Beijing: Just Back & My PSA: Xiaohongshu (XHS) is Serving Up a SCAMwich!

[Pat Pagac]

Hello! I just came back from a five-day trip to Beijing, and must say that some of the travel tips on the Chinese social media sites (like XiangHongShu) are mostly exaggerations aimed at catching attention; they're not quite reliable!

Now, I'll tell you which places I've visited this time

• Flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square,
• Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (where you can view his preserved body if you wish),
• Forbidden City (a large palace compound that was home to emperors in the past),
• Qianmen Street (a historic commercial street near Tiananmen Square ),
• Badaling Great Wall (one of the most well-known sections),
• Olympic Park,
• Bird’s Nest Stadium,
• Water Cube (the aquatic arena),
• Temple of Heaven (where emperors would pray for good crops ),
• Summer Palace (an expansive imperial park),
• Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace, now a scenic ruin with rich history),
• Tsinghua and Peking Universities (China's leading universities, excellent for a stroll around the campuses).

First off, I’d like to express my dissatisfaction with the overstated anxiety regarding advance booking tickets on some social media platforms:

• Many tourists have shared online that they experienced difficulties booking tickets online, but it really shouldn't make you anxious. Even if you couldn't book tickets through your phones, there are no worries! You can simply go to the place and try purchasing them there. For me this time, except Tiananmen Tower and Great Hall of the People which had strict scrutiny, other places were relatively lenient; you could still get tickets or book appointments right there.

Do you need to carry a bag?

• Some people claim that it's faster to queue for entry without carrying any bags, but based on my experience, the results weren’t quite the same, regardless if you bring bags or not. There’re just so many people around. Therefore, if you feel you need a bag, feel free to carry one.

️ Watch out for these pitfalls you might encounter during your journey in Beijing!

• A special reminder about Tiananmen Square area:
  • Be informed that the Golden Water Bridge outside Tiananmen Tower is only accessible to walk towards the direction of Purple Forbidden City. Return is not allowed to go back to Tiananmen Square!
  • If you're visiting Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, National Library, or Great Hall of the People, it is necessary to visit these places first before visiting Tiananmen Tower and Forbidden City.
  • Once cross the Golden Water Bridge, you will need to take another longer journey if you want to return to the square (maybe 30 minutes!). Don't step onto that bridge casually!
• Recommended order to visit places from Tiananmen Square to Forbidden City:
  • Viewing Flag-raising → Chairman Mao Memorial Hall → Great Hall of the People → roam and take photos at Tiananmen Square → Tiananmen Tower → Forbidden City (Purple Forbidden City).
• Special concession access for some groups:
  • Senior citizens above 60 years old can use special concession at Forbidden City (above 70 years old at Chairman Mao Memorial Hall) → pregnant ladies and persons who are unable to move properly can use special assistance lane.
  • Permitted an elderly person can bring in one child and one adult companion.
• Time for Flag raising ceremony and ticket booking:
  • Raising flag time varies day by day, generally following sunrise time. Please look up in advance (1-2 hours). If you want to catch the front row seats, then you must queue from early morning at 3-4 am.
• Electric power banks in National Library:
  • Can be brought into the museum as long as they are intact and undamaged; the capacity can’t be above 20,000 mah if they are brought in.
  • Keep note: not allowed to charge mobile phones while inside the museum.
• Visiting Badaling Great Wall:
  • Badaling Great Wall is somewhat far from city center, usually recommended to reserve the whole day to visit.
  • Badaling Great Wall: This section is very crowded but the views are remarkable, while easy access with buses or high-speed trains that depart directly from Beijing North Railway Station.
  • Mutianyu Great Wall: Less crowded, more peaceful, but farther from city center.
• Route suggestions for Temple of Heaven visits:
  • Don't enter through the east gate! Rather recommend the southern entrance → head north, towards the northern exit. This way, all of the historical and iconic buildings such as Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and Echo Wall are reachable during your route.
• Tickets for Summer Palace:
  • Don’t opt for combo tickets; Summe Palace is gigantic enough that it would take the whole day only to visit principal spots.
  • Some major attractions to visit could include Long Corridor, Tower of Buddhist Incense, Seventeen-Arch Bridge, and Grand Theatre.
• Carry bags suggestion (yet again):
  • It’s more sensible to carry bags, especially now during the low season. I found the speed of baggage inspection doesn’t differ much with those without bags, even sometimes they undergo the inspecting procedure together; so don't overthink this matter too much.
• About Water Cube:
  • Recommend visiting at night; after the lights turn on and make the Water Cube more striking. Also, make sure your luggage is light because there's security check needed.
• Local cuisines (personal preference):
  • Ox Street: mainly known for Muslim-style cuisine. Though they claimed to provide authentic flavors, I felt the taste a little bit mediocre. Local Beijingers seldom step foot into this street.
  • Try Huguo Temple Street if you wish a truly authentic taste of Beijing snacks.

Above are my sincere suggestions, hoping they can help you avoid any potential pitfalls. If you are new to Beijing and haven't got any prior experience, yet wish to visit Beijing more thoughtfully and not in a rushed superficial manner, I would suggest taking the local credible tour packages. They typically offer meal services, accommodation booking, entrance tickets plus transportation, and even escort you during your whole journey since you first step into Beijing. It might be a lot easier and convenient for you, and more importantly there are no forced sightseeing shopping stops (a very important criteria!) you could participate.

[Mrs. Beverly Glover-Crist]

Thinking of going for the May Day holiday. Hey, is the tour group you signed up with reliable?

[Frank Cole]

Absolutely reliable! It's a local tour group with Blue V verification, no hidden fees. It was just over 1,000 RMB for five days, and that included accommodation, meals, and entrance tickets. I found them at @LimaoGlobalTravel; you can check them out if you're interested.

[Darren Sawayn]

Can you actually buy tickets for the Summer Palace on-site???? I've tried buying online twice and had to get refunds both times. I had insomnia today, woke up at 4 AM and was still wide awake by 6 AM, so I just had to refund my ticket again. I'll go when I've actually had some decent sleep. I really hate buying tickets in advance because I never know if I'll sleep well the night before.

[Miss Alison Collier]

Yes, you can buy them on-site. Don't worry!

[Dexter Cummerata]

Excuse me, can you also buy tickets for the Forbidden City on the same day?

[Leticia Ritchie]

No, you need to book those in advance.

[Miss Alison Collier]

I'm planning to take two elderly relatives, both over 80, in early April. Could you recommend a reliable tour group?

[Miss Alison Collier]

This one: @LimaoGlobalTravel. Totally reliable.

[Stacey Kulas]

That's because those fear-mongers on Xiaohongshu spreading booking anxiety probably haven't even been there themselves. It's only really difficult to book during peak season.

[Lula Turner]

So, can you book everything on-site then?

[Jermaine Satterfield]

Isn't the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square?

[Dr. Israel McLaughlin]

Yes, it is.

[Faye O'Conner]

Can you buy tickets for the Forbidden City on-site too?

[Morris Schneider]

No, you can't. You have to book them in advance.

[Samuel Kihn]

Which agency did you go with? Looking for recommendations!

[Felix Glover]

I went with @LimaoGlobalTravel. It's a local tour group with Blue V verification, no pitfalls. Accommodation, meals, and tickets were all included, with no hidden charges. You can ask them if you're interested.

[Guadalupe Barton]

Any recommendations?

[Leticia Ritchie]

Sure, I used @LimaoGlobalTravel. They're reliable and have no hidden fees. You can check them out if you need to!

[Velma Thompson]

Is the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen always super crowded?