Visiting Beijing

People flocked to see the Olympic Games which ended on 24th of August at Beijing and were enthralled by the whole event, from its grand Opening Ceremony, depicting the culture and trations of China, to the Bird’s Nest and all the exciting sporting events that took place. Now the whole Olympic excitement is over, and the most of the tourists still remain to enjoy the beauty of China.

There are many attractions and destinations to be explored in Beijing. The ideal place to learn about the Imperial Chinese court during the height of its power is by visiting the Forbidden City. The gates open at 8.30 am. The famous Tiananmen Square is the largest in the world and is Mao’s mausoleum. A flag raising and lowering ceremony is held there every day at dawn and dusk respectively.

The Summer Palace is known for its gardens and palace ruins, while a public park where locals practice tai chi in the mornings surround the Temple of Heaven. The zoo and the aquarium are also places of tourist interest. The best known attraction in the country is the Great Wall of China, which is located out of the city and takes about an hour and a half to reach. A visitor can climb the steps and go around it or can take a ski lift to go to the top.

Shopping in Beijing is also interesting and fun, with many places available for the shoppers to indulge themselves in. Xi Zhi Men is a clothes market where the Chinese themselves shop. The Silk Street is a five-story air-conditioned building, while the Malls at the Oriental Plaza, east of Tiananmen Square is an expensive shopping area. The Golden Resources Shopping Mall is the largest mall in Asia and is 690,000 square meters in size. Beijing is considered a safe city, but counterfeit currency is rampant and tourists are given prior warnings to check their bills and currencies when purchasing items from Chinese shops, especially street markets.

When it comes to Chinese dining, the Beijing Roast Duck is the specialty in food. Restaurants offer traditional and modern Chinese cuisines, but an abundance of Western food chains such as McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, are also available. Chinese tea is a favorite among tourists. The tea is full of flavor and is considered healthy.

Beijing also offers many accommodation facilities. Staying at a luxury hotel in Beijing will allow tourists to relax in comfort after an exciting day in the city of Beijing. Tourists are also encouraged to stay in a Beijing hotel near the Forbidden City as this will provide easy access to the main attractions and destinations in the city.