Is the Forbidden City open every day?
Like all Beijing museums, the Palace Museum (“Forbidden City”) is closed on Mondays. I highly recommend making the Forbidden City the first stop on your itinerary as tickets (60,000 sold daily) can sell out before noon during high season. You will need to show your passport to purchase entry tickets.Which section of Great Wall is the best?
Generally speaking, “more attractive” means “more remote”. For most travellers, the public sections of the Great Wall mean safe (i.e. well organized in terms of ticket sales, access, etc.) and convenient (i.e. shuttle bus & cable car). The majority of my clients prefer the sections of Mutianyu or Jinshanling. If you enjoy hiking, I can highly recommend trekking the Great Wall from Jiankou to Mutianyu, or the route from GuoBeiKou to Jinshanling. The best advice I can offer, however, is to skip Badaling & Shuiguan. These sections are always overrun with local & international tourists. Numerous “shopping opportunities” (even on the wall itself) can be very annoying also.Can you still hike from Simatai to Jinshanling?
The path connecting to Jinshanling Great Wall is blocked and, therefore, the classic Jinshanling to Simatai hike is currently closed. At present there is no reliable information as to when work will be completed.Which Beijing sights are NOT worth seeing?
Ming Tombs has the top spot on this list. Avoid. The Simatai Great Wall is a close second. Since recent renovations have been completed, entrance fees have been increased to almost 300 RMB, making it the most expensive section to visit.How do I find vegetarian or Muslim restaurants in Beijing?
In downtown Beijing, these are not too difficult to locate. I am happy to include dining options in your itinerary if you wish, and, of course, assist with translating.Can you assist with the purchase of train tickets?
Yes, of course. All I need from you is the train details (point of departure/destination, day/time of departure, class of travel, train number), as well as a scan/copy of your passport. Purchase is only available from 60 days before departure). Payment in advance (in USD) including service fee (3-5 USD per ticket) is required. Payment method is PayPal.
