After spending a month in a tropical surroundings of Philippines, we were finally ready to enter a much different world of ‘not understanding a thing’, in other words- China. The madness here is overwhelming from the minute I’ve stepped out of a metro.
First stop is the ancient, capital city of Beijing. With a population of 24million it is ranked as a third biggest city in the world. We arrived at midnight from Manila and with subway already shut decided to get comfy in the airport and have a sleep till it opens again at 6am. Express train to city centre cost 25CNY ($4). Beijing is a fantastic sprawling city, full of ancient architecture and attitudes, yet also showcases its up and coming modern side. Another great thing about Beijing being so huge is couchsurfing availability. We’ve spent four days in local guys house.
On our first and second day, we went to see the famous Tian’anmen square, Nanluoguxiang hutong, Temple of Heaven and Forbidden City which is the largest and best preserved complex of ancient buildings in China. This massive palace was the home of imperial rule during the Qing dynasties. Two days was enough to walk around and explore Beijing beauty and famous sites.
Great Wall of China
“He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.” Mao Zedong
Since we booked the ticket to China, there was no doubt we have to see the 4th Wonder of the World, Great Wall of China. This is an engineering feat of epic proportions.
There are many points of the wall that you can visit. We chose Mutianyu part, as it’s not as touristy as Badaling but is one of the best-preserved sections.
I wasn’t expecting for it to be such a hike up to the wall though. We were walking steep stairs for about 40 minutes before reaching the top. And once we did, amazing view opened up! We’ve spend a few hours walking around from one side to another taking in all the beauty. After all, it is a Wonder of the World. Make sure to pack some water and snacks from Beijing as even buying coffee here will hurt your pocket pretty bad.
How to get there on a budget:
From Dongzhimen bus station take a bus No 916 to Huairou (12CNY/$2) and get off at Mingzhu Square, then cross the road to opposite bus stop and take a bus H23/H24 to Mutianyu Great Wall. Or alternatively a mini bus but pay no more then 10CNY as it is only 12km away.
Once you’re at the ticket office choose from four options: ticket, cable car, slide and return shuttle. We took only a shuttle for 15cny return, and a thousand free steps up to the Great Wall.
You can read here on how we got scammed going to the Great Wall.
Three day budget breakdown:
Subway + airport express 50CNY ($8)
Temple of Heaven entry 15CNY ($2)
Forbidden City entry 60regular 20cny student ($3)
Return bus to Great Wall 30cny ($5)
Great Wall of China entry 25CNY student/ 45 regular
Meals and snacks 80cny ($12)
I found Beijing incredible! Even tho, it is hard to get around without any language basics, we still somehow managed to order soups and buy subway tickets, so it’s possible. Most subway single journeys cost 3 or 4cny and is easy to get from place to place. Meals in local eateries range from 15cny for a big plate of dumplings to 10cny for a bowl of soup. We didn’t go to restaurants but I’m aware that meal in McDonalds cost around $8! I’ve also discovered Chinese ice cream, which I fell in love from that first lick. They look like a bar of soap on a stick and come in all rainbow colours. Regular cost 3CNY ($0.40). Apart from roaming the streets, we also went to a local Saturday fruit and veg market, where all of my sweet and juicy dreams came true. It was a perfect way to end our four day stay in Beijing. We enjoyed our time in this ancient city and will catch an overnight train to our next destination- Datong.
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