Just Back From Beijing (May 22) With The Fam: My 'Oh God, Don't Do This!' List

[Johnathan Schmeler]

Hello everyone! We’ve just returned from a five-day trip to Beijing with our family, but we were misled by some online travel guides. I feel the need to rant about some of the traps I encountered during this Beijing tour!

In these few days, we barely stopped to visit popular spots in Beijing:

• Tiananmen Square watching flag-raising ceremony (this needs a separate point!)
• Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (saluting to the giant)
• The Forbidden City (Emperor’s former residence, super large!)
• Qianmen Street (a well-known commercial street)
• Badaling Great Wall (it’s not a real man without going to the Great Wall!)
• Olympic Park (site of 2008 Olympics)
• Bird's Nest and National Aquatics Center (Olympic venues, stunning lighting at night)
• Temple of Heaven (worship place for Emperors)
• Summer Palace (Royal garden where Empress Cixi liked to stay)
• Yuanmingyuan (used to be the "Garden of Gardens", unfortunately burnt down, now an archaeological park)
• We also made a visit to the entry of Tsinghua University and Peking University, gaining some sense of atmosphere of academic elites

First, let's discuss those irrational “reservation anxieties” that have spread online!

• At most scenic spots like the Forbidden City, you can purchase tickets at the ticket office or through self-service kiosks on-site. Don't freak out if it doesn’t work on your phone.
• Apart from Tiananmen Gate Tower and the Great Hall of the People (national parliament building of China), other locations don’t require early registration. Many people that I saw got their tickets or made temporary reservations on-site very easily over these few days!
• There is no need to register your presence N months prior via official mini programs or websites – this adds anxiety rather than provides convenience for tourists

Now, let's address the issue of carrying bags.

• People say that the line moves faster without bags, which is true but not significantly so – to be honest, it doesn’t matter much.
• At popular attractions, the number of visitors resembles that of an ant colony moving together. Regardless of whether you carry a bag or not, you still have to queue up patiently like everybody else. So, bring a bag if you want to, and stop letting those so-called "guides" mislead you.

️ Travel tips – don’t step into these traps! ️

• The Golden Water Bridge outside Tiananmen Gate Tower is a one-way street, going inward only!

  • If you have an appointment with Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, National Museum (shortened as NMo), or Great Hall of the People (all located at or near Tiananmen Square), ensure that you finish sightseeing at these venues before heading to Tiananmen Gate Tower.
  • I carelessly walked over the Golden Water Bridge, intending to return later, which cost me an extra thirty minutes of walking!

• Recommended route of visit to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City:

  • Flag-raising ceremony → Chairman Mao Memorial Hall → Great Hall of the People (if made an appointment) → Stroll on Tiananmen Square → Ascend Tiananmen Gate Tower → End at the Forbidden City.
  • Following this route saves time and reduces unnecessary travel distance.

• Special treatment channel for particular groups at the Forbidden City:

  • Seniors over sixty years old (seventy years old at Chairman Mao Memorial Hall), pregnant women, and people with accessibility needs can use the “Love Channel”.
  • One senior can bring one minor child and can be accompanied by another adult. This design is fairly humanized, I would give it a thumbs up!

• Timing for flag-raising ceremony:

  • Flag-raising schedule varies every day according to sunrise time.
  • Arrive one or two hours prior to the event. If hoping to stay at the very front of the crowd, you may need to queue up as early as 3-4 am. This attracts countless people, and the crowd is massive!

• National Museum (NMo) regulation regarding power banks:

  • Power banks are allowed within the venue, but have to meet the following requirements: not bulge, no damage, and capacity cannot exceed twenty thousand milliampere-hours.
  • Important: Although power banks are allowed, usage inside the exhibition hall is strictly prohibited.

• Great Wall touring advice:

  • Since Great Wall is quite a distance from Beijing city center, it’s best to make it an exclusive part of your trip.
  • Badaling Section: Very crowded but indeed very magnificent, convenient transportation via bus or direct high-speed rail departure at Beijing North Station.
  • Mutianyu Section: Relatively less crowed, beautiful scenery, however situated a bit farther off than Badaling.

• Suggested route to visit Temple of Heaven Park:

  • Do not enter from East Gate. Enter from the South Gate, walk towards the north exit, this way all of Temple of Heaven's focal sights like Altar of Heaven, Imperial Vault of Heaven and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests would be visited along the way.

• Summer Palace visit suggestions:

  • Don't buy combination tickets (which come with all scenic locations within the garden).
  • Summer Palace is huge; not possible to finish exploring within one day. Cover highlights like Long Corridor, Fragrant Buddha Temple, Seventeen Arch Bridge, and Grand Theater before wrapping up a day.

• Supplemental notes on carrying bags within Beijing scenic spots:

  • It’s still practical to carry a bag filled with water and necessities as it’d be much more convenient.
  • Especially during the peak season, inspection at baggage-free channel isn’t necessarily faster, sometimes it is combined with luggage inspection.

• The best time to view National Aquatics Center (Water Cube):

  • Suggested nighttime visiting hours for the venue when lighting illuminates its exterior, truly jaw-dropping and photogenic.
  • Remember, there is still security check, so keep your belongings light.

• Recommendations on Beijing’s local cuisine:

  • Snacks in Niujie, known for authentic Muslim cuisine, are not so amazing to me.
  • To enjoy genuine Beijing traditional snacks, I think visiting Huturistiao Street may be more reliable.

I hope these hard-won experiences could help others!