Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
taurants. On a budget of £40/€50/US$65/
￥
400 a day, you'll be able to stay in a modest hotel,
travel in taxis and eat in good restaurants. To stay in an upmarket hotel, you'll need to have a
budget of around £100/€120/US$160/
￥
1000 a day.
Discounts
on admission prices are available to students or elderly travellers with relevant
ID; note that rules governing student discounts are far from uniform, and that some places
will only give them to those studying in China, or those who are Chinese themselves. An in-
ternational youth hostel card gets small discounts at affiliated hostels (and can be bought at
the front desk).
Crime and personal safety
With all the careful showcasing of modernity and rampant consumerism, it's easy to forget
that Beijing is the heart of an authoritarian state that has terrorized its subjects for much of its
short, inglorious history. Not that this should physically affect visitors too much; the state is
as anxious to keep tourists happy as it is to incarcerate democracy activists, bloggers and the
like. Indeed, Chinese who commit crimes against foreigners are treated much more harshly
than if their victims had been compatriots.
Crime
is, however, a growth industry in China,
partly thanks to appalling disparities in income, and the prevailing get-rich-quick ideology.
Official corruption is rampant, and the state sometimes shoots scapegoats in an effort to cut
it down (it's called “killing the chicken to frighten the monkeys”).
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Police
110
Fire
119
Ambulance
120
Con artists
Getting
scammed
is by far the biggest threat to foreign visitors, and there are now so many
professional con artists targeting tourists that you can expect to be approached many times a
day at places such as Wangfujing and on Tian'anmen Square. A sweet-looking young couple,
a pair of girls, or perhaps a kindly old man will ask to practise their English or offer to
show you round. After befriending you - which may take hours - they will suggest some re-
freshment, and lead you to a teahouse. After a traditional-looking tea ceremony you will be
presented with a bill for thousands of yuan, your new “friends” will disappear or pretend to
be shocked, and some large gentlemen will appear. In another variation, you will be coaxed
into buying a painting (really a print) for a ridiculous sum. Never drink with a stranger if you
haven't seen a price list, and try to select the venue yourself if at all possible.
