Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi.

I'm going to Beijing for a month in about a week and a half, and need some quick advice.

1) Should I change some money into chinese currency, or...

2) Keep my good ol' american dollars?

Which will be better for bartering, haggling etc? I plan to do a lot of shopping.

3) How hot is it there right now, and does it get cold of a night?

4) How low should I haggle? It's obvious i'm a foreigner, so how much of a mark up will everything be to me?

5) Anything I should NOT do under any circumstances?

6) Anything I should do?

Hope some dakkites will help me out

Chuck

Kid Kyoto is the man to talk to. I think he is over in China right now actualy. Drop him a pm.

1) Change most of your money into Yuan, it is the easiest and best for day to day transactions.

2) Carry the rest in US travellers checks and you can change it into Yuan if you need later on.

4) Haggling is a must.  In most places you can get to at least 50% of the asking price and in the markets you can usually go even lower.  The best technique is to haggle down until you are getting close and then say no, still to high and walk away.  I guarentee they will stop you with a lower option.

5) Don't pay any extra taxes to a guy at the airport.  There is a ring of guys in suits that will try to convince you they can check you in before the desks open.  They will tell you there is a tax and give you an official looking receipt.  Just walk away and they will leave you alone.

6) Lots of things you should do.  Don't miss the Great Wall, if you're in good shape there is a great walk from Jinshaling to Simitai.  You can book the tour at any of the trip depots around the city.

Obviously the forbidden city and square are worth visiting.  Visit Mao, it will take much less time then you'd expect, but Forbidden city will take much longer than you'd expect so it balances out.

The night market is a neat (if a little touristy) place to visit for dinner. 

Finally if you get a chance check out an acrobatics show, you won't be dissapointed. 

Have fun and don't be too concerned about walking around the city at night or during the day, it's safer than most people think. 

Well the first questions are what are you in Beijing for and what does your budget look like? Life as a scruffy backpacker does not equal life in a business hotel or life with Chinese friends. The next bit is do you speak any Chinese? If not would you have time/inclanation to do a basic class while you're here?

Pick up a good guidebook (Lonely Planet Beijing is good, so is the Insiders Guide to Beijing) before arriving, guidebooks are censored here.

Same with any magazines or books you'll want on the trip, English books exist but are limited, and magazines and newspapers are almost non-existant.

1) Should I change some money into chinese currency, or...

Yeah but you don't need to bring cash. Things are a lot better than my first trip in 94, you can use cash machines to get RMB and more places take credit cards. DON'T change money on the street though, counterfeit currency is a HUGE problem here. Stick with banks or major hotels. Make sure they scan the money before giving it to you.

2) Keep my good ol' american dollars?

I haven't seen anywhere that takes them and you'd probably get a bad rate. But then again I've not tried.

3) How hot is it there right now, and does it get cold of a night?

In the 90s, with high humity, terrible pollution. I learned a new word my first week here "blue sky days' that is days the pollution is low enough to actually see the sky. Nights are cooler but still warm.

4) How low should I haggle? It's obvious i'm a foreigner, so how much of a mark up will everything be to me?

I would start a quarter or even lower, especially if you're an obvious foreigner. If you can learn Chinese numbers you'll have a good edge.

5) Anything I should NOT do under any circumstances?

Hang a free tibet banner at the base of mount everest, they get touchy about that.

6) Anything I should do?

All the obvious stuff (Great Wall, forbidden city, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace) is worth doing. Hutong (alleyway) tours are good too. Try and take some day trips out of the city.

I also liked the military museum.

Might want to register with your embassy, just in case. If you're a US citizen you can do it online at:
https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/home.asp

My pictures from China are up here:
http://www.pbase.com/kidkyoto/china

Oh yeah feel free to PM me, and there is a wargamng club here but I've not met up with them yet.

Posted By Tellerium on 07/06/2007 7:33 PM

Have fun and don't be too concerned about walking around the city at night or during the day, it's safer than most people think. 

I lost my heart in San Francisco, but they forcefully harvested my kidneys in Fuzhou province..

& if anyone offers you a job in the exciting field of brick making, RUN!

Watch out for what you eat there, also. A lil' link about Chinese food, and I thought the guy who traveled to China was just making up a story about the restaurant owner with the mortician brother...sheesh!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19650917/site/newsweek/

Here's a tip - don't eat the dumplings.