Beijing Travel Hacks: No Online Booking? No Problem! 🎟️✨

image-20250807152647477

Don’t panic if you can’t book tickets for popular attractions on your phone! 📱 You can totally sort it out on-site. I saw so many people buying tickets or making reservations directly at places like the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace these past few days. It’s super simple! Those who insist you must book way in advance online are just creating unnecessary stress. 😒

‼️ Important Tips

image-20250807152801091

🌟 Tip 1: Getting to the Forbidden City

If you’re taking a taxi to the Forbidden City (Gugong) 故宫, do not set your destination as Tian’anmen Gate (Tian’anmen) 天安门. Instead, have the driver drop you off at the East Gate (Donghuamen) 东华门. From there, it’s just a 3-minute walk around the corner to the Meridian Gate (Wumen) 午门 entrance. Don’t make the mistake of going through Tian’anmen, or you’ll be stuck in line for one or two hours! ⏳

🌟 Tip 2: Beat the Heat & Cold

From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, I suggest you head to indoor attractions. Remember to carry Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui (a traditional Chinese herbal remedy for heatstroke) with you. A sun-protective jacket is a must-have item; it blocks the sun during the day and keeps you warm from the wind at night. Also, remember to bring an extra jacket if you plan to watch the early morning flag-raising ceremony! 🧥

🌟 Tip 3: Travel Light

Try to go out without a bag in Beijing if you can. Many security checkpoints have separate lines for visitors with and without bags. The bag-check lines can be long—on our first day, we waited in a security line for almost an hour just because we had a backpack. 🎒

🌟 Tip 4: ID is Key!

Remember to bring your ID card (or passport for foreigners) everywhere you go! 🆔 Security checks in Beijing are very strict, and almost every attraction will require you to show it.

🌟 Tip 5: Getting Around the City

Beijing’s traffic is notoriously bad, and it’s congested almost all the time. If you get carsick, it’s best to avoid taxis. The subway 🚇 is the most reliable way to get around. It’s also not a good idea to drive to Beijing yourself due to daily driving restrictions based on license plate numbers (xianhao 限号). 🚗

⭕ Must-Visit Places

image-20250807152838256

📍 The Forbidden City (Gugong) 故宫

🔸 Morning session tickets for the Forbidden City allow entry until 12:00 PM at the latest. Afternoon session tickets allow entry starting from 11:00 AM at the earliest. You can’t get in earlier or later than these times. 🕛

🔸 Professional photography equipment like reflectors, tripods, and stands are not allowed. Selfie sticks longer than 4.3 feet (1.3 meters) are also prohibited. 🤳

🔸 There are no power bank rental stations inside, so be sure to bring your own! 🔋

📍 The Great Wall (Changcheng) 长城

🔸 Most visitors choose between the Badaling (八达岭) and Mutianyu (慕田峪) sections. Badaling is a bit more developed and closer to the city center. 🏞️

🔸 The “Hero’s Monument” (Haohan Bei) 好汉碑 is on the south side of Badaling Great Wall, while the “Hero’s Slope” (Haohan Po) 好汉坡 is on the north side.

🔸 At Badaling, I recommend focusing on the most scenic parts from Tower 4 to Tower 8. Climbing the entire thing is exhausting! Please be careful and wear non-slip shoes. 👟

📍 The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) 颐和园

🔸 Recommended Route: Enter through the New Palace Gate (Xinjian Gongmen) 新建宫门 → see the Seventeen-Arch Bridge (Shiqi Kong Qiao) 十七孔桥 → take a large boat to the Marble Boat (Shifang) 石舫 → walk along the Long Corridor (Changlang) 长廊 to see the painted scenes → find the famous “Picture-Perfect View” (Huazhongyou) 画中游 photo spot. Boating on Kunming Lake (Kunming Hu) 昆明湖 among the lotus flowers is a truly royal experience! 🛶

🔸 You don’t need to buy the combo ticket for the Summer Palace. The grounds are huge, and you won’t be able to see everything anyway. Just stick to the highlights mentioned above. 🗺️

📍 The Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) 天坛

🔸 It’s best to buy the combo ticket here; otherwise, you can’t enter the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (Qinian Dian) 祈年殿 and will only see the park area. Note that the Hall of Prayer is closed on Mondays, so don’t make a wasted trip! 🗓️

🔸 Recommended Route: Enter from the West Gate (Ximen) 西门 → head straight to the long corridor on the east side of the Hall of Prayer → have fun with the sound experiment at the Echo Wall (Huiyinbi) 回音壁 → exit and head straight to Niu Jie (牛街) for some delicious steamed buns (Baozi) 包子! 🥟