Sadly, many fake, rip-off agencies target foreigners in the false belief that all foreigners are rich and don’t mind spending more money. Since tourists are often unaware that they need to be so vigilant about costs and hidden fees, they feel uncomfortable at the end when confronted with a massive bill they didn’t agree to. Your best bet is to stick to the “when in Rome” concept and ask about every detail and every cost before you agree to anything. You ask the price in advance for everything from a complete package to a cab ride without a meter.

There is no surefire way to make sure you’re not getting scammed though. While many great tour leaders have gone to school in order to be licensed tour guides, there are many more who have fake diplomas. If your guide speaks decent English, knows the facts and treats you with respect and not like a walking purse it doesn’t really matter if they are certified. Most “real” tour guides are women around the age of 24-30. Most older and especially older male tour guides are cons, but that doesn’t mean they are not also great at talking about Chinese history and leading you around the city. Use your best judgment when choosing a guide, and especially negotiate the price up front, especially with guides you find on-site, like at the Forbidden City or Great Wall. RMB30 an hour is reasonable for a real guide, if they demand much more than that you can start to suspect a con. The highest you should pay is RMB50, and that’s already pushing the ridiculous number. Paying more means you’re encouraging more fake guides to jump into the industry, and continues to drive prices up.

Paddy O’Shea’s Irish Pub is one of the most popular Irish hang out spots in the city. You’ll find the Irish owner behind the bar shouting good naturedly at the rowdy drinkers and whenever a sporting event hits the airways you can be sure to find other fans screaming at the dozens of TVs in the room. You can’t find much in the way of Irish cuisine, but with an Indian restaurant upstairs you’ll be able to enjoy the best type of drunk food for midnight snacking. Pints of Guinness and Murphey’s are on tap and you’ll find a lot of other great brews on offer, too.

The Irish Volunteer continues to be one of the more popular Irish pubs in town, but located out in Lido unless your hotel is in the area it’s probably easier to to head to Paddy’s. The Irish Volunteer is a small place, but the beer selection is good.

The James Joyce recently opened near Sanlitun offering Jameson, Bushmills and a lot of other decent Irish imports as well as a decent beer list. The James Joyce is still undergoing a transition phase, but owned by an Irishmen the décor and vibe is exactly what Beijing needed. The music, which is modern pop, is the only drawback.

For St. Patrick’s Day in Beijing, expect fun events, green beer and loads of Guinness at any of these great Irish options in the capital.

]]> http://www.nileguide.com/destination/blog/beijing/2012/01/15/irish-food-and-pubs-in-beijing/feed/ 0 1 http://www.nileguide.com/destination/blog/beijing/2012/01/10/active-adventures-in-beijing/ http://www.nileguide.com/destination/blog/beijing/2012/01/10/active-adventures-in-beijing/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:05:58 +0000 Lauren Johnson http://www.nileguide.com/destination/blog/beijing/?p=628 Hiking in Beijing is an ongoing joy. Great groups like the Beijing Hikers, continue to innovative with new hiking routes and a great blend of culture and nature with hikes to the Great Wall, the gorge, hidden villages full of locals who live in a different century, and different way of life. Many of the hikes include a lunch option midway through the hike, so you’ll be sure to be able to enjoy yourself without getting too dizzy from hunger or exhaustion. Most professional tour groups include transportation, water and a guide. Don’t be fooled by groups that don’t promise all of this up front. The average cost for a full-day hike should be around 200-300RMB, including transport, lunch, guide, hike and water.

Biking groups in the city also add to the adventure in Beijing. The Peleton, the longest surviving bike group in the city, continues to take cool weekly, monthly and yearly adventure trips like the yearly 1500km ride. There is also a fixed gear group that bikes around and practices tricks of the trade. One of the easiest ways to find other bike groups is to check out the bike shops and talk with the on-site pros. This is especially true of the fixed gear community, which is growing rapidly in Beijing.

Boating isn’t common in Beijing, since it’s a landlocked city without many adventurous boating options within a reasonable distance. Still, if you like to paddle around and be out on the water you can head to Houhai Lake where you can take a paddle boat out on the water or be paddled around in a traditional boat by a local chewing on a long blade of grass. Additionally, you can take a ride on a high-speed boat in the moat in the zoo, or in the long man-made streams in Chaoyang Park or even boat around the Forbidden City.  If you’re interested in a foray, the gorge boasts a decent amount of canoeing and water rafting, but it isn’t the most exciting of rapids and you’ll likely be disappointed if you have ever been on any decent rapids or have been canoeing elsewhere in the world.

The rumors about Chinese New Year are true, fireworks will explode under your cab, on top of the cab’s hood, on the windshield, everywhere. It’s dangerous to walk down the street on the 23^rd without your arms up to guard your eyes. Some of the best places to go for the night’s festivities include Houhai Lake, where you can watch everyone blow stuff up around the edges or out on the ice (yiikes). Or head to the CBD, the Central Business District, and scale one of the skyscrapers to watch the fireworks from safety and with excellent cocktails. Atmosphere is an especially wonderful club for this, or Xiu’s gorgeous outdoor terrace area. Both are small, and although you can’t book in advance you’ll have to show up early if you plan on even securing standing room.

Happy Year of the Dragon!

Dinner:

Here’s where you’ll really want to impress your date. The dinner says it all, it sets the mood for the night and tells what kind of romantic you are. If you go too big, you’ll look silly, but if you go small you’ll look weak. We recommend a tried and true culinary favorite, Capital M. Prices are steep, but the food is fantastic, and the ambiance is decidedly romantic.

Entertainment:

Dinner and a movie is a cliche, but it’s a romantic one. Especially if you spring for seats at the Megabox in Sanlitun, where you can book your seats early to ensure you have literally the best seats in the house. Pick a romantic comedy or something on the lighthearted side. If you pick a film that ends badly or is too heavy on the message or explosions, your date could walk away distracted or bored, or worse- contemplative and unamused. Think: Disney flicks, comedies, romance and you’re in safe hands.

Drinks:

After the flick you should head out for a few cocktails to get the mood flowing with romance. A quiet, comfortable place with intimate seating is the best way to show your date you are there for her, and not the booze or to ogle the other fish in the sea. We recommend Glen or Q Bar, both of which are off the beaten path enough to be quiet, have nice seating that is intimate and decent tunes. Still, you’re not going to have to compete with the loud Sanlitun crowd or the groups of women on “I hate love” campaigns.

Dancing:

If your lady friend is in the mood, dancing is always one of the best and most romantic of activities, and is the closest thing to sex, as many tango instructors like to espouse. Don’t head to a loud, raging club- that isn’t romantic to anyone. Head to a small venue like Ole for a bit of intimate Latin dance and music. It’s here that you should make your move, if you’ve got any to make.

Aria Wine and Jazz Bar takes the cake for most impressive wine venue in town. It’s here that you’ll find some of the city’s most powerful and cultured rubbing elbows as they chat business or high fashion.

Enoterra is wine for the everyman. You’ll find it packed during ladies’ night, and the price list is set to accommodate nearly any budget. Located in Sanlitun, it’s clear what crowd they are trying to attract- partiers, after work drinkers and English teachers with a bit of excess cash flow. Still, the wine is good and the rooftop views are excellent in summer.

Scarlett Wine and Restaurant is an upscale eatery with an impressively vast wine list. You’ll see the city’s best and brightest dining and sipping away here, and with a fun rotation of events on the calendar you’re sure to catch a great party at Scarlett. The wine ranges from affordable to absurd, and true wine lovers are sure to find a bottle to please their palate. Located inside Hotel G, this is a one-stop shop for many of the city’s most famous guests.

La Cave is an interesting blend of wine bar and high-class exclusionary taste. The selection is impressive, but the mark-up on even mid-range bottles is grotesque. Still, if money isn’t an option for you, the decorations are worth a visit. Set like an old world wine cellar, the feeling of walking into La Cave may make the extortionate prices seem more reasonable.

Openings:

Ganges, your favorite Indian eatery, has opened several new branches, most notably the one at Dongzhimen. Still, they offer the same great quality cuisine, fine decor and excellent service as their Sanlitun branch, and the buffet is still one of the best deals in the city for stuffing your face.

Ssam, the new Korean place in Chaoyang District is taking home awards for their stellar dishes that blend tasty Korean traditional fare with a penchant for luring in Western palates. The presentation is exotic and rare, and the decor and staff are amazing. You won’t find better Korean this side of the peninsula, and Ssam is one restaurant we’re happy joined the ranks of high-end dining in Beijing in 2011.

Modo is perhaps one of the most popular new restaurants of the year, with it’s perfect Sanlitun location and awesome, trendy decor. The food, in small portions but oh so tasty, is ideally paired with an impressive and vast wine collection, making it one of the go-to places for winos in Beijing. Without hitting on any of the wine cliches, Modo manages to impress both the highbrow crowd and those who save up for a fancy bottle of dry red with a few appetizers for a special occasion.

Mosto was the first restaurant by Alex Molina and Daniel Urdaneta, who then went on to open Modo, and it’s presence in Sanlitun has become a staple. Not as new as Modo, Mosto continues to deliver high-end Mediterranean-Spanish cuisine that would be fit for royalty, though with the prices to support that lofty claim.

Agua is another great recent opening, with excellent Spanish cuisine. Known for it’s homemade meat dishes like the sausage, suckling pig and steak, Agua can also provide tasty vegetarian and seafood options. Chef Jordi Valles is well-known in Beijing for his innovative, inspired and creative takes on traditional Spanish fare.

Before we get to all that, here are some tips on what to pack for a winter in Beijing. It’s a fashionable city, so keep in mind that unless you’re clad head-to-toe in Versace you’re likely to be outdone by a nimble 13 year old girl in knock of Coach everything. Try to leave your sweat pants and ripped starter jacket at home in favor of something a bit more classy, as Beijing, like New York, is a happening and fashionable city.

Packing List:

• It’s below zero most days, and it’s position south of the Gobi means the northern wind rips through the city depositing snow and below freezing wind chills. Bring a down jacket, or plan on getting hypothermia.
• Gloves, hat and scarves are a must, and you’ll need them right off the airplane. But should you forget these necessities never fear, they are on sale around the city and hard to avoid. Still, if you don’t want fake merchandise, bring from home.
• Many westerners have trouble finding shoes in their sizes in China. The largest is about a US10. Bring warm winter boots or plan on buying crappy, local shoes that are too small for your giant rabbit feet.
• Medicine is vital to bring from home unless you speak Chinese. OTC isn’t a common phenomenon and drugs are not sold in supermarkets. Instead, there are dedicated pharmacies around the city where you can get what you need, but again, only if you can either speak Chinese or rock at charades. And even if you can act our “diarrhea” or “sore throat” what they will prescribe isn’t what you’ll recognize. Bring your Pepto and ColdEeze or go without.
• Fancy dress is important in a happening city like Beijing. If you’re staying at a classy hotel rest assured you’ll need to dress up a bit for dinner. Think cruise ship attire on business casual night, every night of the week. Some places in town even have dress codes. No sweatpants or hoddies or ripped jeans here, we’re talking Dockers or fashionable denim. This is especially true if you want to blend in and not embarrass yourself.
• If you have a favorite candy or treat, bring it from home. You may be able to find your treasured item in Beijing, but you’ll pay through the nose for it at imported food stores. We’re talking coffee, chocolate, candy, mints, or even a special brand of hair gel. If you love it, bring it.
• You won’t find deodorant, as you recognize it, for sale in China. The spray stuff (think: fake Axe) is on sale in some stores but the aromas are fleeting and not entirely pleasant. Deodorant sticks are rare, and if you do find it you’ll be paying over $12 for it. Do yourself a favor and bring your toothpaste, deodorant, hair products and lotions, or else suffer the knock-off varieties or overpriced imports of Beijing.

That’s all folks. And while this may seem a bit scary at first with a bit of planning you’ll have a lovely, if not freezing, winter in Beijing.

Start of at the Spa at the Ritz-Carlton , where you’ll be pampered like a princess with your friends in true style and charm. The Ritz has some of the best masseuses in town, and you’ll enjoy an amazing dip in the sauna and steam bath after your rub down. At the Ritz you can even get a bit of expert treatment for a fascial, skin wrap or foot massage. The Ritz in one of the best, if not the best, places in town to start off your girls’ nigh right.

After your treatments, head to Lilly’s Nails, in Sanlitun (multiple locations) where you’ll be able to get your nails done for around $5. The location inside Ya Show is especially nice, but the on in 3.3 in Sanlitun is also nice, though a bit more expensive. You’ll fine expert nail service, amazing decor and a bit of talent in the staff in terms of nail decorations like paintings for scenes, artistic nails, acrylics and more. You can also get a massage and foot rub at Lilly’s Nails that is much more than expected considering the cheap price.

After this you’ll have worked up an appetite. Head to Bite-a-Pita for a fantastic, low calorie meal that combines veggies, more veggies and awesome meat and hummus. The sampler platter is especially perfect for a group of gals as it combines the best of the Israeli cuisine with the most amazing parts of the Middle Eastern combinations. For ladies, it’s one of the best places for a quiet time where women won’t be harassed by men and yet will be able to enjoy themselves, the food and the company.

Finally, head to Ya Show for a bit of shopping with the gals. In the basement floor you’ll find shoes and bags, women’s clothing on floors two-three and trinkets on floor four. You’ll find decent food on floor five but you’d have to buy a card to purchase it, which gets annoying. Still, for a girls’ day out, this is one of the best places for group shopping.

Finally, the ladies’ nights at Enoterra, Black Sun, and R Lounge are amazing places where you’ll get drink deals for cheap, amazing company and a whole lot of eager men around. If that isn’t what you want to be around then don’t head to ladies’ nights, but if you have a decent group of gals you’ll  be able to defend yourself from ratty men. Making this a prime ladies’ night in Beijing.

]]> http://www.nileguide.com/destination/blog/beijing/2011/11/29/girls-night-out-in-beijing/feed/ 0 1 http://www.nileguide.com/destination/blog/beijing/2011/11/25/holiday-travel-in-beijing/ http://www.nileguide.com/destination/blog/beijing/2011/11/25/holiday-travel-in-beijing/#comments Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:32:26 +0000 Lauren Johnson http://www.nileguide.com/destination/blog/beijing/?p=588 If you care to travel to China over Christmas and New Years, keep in mind that as a pagan nation, and an Eastern one, you won’t be inundated with Christmas cheer, or New Year’s countdowns on the square. Essentially, you’ll be a tourist in a big, cold city without much holiday cheer. Still, Beijing is a great destination over the holidays if you are a scrooge, grouch or otherwise dislikes happiness.

Beijing’s famous Tiananmen Square is not only disserted on New Year’s Eve, but dangerously guarded. In order to reach the square (and it may even be closed on this special night) you’ll have to go through pretty rough security. At midnight some foreigners gather at the gate of the Forbidden City, but it’s a small group. From experience I’ve learned that most foreigners in the city just wait for Chinese New Year to celebrate, and thus spend western New Years in the bar or with friends. There are no fireworks, no big bangs, no major parties of note and no real countdown. If these are the things you want for New Years, please consider Monte Carlo.

Some of the prime locations that may have holiday parties (though not on Christmas or New Years eve actually) include Mix, Vics, Chocolate, Latte, Paddy O’Shea’s and The Stumble Inn. You’ll find small, cute parties at place like Beijing’s coziest bar 12sqm, or at fancy places like Maison Boulud.