China Travel Forum

[loosa]

as a female tourist I should know before i get that I can avoid from some trouble ,so i really hope to get experts experience about beijing,
If you have I will say thanks in advance

[Guest]

Just a short note on my experience in Beijing tour last week (useful for thos using the "search" function on this branch)
1. The SWISSOTEL is a large western style hotel, very comfortable and with all amenities. It's not one of the top hotels like the Regus, the Peninsula or the Shangri La, but it is still quite good, certainly if you can get hold of the rooms they sometimes offer on their website at 810 Yuan (excluding taxes). One of the best things is that it has a nice little pool and a metro station right in front of the hotel. It's at the "right" side of town to go to the airport. Food is however overpriced, and my bathroom wasn't well cleaned.
2. PANDA TOURS, also operating as GREY LINES is a local travel agency, with a booth in the Swissotel. They have knowledgeable english speaking guides. I took a really expensive 1 day (=9 hours) tour with a private driver and a private guide in a very large black safe and comfortable car. The rate was 1140 Yuan, which is a lot more then what a "local taxi", a place in a coach or in a minibus would cost. I did feel very safe however in this car (which is rare on Chinese roads), I could at least communicate with the people (what a relief), and both the guide and the driver were non-smokers. I decided to leave at 7h30 am, and 2h40 minutes later we arrived at Simatai.
3. The great wall at SIMATAI. I read this place was a little less spoilt and a bit calmer. Well it really was, on a weekday in August. I went there on a bright and clear day, lots of sunshine, but not too hot or humid. Perfect. There is some construction going on at the carpark and ticket office site. You pass about 3 small restaurants, then cross a bridge, and then you have the choice : go left to walk up, or go right and take the cable car. I went for the cable car, and what a good choice it was ! The cable car costs 30 Y, and you get Chinese music all the way to the top. The thing is a bit rusty and slow. After that a small "train" ride follows, for another 15 Yuan. You are then ready for the final ascend, which is not that easy for untrained people. Local ladies, planning to sell you souvenirs and guidebooks, are willing to carry your backpack for you for free. You arrive at the 8th watch tower. From there it's quite a walk up to the towering 12th watchtower on a high hilltop. In the first 2 towers you pass drinks are available. Returning, you pass again tower 8. You then have the choice to return by train and cable car, or to walk down. I would suggest walking down. You then just follow the wall all the way down to what I believe is tower 5. There will be enough souvenir vendors to point you the way. Some of the steps on the tower are really narrow, be careful. This is NOT the "very easy" wall as in Badaling. You then leave the wall and walk back (2 km) to the carpark. You can also strap yourseld in a harnas and fly over a lake. Looks like great fun.

[yiran]