Overview

Beijing is one of the most ancient cities in the world. Human fossils have been dated back approximately 700 millennia, around the time of the first human species. Beijing is known for its extensive history, created by so many years of having a human population. Beijing gives travelers a unique experience of ancient history, culture, education, and politics.There are countless ancient buildings and sculptures, each with an individual and exciting story behind them. Although Beijing may be busy and crowded, it is exemplified as a giant city full of ancient and modern cultures. Beijing is a must-visit city on the Asian continent because of this fact. The Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven, are all main attractions of this beautiful city.

Ship Location

Docking for passenger cruise ships is about 150 kilometers from the actual city of Beijing. The drive to Beijing by cab or bus would take 2 to 3 hours, without delays or traffic. However, the high-speed train takes only 30 minutes to get to Beijing. The train station is close to the port, but a cab is needed to transport passengers to the train station.

Getting Around

For such a huge city, Beijing does a great job of providing safe and inexpensive transportation. Beijing is completely flat, with the exception of three hills so is perfect for bicycling or walking within the areas you want to explore but due to its size requires transportation between its different areas. Beijing provides plenty of taxis, buses, and subways for easy means of transportation. Taxis are very cheap and travel throughout the city. Whenever traveling by taxi make sure you ask the concierge of your hotel or tour guide to write the address using Chinese symbols so the taxi driver understands. Also make sure you have the address of your hotel or cruise ship handy in case you get lost and must communicate to the driver where you need to be taken.

Attractions

Beijing, being a city of huge populous and intriguing history dating back several thousand years, has many attractions and entertainment for its visitors and sightseers. For travelers that crave the fast-paced and exciting personality of Beijing, there are numerous stores and places to shop. For shopping for clothing, visit the Sanlitun Yashow Clothing Market or the Silk Market, each providing a wide variety of traditional Chinese clothing. Wangfujing, meaning "Prince's Mansion well" and located in the Dongcheng District, is one of the most popular shopping streets in the capital and is mainly pedestrian. For cheaper goods, Panjiayuan is the largest flea market in China and is sure to please shoppers of all types. For those who wish to get away, the Dongcheng District is also home to famous locations such as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Confucius, Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven. Other popular sites include the Great Wall, hutongs (allies and neighborhoods formed by traditional courtyard residences) and site of the 2008 Olympic games. Visitors will always find something to do or see in Beijing.

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