Introducing Beijing

Damn, Beijing is a big place. Its not just that the city is big – bursting with people in every corner. Everything that they build here is.. BIG! No kidding. We list here..

The Top 3 BIGGEST Beijing Attractions:

1. The Great Wall: Mongolians stay out! Like all the other attractions featured in today’s article, this was built ever so long ago as a defence against the country’s northern invaders. You can see this wall from up in space, they say, and really, this place needs no introduction. The walls wind all the way as far as the eye can see. Badaling is the portion of the wall most people may tell you to go because it has been rebuilt and you will get all the towers and rebuilt walls for your camera. However, JinShanLing and SiMaTai attract good reviews from the more adventurous tourists because there will be less people there and the scenery more picturesque.

2. Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City: Wow, if you think you have seen enough palaces and castles from travelling around the world, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The Forbidden City is fronted by the Tiananmen Square, the worlds largest public square (if there is anywhere close to this, it would be absolutely amazing) and scene of the Tiananmen Massacre. The sight of green-uniformed, red badged guards stationed around the square gives a real feel of the old communist state ruled with an firm fist. Common folk were once forbidden from entering the great palace that you see beyond the square, and when you enter the most enormous courtyard you have every seen, and thus the beginning of a place that feels like a whole different world by itself. Architecture here is also quientessentially Chinese, and perhaps the best bird’s eye view of it all can be seen at Mao’s Masoleum (located outside, next to the Tiananmen Square)the resting place of the father of communism in China.

3. Summer Palace: Beijing gets pretty hot in the summer, and once you’ve been to the Forbidden City, you will imagine its a real oven there especially! So the royalty moves to the Summer Palace then, where the collection of palace temples, gardens, pavilions, and lakes served as a cooler retreat for the imperial court. Whilst a major part of the place is taken up by Kunming Lake, its boats and lakeside resting places, along with the main tower/hall, a personal highlight is also the a long corridor along one side of the lake, filled with mythical paintings and scenes.

Top Notes of Caution:

1. People: There are just so many of them! That alone is alright, but many smart local Chinese folks start having the dollar sign in their eyes when they spot the foreigner walking by. Taxi? Souveneir? Take photo with mascot dressed up as Chinese Emperor? You want woman?! They will sell you anything, and be aware that a big number of unlicensed/selling low quality products/pricing goods depending on how rich you look. No kidding. Best advice may be a) don’t start, because they will NOT let you off that easily thereafter; and b) inspect goods’ quality and know your prices before you start – what is cheap to you may be a killing to them, especially if they are selling you non-authentic souveneirs.

2. Extreme Weathers: Beijing is located quite far from the coastline, is packed with people and mega-structures, and is in fact next to the desert. Winters (subzero temperatures) and summers (above 40 degrees Celcius) are extreme so autumns may be a good time (with less tourists as well).

New Asia Travel Attraction Go Tibet By Rail

Tibet projects mystic thoughts to many western travelers. And indeed Tibet never fail to impress. Tibetan mountain ranges and landscapes are home to an immense diversity of species of rare plants and birds. Tibetan forests are also famous for its tremendous spectrum of herbs for Chinese medicines. But due to the freezing temperatures and geographical altitudes, China’s tourist access to Tibet region has been very limited until recently. On July 1, 2006 Qinghai-Tibet Railroad commenced its passenger service, marking a remarkable milestone in China’s infrastructure building. This opens up a way for adventurous tourists to travel from Beijing to the remote Tibet by train with a low budget.A Centennial Dream Comes TrueThe Physical DeterrentsKey Facts of Qinghai-Tibet RailroadEnvironmental FriendlyTrain Schedule for Tibet1. Western Beijing Train Station to Lhasa, the whole journey is 4,064Km and takes 47 hours and 28 minutes. The ticket fee is RMB389 (USD48) for a hard seat, RMB813 (USD102) for a hard sleeper and RMB1262 (USD160) for a soft sleeper. It leaves Beijing at 21:30 every night and arrives in Lhasa at 20:58 on the third day. Another train leaves Lhasa for Beijing at 8:00 each morning and arrives in Beijing at 8:00 the third day, via Xian, Lanzhou, Xining, Golmod and Nacku.3. Chongqing Train Station to Lhasa. The whole journey is 3,654Km The ticket fee is RMB355 for a hard seat, RMB754 for a hard sleeper and RMB1168 for a soft sleeper. It leaves Chongqing at 19:20 on the even days and arrives in Lhasa at 18:28 on the third day. It leaves Lhasa for Chongqing at 09:05 and arrives in Chongqing at 09:55 the third day, Via Guangan, Dazhou, Xian, Baoji,Lanzhou, Xining, Golmod and Nacku.

Enjoy your Tibet trip and write to share with others your memorable adventures in this rugged part of China!

New Asia Travel Attraction, Go Tibet By Rail

Tibet projects mystic thoughts to many western travelers. And indeed Tibet never fail to impress. Tibetan mountain ranges and landscapes are home to an immense diversity of species of rare plants and birds. Tibetan forests are also famous for its tremendous spectrum of herbs for Chinese medicines. But due to the freezing temperatures and geographical altitudes, China’s tourist access to Tibet region has been very limited until recently. On July 1, 2006 Qinghai-Tibet Railroad commenced its passenger service, marking a remarkable milestone in China’s infrastructure building. This opens up a way for adventurous tourists to travel from Beijing to the remote Tibet by train with a low budget.

An estimated 90% of tourists would use the railroad to reach Lhasa, Tibet. It is an unique ground expedition across clear cascading streams, spectacular mountain ranges, and the colorful landscapes almost untouched by modern civilization. It would be the dream of urban travelers to experience nature with such a panoramic vision, indulging and rejuvenating for a true getaway from the hectic city-life.

A Centennial Dream Comes True

From its initial conception in the early 1950s, the construction of Qinghai-Tibet Railroad went through a lengthy 50 years to build. The first section of 814 km, from Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, to Golmud began operation in 1984. The Golmud-Lhasa section commenced construction in June 2001. On July 1, 2006, the 1,956-Km Qinghai-Tibet Railroad started its full-length operation. Its 2 inaugural trains, “Qing 1″ and “Tibet 2″, started service from Golmud and Lhasa separately. China President Hu Jintao labeled the project as an unbelievable achievement both in China and the World’s railway construction. This completed mission also realized a centennial dream of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the pioneer of China’s democratic revolution.

The Physical Deterrents

Geographical conditions from Golmod to Lhasa are especially harsh. Perennial icy soil as hard as steel, thick blankets of Winter snow and the high altitudes deterred and slowed down project progress through the many years of site execution. An American, Paul Theroux, prophesized that Kunlun Range was a definite impossible geographical barrier for railroad to get to Lhasa. But the inauguration of Qinghai-Tibet Railroad, now the world’s highest railroad terminating in Lhasa, has proven Theroux’s prophesy untrue.

Key Facts of Qinghai-Tibet Railroad

1. Qinghai-Tibet Railroad is the world’s highest.

2. 960 kms of its tracks are located 4,000 m above sea level.

3. The highest point is 5,072 m above sea level or 200 meters higher than the 2nd highest Peruvian railroad in the Andes.

4. 550 kms of the route run on frozen soil

5. Tanggula Railway Station is the highest railway station in the world (5,068m above sea level)

6. Fenghuoshan Tunnel is the world’s highest tunnel on frozen soil (4,905 m above sea level)

7. It is the world’s longest plateau railroad, extending 1,956 kms from Xining, Qinghai to Lhasa, Tibet.

8. The Golmud-Lhasa section zigzags 1,142 kms across the Tanggula and Kunlun Ranges.

9. Kunlun Mountain Tunnel is the world’s longest plateau tunnel built on frozen soil(1,686 m)

10. The maximum design train speeds are 100 km/h in frozen zones and 120 km/h on non-frozen areas.

Environmental Friendly

Chinese authority responded actively to international call for environmental friendly and sustainable development. 8% of the total development cost was set aside for conservation of environment. Recommendations by the Academy of Environment Protection were taken seriously by the Chinese government before construction. Qinghai-Tibet Railroad was credited with the honor of being the first environmental friendly railroad in the world.

Train Schedule for Tibet

Tourists can join in this rail route from several different cities in China.

1. Western Beijing Train Station to Lhasa, the whole journey is 4,064Km and takes 47 hours and 28 minutes. The ticket fee is RMB389 (USD48) for a hard seat, RMB813 (USD102) for a hard sleeper and RMB1262 (USD160) for a soft sleeper. It leaves Beijing at 21:30 every night and arrives in Lhasa at 20:58 on the third day. Another train leaves Lhasa for Beijing at 8:00 each morning and arrives in Beijing at 8:00 the third day, via Xian, Lanzhou, Xining, Golmod and Nacku.

2. Chengdu Train Station to Lhasa, the whole journey is 3,360km. The ticket fee is RMB331 for a hard seat, RMB712 for a hard sleeper and RMB1104 (USD140) for a soft sleeper. It leaves Chengdu at 18:18 on the odd days and arrives in Lhasa at 18:28 on the third day. It leaves Lhasa for Chengdu at 9:05 and arrives in Chengdu at 9:55 the third day, Via Guangyuan, Baoji, Lanzhou, Xining, Golmod and Nacku

3. Chongqing Train Station to Lhasa. The whole journey is 3,654Km The ticket fee is RMB355 for a hard seat, RMB754 for a hard sleeper and RMB1168 for a soft sleeper. It leaves Chongqing at 19:20 on the even days and arrives in Lhasa at 18:28 on the third day. It leaves Lhasa for Chongqing at 09:05 and arrives in Chongqing at 09:55 the third day, Via Guangan, Dazhou, Xian, Baoji,Lanzhou, Xining, Golmod and Nacku.

Enjoy your Tibet trip and write to share with others your memorable adventures in this rugged part of China!