Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
do so include ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China), Bank of China, and China
Merchants Bank. Most banks exchange foreign currency into
rénmínbì
and require only a
passport to do so.
How much you need to budget for each day really depends on you. If you're sticking to
public transport, small local hotels or hostels, and local restaurants, your visit can be done
for possibly RMB300-500 (US$48-80) for a single person per day. At the other end of the
scale, if you'll be staying in four- or five-star hotels, eating at quality restaurants, and taking
a taxi from place to place, you should budget for possibly RMB2,000 (US$320) or more
per day for a single person. This all excludes long-distance journeys or visits to tourist sites,
which can be as much as RMB100 for entry fees. Hiring a car with an English-speaking
driver from an official rental agent can be about RMB650 (US$104) or more per day.
If you want to believe that Beijing is a place of eternal fresh, sunny weather, come in fall,
particularly in September or October. This is generally agreed to be the best time of year.
The weather is temperate and the surrounding greenery turns into all manner of spectac-
ular autumnal colors. Spring likewise has pleasant temperatures, and stunning displays of
blossoms decorate all the parks and streets. Come March and April, however, the city can
get surprisingly windy. Pop into a convenience store for a face mask if you want to avoid a
mouthful of dust and dirt.
Winter generally peaks in January, but in some years it seems to have no shame in taking
an early dip in December. Days can hover at around -5°C (23°F) and nights at -10°C (14°F)
or less. Fortunately, buildings are well heated in Beijing, so, if you're not outdoors, you
should be perfectly comfortable. Touring time will be a little shorter, with the sun rising
at about 7:30am and going down at around 5:30pm. There is no daylight saving time in
Beijing.
You'll get the most opportunity for exploring at the end of June when the sun rises
at about 4:45am and sets at about 7:45pm. The weather at this time is warm to baking,
with temperatures in the inner city usually somewhere in the high 20s and 30s Celsius
(roughly 70s and 80s Fahrenheit) and occasionally over 40°C (104°F). The climate is gen-
erally slightly cooler in the outer suburbs throughout the year. This means that if you plan
to make a trip out to the Great Wall in the far north, it can be a bitter experience in winter
but a pleasant relief in summer.
