See and Do in Beijing

Beijing is a city full of possibilities, and whether you’re visiting as a tourist or settling down as an expat, there’s no lack of great food, culture, and fun to be had. Be warned though: no matter where you go, you’ll probably find yourself in a crowd, especially on public transportation and at tourist hotspots. This is only to be expected in a booming city of 22 million people. Still, the masses are worth fighting to enjoy everything available to see and do on a weekend in Beijing.

See

►Great Wall of China - Mutianyu

 There are various sites you can visit on China’s legendary Great Wall, but one of the best is Mutianyu. This site has a cable car that can take you up onto the wall and a toboggan slide down (if you walk far enough). As with most of the sites, getting there is the tricky part; your best bet would be to hire a car for the day, although there are bus options available from inside the city.

►Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

Obviously a given for anyone visiting Beijing, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City are connected geographically and one of the best basic sightseeing experiences in Beijing. The square really is enormous, as is the portrait of Mao Zedong at the entrance to the Forbidden City. If you’ve seen ancient Chinese architecture already, you may not want to walk through the whole City; it costs more and looks pretty much the same as most other places.

►The Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven is located in the southern part of central Beijing, close to the Central Business District. If you go early in the morning, you’ll have a chance to see the long-time Beijingers out exercising and doing Tai chi. The temple and altar can get crowded with tourists, but the massive park that surrounds the attractions can be just as interesting. If you make your way to the east gate of the park, you will find yourself right across the street from the Pearl Market (Hongqiao), where you can bargain to your heart’s content.    

Hutonging

While technically not a real verb, the act of visiting a hutong area is a uniquely Chinese cultural experience and a delightful city pastime. These areas are home to a variety of local and Western restaurants, bars, and shopping, and can provide the perfect backdrop for a well-spent weekend in Beijing. You can rent bicycles or hire a pedicab to take a nice ride through the backstreets of the area and absorb the ancient, courtyard-based family housing that is being torn down little by little. Two well-loved hutong areas are Houhai Lake and Nanlouguxiang, both of which offer lots of eating, drinking and window shopping options that will surely be unique to the modern expat eager to absorb Ancient China.

Picnicing

Believe it or not, Beijing actually has a variety of green spaces where you can lay down a blanket, pull out a picnic lunch, and play some Frisbee. After tromping around the cement city sightseeing, this may be just what the doctor ordered. Chaoyang Park sits on the east side of the city, and there are thousands of little picnic spots to be found by water or even amidst a cluster of trees. The Summer Palace is a little more expensive (30 RMB entrance fee), but the lake is beautiful and there are lots of areas to settle down and relax in the afternoon sun. If you’re looking to get away from the larger crowds, head toward the south gate.

Shopping

There are endlss options for good shopping in Beijing, whether you’re on the prowl for truly high-end products or very cheap-end market items. The China World Shopping Center is a massive complex of stores located at the Guomao junction of subway lines 1 and 10; and if you’re in the mood for a break from aisle cruising, head to the Le Cool Ice Rink, located in the midst of the mall.

If your Chinese is good enough to say and understand prices and general sizes, get yourself to the Zoo Market, a sprawling underground market near the zoo. Prices here are so low that even bargaining is fairly optional; the merchants simply can’t go much lower to still make a real profit. Larger sizes are available for foreigners, although you will be hard-pressed to get a merchant to let you try anything on. To find it, take the line 4 subway to the Beijing Zoo stop, take exit C, and walk east along Xizhimen Outer Street until you see canopied stairs leading underground.

Partying

After negotiating a new culture and a challenging workplace, plenty of expats prefer to spend a weekend in Beijing letting loose and blowing off some steam.

Home to an immense assortment of bars and restaurants, Sanlitun has long been known as the home for the party crowd. With the addition of The Village shopping complex, it’s become a hub of activity even for people uninterested in general debauchery. When The Village closes down for the evening, there are still plenty of clubs and bars open along Sanlitun Bar Street.

If you’re looking for more of a student party scene, Wudaokou is the place to visit. Most of the large universities in Beijing are located in this northwest corner of the city, so a great many bars and clubs cater to high-energy pupils eager for some socialising. Many of the cafes and restaurants are open until the early morning hours as well.