China: Beijing Holiday

[Lufu]

Going to Beijing for 7 days holiday in June.

 

what's the best way to get from Airport to City?

Any recommendation for reasonable priced hotel ?

Any shopping / food hunt ?

Do we need Visa to travel to China?

 

Thanks

 

 

[Tohto]

Be careful when you travel from airport to city. There are a lot of illegal taxi operator (no licience). Go to the proper taxi Q will be better. The best is to arrange a airport pick up from hotel if you don't mind extra cost. Try to stay at Wang Fu Jin area (= orchard). It is very centralise with night market and shopping area. For Singapore passport Visa is not require if stay <15 days.

[Davidklt]

try asking here:

 

www.travelbug.sg

[Silver_blade]

Wouldn't June coincide with the sand storm season? Could someone confirm this?

[Starengine]

give u some tips as local Chinese...

 

for good price hotel, try the following two website:

 

ELong

Ctrip

 

No need credit card or deposit.

As for airport transport, suggest u to contact the hotel u r interested before u book, ask them to provide pickup service from airport, free of charge if 4 or 5 star hotel.

FYI, in June, not likely to have sand storm. Beijing is quite safe, don't worry.

Edited February 7, 2009 by Starengine

[Watwheels]

  On 2/6/2009 at 8:03 AM, Lufu said:

Going to Beijing for 7 days holiday in June.

 

what's the best way to get from Airport to City?

Any recommendation for reasonable priced hotel ?

Any shopping / food hunt ?

Do we need Visa to travel to China?

 

Thanks

 

It seems like nobody answer your last question. Yes you have to get one at the Chinese embassy before you go for your trip.

 

If you are going on your own, better to have someone from the hotel to pick you up. Once reach the airport there, when you pick up your luggage tear away the luggage sticker so you won't be targeted by pickpockets or robbers. Cos once ppl see the luggage sticker they know you are from sg. So it's safer to have someone from the hotel to pick you up.

 

IMO it's safer and better to join tour group. If the tour guide is good you will learn a lot from their historical sites. If you are talking about shopping and food hunt it's better to go Shanghai.

 

 

[Twofouronenite]

  On 2/7/2009 at 3:50 AM, Watwheels said:

It seems like nobody answer your last question. Yes you have to get one at the Chinese embassy before you go for your trip.

 

If you are going on your own, better to have someone from the hotel to pick you up. Once reach the airport there, when you pick up your luggage tear away the luggage sticker so you won't be targeted by pickpockets or robbers. Cos once ppl see the luggage sticker they know you are from sg. So it's safer to have someone from the hotel to pick you up.

 

IMO it's safer and better to join tour group. If the tour guide is good you will learn a lot from their historical sites. If you are talking about shopping and food hunt it's better to go Shanghai.

1st reply oredi reply no need if less than 2 weeks.

[KapitanE]

  On 2/6/2009 at 8:03 AM, Lufu said:

Going to Beijing for 7 days holiday in June.

 

what's the best way to get from Airport to City?

Any recommendation for reasonable priced hotel ?

Any shopping / food hunt ?

Do we need Visa to travel to China?

 

Thanks

 

U making a Krisflyer redemption on SQ for Beijing in June?

 

It is a 50% discount on miles if you make the redemption on SQ800/801, which I am also of thinking of making....

 

Taxes and surcharge will come to $300 for a 1st class tix, with 30+k miles....good deal....

 

 

 

[Riverfish]

  On 2/7/2009 at 3:50 AM, Watwheels said:

It seems like nobody answer your last question. Yes you have to get one at the Chinese embassy before you go for your trip.

 

If you are going on your own, better to have someone from the hotel to pick you up. Once reach the airport there, when you pick up your luggage tear away the luggage sticker so you won't be targeted by pickpockets or robbers. Cos once ppl see the luggage sticker they know you are from sg. So it's safer to have someone from the hotel to pick you up.

 

IMO it's safer and better to join tour group. If the tour guide is good you will learn a lot from their historical sites. If you are talking about shopping and food hunt it's better to go Shanghai.

 

 

Actually the 15-day visa waiver for Singaporeans was reinstated after Olympics. I went on a China trip last Oct without a visa.

 

 

[Kb27]

No need visa if less than 15 days . I just came back from Beijing before CNY.

If you stay at Wang Fu Jin area, the taxi ride from airport to there is around cny 100 ($20). Toll is cny 10

Taxi fare are generally cheap, but if you speak Mandarin would be easier to get around.

 

The main attraction would be the Forbidden City and of coz the Great Wall.

[Maroon5]

bro act the subways are very convenient n cheap (RMB 3)...so if u r going to the main visiting spots i thk transport is not a big issue...

for all pple going to beijing, i always tell them not to miss the great wall...but u going in june, guess u hv to b mentally prepared tat it wil b extra taxing during the great wall climb..

 

for my trip i stayed at Yue Xiu Hotel at Xuan Wu Men...no complaints...the subway station is just beside my hotel...

Enjoy!

[Turtlekar]

  On 2/6/2009 at 8:03 AM, Lufu said:

Going to Beijing for 7 days holiday in June.

 

what's the best way to get from Airport to City?

Any recommendation for reasonable priced hotel ?

Any shopping / food hunt ?

Do we need Visa to travel to China?

 

Thanks

 

 

Hi bro, i'm also travelling to beijing same time....i will be going on 7/6-13/6....i took up the krisflyer deal as well with my wife....still looking for decent hotel to stay....

[Kianbeng]

  On 2/8/2009 at 6:01 AM, KapitanE said:

U making a Krisflyer redemption on SQ for Beijing in June?

 

It is a 50% discount on miles if you make the redemption on SQ800/801, which I am also of thinking of making....

 

Taxes and surcharge will come to $300 for a 1st class tix, with 30+k miles....good deal....

 

 

Heehee. Everyone's thinking. I'm thinking of London in May. 35k for return economy though. But my wife can't make it. So sigh!!!!!

 

Beijing at 30k 1st class return? Oh didn't see that. Thats too cheap?? Normal economy return should already be 40k or so? 1st class shouldn't be 60k only....unless you meant 1 way...? ok will check out website again later.

[Kianbeng]

just checked. can only get 50% off economy saver awards leh. Going to beijing should be 40k for return on economy saver.

[Davidklt]

how many points did u used?

[Turtlekar]

don't know, my wife did it for me....hahaha

[Lufu]

  On 2/8/2009 at 10:36 AM, Kb27 said:

No need visa if less than 15 days . I just came back from Beijing before CNY.

If you stay at Wang Fu Jin area, the taxi ride from airport to there is around cny 100 ($20). Toll is cny 10

Taxi fare are generally cheap, but if you speak Mandarin would be easier to get around.

 

The main attraction would be the Forbidden City and of coz the Great Wall.

 

Many Thanks to all who repied with tips and tricks.

 

$20 ride is rather cheap. Any particular taxi company to avoid or only take specific taxi?

I recall in Shanghai, I was told to take only taxis from a major operator and avoid the rest.

 

 

I suppose they don't have the high speed train that goes from airport to the city unlike Shanghai.

[Limhm]

hmmm...IMO, to go China, it's cheaper n safer to join a tour package. I wld recommend CTC. I've been to Beijing n when I see e daily hotel charges, it's v ex. Based on my tour package in Beijing, we had to change hotel everyday for our 8days tour. Hotel transfer wld be a big issue liao.

 

N during June, it shd be quite hot n a rainy season, if I m not wrong. Rem to bring umbrella.

Edited February 9, 2009 by Limhm