Beijing, explained by locals
Practical guides covering the full journey — before you go, getting around, money & connectivity, the sites themselves, and the practical stuff nobody tells you.
- Featured
Which Great Wall Section? Badaling vs Mutianyu vs Jinshanling
Three walls, three different half-days: rail access versus fewer crowds versus photography — with transport, tickets, cable cars and the honest trade-offs.
10 min read
- Featured
The Forbidden City: How to Reserve, What to See, and When to Go
Tickets open 7 days ahead at 20:00, Mondays closed, passport real-name entry through the Meridian Gate only — plus the 3-hour and 5-hour routes that actually work.
10 min read
Beyond the Checklist: Lama Temple, Hutongs and 798 in One Day
Beijing's second-visit circuit: the Tibetan Buddhist Yonghe Temple, a hutong walking route through Shichahai, and the 798 art district — sequenced west to east.
8 min read
Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace: Beijing's Easiest Big Days
Beijing's two great imperial parks don't need ticket wars — gate purchase, combo-ticket logic, and half-day walking routes for each.
8 min read
Tiananmen Square and the National Museum: Reservations Made Simple
Free-entry rules, the square's reservation system, flag-raising ceremony timing, and how to fit the museum and the square into one well-ordered day.
9 min read
Universal Studios Beijing: Tickets, Express Passes and a One-Day Plan
How the floating ticket calendar works, whether the Express Pass is worth it, the security banned-items list, and a route that beats the queues.
9 min read