Beijing

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Beijing, China

Beijing

Money Matters: The Chinese currency is 'yuan,' nicknamed 'kwai.' It is also called 'renminbi' and written 'RMB' or 'CNY.' With the strong economy, the yuan is stable. At the time of press, $1 = 6.8 CNY; € 1 = 9.4 CNY). ATMs are readily available and accept all major credit cards, although not many foreign debit cards. Travelers' checks and cash can be changed at banks, hotels and, very often, shopping malls. Hotels often offer better rates of exchange than banks. There is a small black market for foreign currencies, especially dollars. However, the percentage difference is not worth the risk of getting fleeced.

No vaccinations are required for travel to China. All foreign visitors must obtain a one-month tourist visa from a Chinese embassy before arrival. Visas can be extended at the Public Security Bureau, visa section, Andingmen Dongdajie, Beijing, for a small fee. You must submit an entry card, health declaration and customs declaration on arrival. These forms should be given out on the flight before you land. Beijing Capital Airport is 30 km (18 miles) northeast of the city center. Taxis from the airport cost up to 140 CNY but there are also a cheaper shuttle bus service and train to the center. Keep receipts for any expensive purchases, and note that antiques require a special customs sticker. Ask your hotel to confirm your flight out up to 72 hours before departure. Airport tax is 90 CNY on departure.

First and foremost, keep a card with you with the name of your hotel written in Chinese you will inevitably experience communication problems. Taxis are either cherry red or have a yellow stripe. Fares are relatively cheap and most rides within the city cost no more than 20 CNY. Ensure the driver uses the meter unless you are fixing a price for the day. The subway is excellent with stations linking most of the tourist sites. Fares are only 2 CNY per journey, or you can buy a voucher of tickets. Bicycles are a great way of getting around and a real Beijing experience. All main roads have bicycle lanes and you can leave your bike at a bicycle park for less than 1 CNY.

The state-run news agency 'Xinhua' is the mouthpiece of the Communist government and its English-language 'China Daily' is widely available in Beijing. A more lively option is 'Beijing Today,' which can be found at most subway stations. There's an excellent selection of monthly magazines in English that cater to the expat community. Almost all mid-range hotels will have cable TV with international news channels such as BBC, CNN, Al-Jazeera and China's own CCTV, which has 24-hour local and international news in English and a thorough business news programme. For local news online, try http://bjtoday.ynet.com/ For a 'What's On' guide, try the trendy www.thebeijinger.com

Asians normally find Beijing quite easy to adapt to, but for non-Asians Westerners in particular it is easy to offend, be impolite or cause a Chinese to 'lose face.' A few rules of thumb: show respect for elderly people; do not show anger or shout (you won't get your way); beckon a person with your palm down an open palm is a sign of aggression; don't stick your feet in the air; don't flash your body; when receiving a gift, use both hands. A few courtesies are rather quaint: if you are applauded, reciprocate; when you indicate yourself, point to your nose! And beware if you issue an invitation to someone, 'yes' may mean 'maybe,' and 'maybe' will mean 'no thanks.'

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