The Radical Travel Guide to Beijing, China

Want to travel to Beijing, China and be as comfortable as a native? The Radical Travel Guide to Beijing, China should help. It provides tips to navigate China's capital without any Mandarin Chinese language skills, and offers practical advice on everything from bargaining to avoiding tourist traps. China is not an easy place for a foreigner; this guide contains practical advice omitted by most other travel guides. Written by Ezra Marbach, who lived in Beijing and now writes The China Stock Blog, it also incorporates and welcomes readers' input from their own experiences; you can read and leave comments at the bottom of each page.

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Arranging Your Trip

• If you want to call China - telephone codes
• Buying air tickets to Beijing

Beijing Basics

• How Beijing time compares to time in other cities around the world
• How Beijing time compares with times in other cities in China
• Does Beijing observe daylight savings time?
• China's currency
• Foreign embassies in Beijing (US, Britain, Canada, Germany, Israel etc)
• Beijing's top hotels
• Tips for accessing the Internet in Beijing
• Western hospital and medical care in Beijing

Arriving & Getting Around

• What to expect at the airport
• Taxis from Beijing airport
• Important taxi tips
• Tips for using the subway
• Tips for taking public buses

Food

• Western fast food in Beijing
• Finding strictly vegetarian food
• Where to find kosher food in Beijing
• Famous Beijing duck restaurant
• Popular Indian restaurant in Beijing
• Popular Thai restaurants in Beijing
• Popular Japanese restaurant in Beijing
• Popular Italian restaurant in Beijing
• Popular Middle Eastern restaurants in Beijing
• Popular Russian restaurants in Beijing
• Popular "dim sum" restaurants in Beijing
• Popular French restaurants in Beijing

Activities & Entertainment

• Beijing's most relaxing activity -- the foot massage
• Beijing's top bars
• The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
• Hutongs
• Chinese acrobats

Shopping

• How to get cash
• The pearl market (Hong Qiao)
• Bargaining tips

About the Beijing Guide

• About the author
• Important information