. But we just looking around, it’s quite and clean. The quite place I ever go, during my visit at Beijing.
The Buddha was Tibet, how do I know, from the alphabet.

At the behind of the temple, there were main building, with giant statue inside. It’s was on Guinness book of World Records, the giant Buddha statue. It was state it was Maitreya Buddha, the last Buddha on this era.
(picture below, was belong to the owner, since mine not too good to share - too dark)

I like this place, recommend to visit.

Pearl Hong Qiao Market.

红桥珍珠市 (hóng qiáo zhēn zhū shì chǎng)
Address : 北京市城区天9
Opening hour from 09:30 to 19:00.

We ride taxi from Temple of Heaven to here, fare CNY 11.

This market only had 4th floor, not too big. At 1st floor there were food court, all was fast food.
The market sold bag, shoes, shirt, Chinese style clothes, pearl (at 4th floor). Bargain till 80%.
The quality not too good, I skip here, only buy bag.
The shopkeeper can speak English.

Yaxiu Market

三里屯雅秀市 
Address: Gongti Beilu 58, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路58
Get in: Subway get off at Guomao station, then I continue ride Bread minivan to Yaxiu CNY 10.

It was the biggest market at Beijing, and everybody recommend me to go there.

Well this place big, had 3 or 4  floors, but the things they sold similar. Price was absolutely high, need to bargain till 80% more (if you can bargain till 90% - it’s OK, why not, just try). And they not kind at all, need to be patient buying things there. I don’t like it at all. First because the goods quality was not good, and nothing special, all was fakes, but price they offered completely crazy.
The shopkeeper can speak English.

Since I’ve been to China before at Shenzhen, and I shop there (at Lou hu), the price was high too, but we can bargain till 80-90%, they kind, also the quality was goods, at least better then Yaxiu.

So for Beijing markets, for me, I prefer skip it. Better buy Beijing snack rather than goods. China product was many at my country, so why had to buy it far away, also at my country our own product, similar with them and the price was similar, sometimes cheaper at my own country, Indonesia.

The Place Mall

Add: 9 Guanghua Lu, Beijing, Chaoyang Distric.
北京市朝阳区光路甲9

I ride taxi to come here from Yaxiu market, actually it can be reach by bus (had to exchange), I already ask information centre at Yaxiu, but since we already tired so we decide to take cabs.

One of top ten malls must visit at Beijing.
This mall have giant screen at the front. Beijing citizens, especially young people gathering here at night. The screen will start turn on at 19.00.
Inside the mall, sold branded things. But we didn’t visit it.

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