Now, I write down place I’ve been visit at Beijing.
Greatwall Tour
I book tour
at: http://www.greatwalltour.net/beijing-coach-tour-F.html
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.
Forbidden city map: http://www.tour-beijing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Forbidden-City-Map-big2.jpg
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号
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Echo Wall
No one can
stand near it, it was forbidden.
Echo Wall was
inside The Imperial Vault of Heaven (皇穹宇).
- The Circular Mound Altar (圜丘坛)
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
北京市东城区雍和宫大街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)
(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.
红桥珍珠市场 (hóng qiáo zhēn zhū shì chǎng)
Address : 北京市东城区天坛路9号
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
三里屯雅秀市场
Address: Gongti Beilu 58, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路58号
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
世贸天阶
Add: 9 Guanghua Lu, Beijing,
Chaoyang Distric.
北京市朝阳区光华路甲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.
