SCAM ALERT: Beijing Touts at Attractions Pushing Sketchy Great Wall 'Deals'!
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Sure thing! Here's the edited "Complaints Roundtable" for easy understanding by foreign friends, while also avoiding the pitfalls!
Title: #Avoid Pits in Beijing Travel #The Eight Great Wall Experience #Watch Out For Shopping Pitfalls!
Cough cough, dear travelers planning a trip to Beijing, sharing an extraordinary encounter from yesterday that can help you dodge problems and stay out of trouble.
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Yesterday, as we came out of the Gong王府, (a large residence of an imperial prince from the Qing Dynasty, very famous!), someone approached us offering to take our group up the Great Wall. Since we already planned on visiting, but hadn’t booked transportation, we decided to check it out.
- The price seemed reasonable at 100 yuan per head. We linked with the contact via WeChat, (an essential Chinese chat and payment app) to discuss the details.
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This morning, at 7:30am, a small vehicle picked us up from a certain pickup point, transferring to a larger bus.
- Then began the long wait … they keep picking people up and waiting, dragging on until 9:30 to finally set off to the Great Wall. (We had originally planned to be at the Great Wall very early in the morning and proceed at leisure, unhurried)
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The journey took one hour and half, arriving near the Great Wall attraction around 11am.
- During the first hour in the coach, the guide kept talking without a break, emphasizing that this was not just a sightseeing trip; if one wants to travel, they must be prepared to spend money. Not allowing people to rest and repeatedly 'brainwashing', they pushed us into seeing a performance called 'Dragon Dance over Nine Provinces' (charging another 100 yuan per head).
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Finally arriving under** BadalingGreatWall** (the most famous section of the Great Wall near Beijing), it was close to noon.
- The only 150 minutes (2.5 hours) given to climb the Great Wall was accompanied by continuous persuasion: “Instead of walking, take the cable car to avoid fatigue”. It should be mentioned however that our own walk was no big feat, and not particularly strenuous – quite manageable.
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At 2:30pm, we were taken again to another place for lunch (I suffered diarrhea later – the food quality… you get the gist).
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After the meal, the day’s highlight (or lowlight) arrived – shopping. The guide was an expert at persuasion, making me feel almost guilty for purchasing nothing at all.
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Beware! Don’t believe roadside solicitors for ‘one day tours’ in Beijing!
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Especially those coming out at the entrance of tourist spots. They usually attract people with lower prices, but have the tour filled with extra expenses and shopping traps during the travel, wasting time, and providing a poor traveling experience.
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How to avoid: Plan ahead and choose official travel agencies or consider public transportations such as train or the ‘tourism line’ bus to BadalingGreatWall, or a taxi/ride service.
- Take note, the guides will urge you to purchase goods & services, yet you retain the right to decline!
- They might promote various paid items or gifts. Remember that money is in your hands; if you don’t want to buy, you can freely reject them; don’t be moved by persuasive selling tactics, nor hesitate to refuse.
- How to deal with it*: Stay firm regarding to what you want to pay for. If opting not to join the trips or purchase anything, politely but affirmatively decline.
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- Severe warning! Later, you might be taken to ‘specified stores’ to shop once again!
- Don’t buy anything here, mostly known as “Three No Goods” (no product name, no address of manufacturer, and no certificate of qualification)! The quality is extremely untrustworthy, and can even be double-priced.
- How to Avoid: Should you land in a ‘specified store’, view yourself merely as a spectator. Look around but refrain from purchasing anything, and don’t give in to the guides’ empty words of “if you don’t buy, this that will happen.”
I hope my personal experience could give others a reminder. Enjoy your time exploring Beijing without falling into these common pitfalls!
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You can go to the Tourist Distribution Center and take bus 80, or take the S2 train, or bus 919. All of these options work.
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I'll remember that for next time.
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To get to the Badaling Great Wall, take bus 877 from Beitucheng subway station. It's a direct, one-stop ride on the highway. It costs 6 yuan if you swipe a card or scan a code, 3 yuan with a student card, and it's free for seniors or those with concession cards. You get off right at the walking entrance to the Great Wall, no need to transfer to a shuttle bus, which is super convenient. Bus 877 is an official Beijing public bus, so there won't be any tour guides trying to sell you things on board. However, when you get off, be aware of unofficial 'black' guides at the bus door. They'll try to get all 877 passengers to line up and listen to them. They might say they're just informing you about the last bus, but they're actually trying to sell you toboggan/slide rides. They'll claim walking up is exhausting, the cable car station is a 30-minute walk from the bus stop, and that only their slide is convenient. Don't fall for it! Just follow your phone's GPS to the entrance. When I went, I managed to hike the South route (round trip) and the North loop all in one day. Just be mindful of the last 877 bus back. If you miss it, you can take the S2 suburban railway line, a high-speed train, or bus 879 to Nankou and then transfer to bus 919 back to Beitucheng subway station.
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Let's just say I've got plenty of experience! Hope this helps everyone avoid some detours!!!
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A Badaling Great Wall tour for just over 100 yuan that includes entrance tickets and lunch? The costs barely cover it, so you're almost guaranteed to get ripped off. You're much better off taking the public bus yourself or chartering a car!
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So, you really shouldn't go for the cheapest option.
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I still prefer taking the high-speed train directly.
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But it's so hard to snag tickets, sweetie~
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If you want to have a really good experience, chartering a car is still the way to go. DM me if you're interested. No hidden fees, no scams, all prices clearly stated.
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DM me for car chartering.
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Isn't it bus 80 from the Qianmen Tourist Distribution Center?