Originally Posted by
ludocdoc
I've been asked to do a last minute talk in Beijing in mid December and can add a few days. So, I'm flying out Saturday arriving Sunday, and have to be in Beijing by Friday afternoon. I can spend the whole time in Beijing or do a side trip. I have never been to China before, and I fully expect to do a 2-3 week trip at some point. So..
Question is, should I take it easy and do Beijing, or should I put that off for when I come out for 2-3 weeks with my girlfriend and do something more off the beaten track, knowing if I do Forbidden City, local Great Wall, etc, I'll repeat them in a year or two?
to me, off the beaten track might be... fly to Ulan Bataar, visit a few days, take the overnight train back to Beijing... something that I'd want to do but the average China visitor might not. I do expect to need a guide since the alphabet is intimidating and I dont speak the language..
I'd take any suggestions....
I might choose differently from the other posters since I have much less experience here, but it really depends on your preferences. If you know that you will be back doing the 'standard' things with your girlfriend later but she might not want to do non-standard things, then enjoy the single life! I did a trip with
Beijing Hikers and loved it. A very different GW experience than I've heard from others.
Wow - Ulan Bataar? I'd pick that in a second if you're OK with the cold and dark and more challenge than just not having any language skills in Beijing. That could be a great experience!
I think that there are lots of 'off the beaten track' options here in China and of the little that I have seen in the last few months, those have been the best.
Maybe we should have an 'off the beaten track' Chinese experience thread!
Thanks
Dr. PITUK