t r i p
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CHINA
GUANGZHOU
CHINA
BEIJING
DIALING CODE
+86 (10)
CURRENCY
RMB1 = PHP6.53/US$0.16
TOUCHDOWN
Arrive at the Beijing Capital
International Airport (BCIA). After clearing customs
and claiming baggage, catch the downtown
airport shuttles or taxis outside the arrival lobby.
en.bcia.com.cn
BY DAY
Visit the Mutianyu side of the Great Wall at
8
am, then have brunch at The Schoolhouse. Spend
the afternoon at 798, a former military compound
that’s now the Art District of Beijing with plenty of
stores, galleries and cafés.
BY NIGHT
Visit the Olympic sites (Bird’s Nest and
Water Cube). Go to GuiJie (Ghost Street) and dine at
Hua Jia Yi Yuan, a courtyard-style restaurant. For no
extra cost, watch the show with acrobats, a mask-
changing opera man and a kung fu tea-pouring act.
SLEEP
For a unique experience, check into
Commune by the Great Wall, about one-and-a-half
hours away from the city and right at the foot of the
Great Wall.
commune.sohochina.com
DIALING CODE
+86 (20)
CURRENCY
RMB1 = PHP6.53/US$0.16
TOUCHDOWN
Board the Airport Express
bus from the airport for about RMB10–30
(
PHP65–196). Taxis from the airport cost about
RMB120 (PHP784) for the 28km-long ride to
Haizhu Square in the city.
BY DAY
Behold the natural beauty of White
Clouds Mountain with its majestic peaks and
network of valleys. Spend a day walking and
appreciating the lush landscape, particularly the
Zhoujiang River atop the mountain.
BY NIGHT
On a clear night, opt for a cruise along
the Pearl River. A one-hour tour will take you from
the Canton Tower down to the jetty. The gorgeous
lights on the buildings are perfect for photo ops —
so take lots of pictures!
SLEEP
The recently renovated White Swan Hotel
has a big swimming pool, clean rooms with great
views of the Pearl River, and excellent restaurants.
Tipping is not a common practice in
Beijing. But bargaining is!
DIDYOU
KNOW?
BEST BRUNCH
Southern China
for dim sum, and Deluxe Restaurant in
Tianhe for late morning
yum cha.
BEST DINNER
Try Bing Sheng
Cantonese restaurant. Be ready for long
queues, though, as it’s very popular!
INSIDER TIP
Avoid paying
taxis with RMB50 or RMB100 bills.
Dishonest drivers swap them with fake
ones on unwary passengers.
Michael
Gohu Yu
manager of a
multinational
company
BEST DINNER
For roast duck,
try Da Dong, Duck De Chine or Jin
Bai Wan.
MUST-TRY
Roast duck (of course!)
and
chuan’r
(
barbecue on sticks), which
you can find almost anywhere.
BEST BUYS
For bargain finds,
clothes and souvenirs, try Beijing Zoo
Market or Tianyi. For some unique finds,
try Liangma or Liangmaqiao Markets.
Liza Joy
Garbanzos
housewife
