Five Top Beijing Restaurants

With holidays to China becoming increasingly popular, there are a lot of first timers travelling to this brilliant country. Many who visit for this first time end up staying in the beautiful city of Beijing, mainly because many of the most famous Chinese sites are near by, but finding day to day advice can be hard. This article takes a look at some of the best locations to enjoy an evening meal, for those who are new to the city.

Private Kitchen No. 44

At the top or our list we have this brilliant little, quiet and traditional restaurant. Set out in a courtyard-style, with soft evening lighting, it makes for a great escape for couples. It serves a range of great traditional Chinese dishes that won't break the bank and grabbing one of their selections of fruity rice wine is a great way to end your evening on a high.

Purple Haze

Nothing makes the taste buds tingle like Purple Haze bamboo shoot curry with coconut milk and chicken, and that's the reason for this next recommendation. The swish looking Purple Haze Restaurant is bound to impress, yet it's still small enough to feel like a cosy night out. The mix of traditional Thai and Chinese makes for a delicious experience, one that you won't want to miss.

The Courtyard

The name might not sound very impressive, but don't let that fool you! The Courtyard is often rated as one of the city's best restaurants and it's easy to see why. Located on the edge of the Forbidden City, surrounded by breath-taking views; this restaurant really is the height of dining out. It's also well known for its innovative Chinese cuisine, so you're bound to be able to find new tastes to tempt the taste buds.

Flo

Finally, for something a little different, we have one of Beijing's oldest French restaurants. Although the city isn't often associated with French food, there are a surprising number of international restaurants like Flo. The restaurant offers a traditional French dining experience, decadent set meals, gentle ambiance, fine decoration and a great selection of wine. You really can't go wrong with a dining experience as good as this.

This is obviously just a small selection of all the restaurants dotted around the city. If you're feeling brave it really is worth venturing out an about to see what you can discover. So next time you're in the country, maybe on one of the many Great Wall of China tours, why not take a look and see what you can discover.

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Frugal Travel Tips For Beijing, China

Beijing, home of the 2008 Olympics, has more to offer it than simply an Olympic venue. Sites such as the Forbidden City and The Temple of Heaven charge an entrance fee. Other sites such as the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs require, in addition to the entrance fees, an excursion outside the city. However there are ways for the frugal traveler to reduce costs.

The Great Wall

Seeing some sections of The Great Wall is a must (to see it all takes years). It is located outside of the city and getting there can be costly. English language tours are costly. Chinese language tours? A tenth to a fifth of the cost. Chinese language tours in minibuses leave from the street just south of the Great Hall of the People off Tian'anmen Square every morning. Tickets can be purchased from the booth on the pavement before departure. We stopped at four different sections of the wall, Badaling the most popular, commercial and crowded, and three others where we were the only people we could see.

Note: Ensure that you get back to the minibus on time or the driver will leave you. Times will be shouted out in Chinese so clarify with the driver. One of the tricks I use while traveling in non-English speaking countries is to bring a pad of paper and a pen with me. I point at my digital travel watch and write a time that I think it is. The driver will usually take the pen and adjust to the correct time.

Donghua Men Night Market

One of the appeals of Beijing is the exotic food, even if it is to only watch the locals eat it. Anything and everything is available at the Donghua Men Night Market from snake to seahorse to anything you can possibly think of and more. The night markets are an ideal place to people watch and of course it is free.

Gardens Around The Temple Of Heaven

There is an entrance fee to the must see Temple Of Heaven but the beautifully kept gardens around it are free to wander in. Not only is the scenery beautiful but in the mornings, especially, the parks are full of locals doing their morning exercises (such as Tai Chi)

Tian'anmen Square

Located in the heart of Beijing, Tian'anmen Square is one of its symbols. The square itself is free to explore and is the surrounded by monuments and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum. At sunrise and sunset, there is a rising and lowering of the flag ceremony.

Beijing is one of the cities to see in the world. With thousands of years of culture and history, it is certain to fascinate.

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