Express & Star

Travel review: Beijing, China

Flying over Beijing is an eye-opener. Everyone knows it is big – very big.

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But to see block after high-rise block of apartments and neon-lit offices disappearing over a horizon many miles away is one of the wonders of the modern world.

One of the reasons Beijing lays out so clearly to travellers landing at Beijing Capital International Airport is its flatness; there are just three hills surrounding a city that takes up 6,300 square miles.

To put that into context, it's not far off the size of Wales.

Add to that it has an estimated 22 MILLION residents; roughly seven times the amount of the principality, in just one huge city. (Even that figure though, does not make it the biggest city in China – a title held by Shanghai's staggering 24 million populace.)

And yet, Beijing conjures up an image and a character all of its own; dripping with culture, it is a place where ancient meets ultra modern. It has the sights, the sounds, the hotels and the scenery to make it one of the world's top tourist destinations in the next few years.

More and more people are heading to China as the country embraces its tourism opportunities.

And now Hainan Airlines is operating direct flights from Manchester Airport, which is just 90 minutes up the M6, to Beijing, there's never been a better time to visit this incredible city.

Flight time is around 10 hours 30 minutes on board a modern fleet of passenger jets that give the first taste of China – literally. The food on board was among the best you'll find anywhere in the world and the cabin crew could not have been more helpful or friendly.

Our trip began with a visit to the Capital Museum, a huge imposing building, housing some of China's most treasured exhibits.

From there it was a short hop to catch up with some of the city's most famous residents – the Giant Pandas in Beijing Zoo. With plenty of area to roam around in, it's hard to take your eyes off these incredible animals, even if their lives revolve around eating bamboo and then sleeping off all that effort.

A giant panda

The world-famous zoo is definitely worth a visit and although there will be large crowds vying to see the amazing pandas, their enclosures are big enough to get a good view from most spots.

One of the key elements about the city is its desire to maintain its character, so it is worthwhile taking time off the normal tourist trek to visit the brilliantly-named Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Centre in the Xicheng District.

Here, staff and volunteers give classes about the importance of traditional Chinese opera masks and you can even have a go at making one.

If you think that sounds dull, you're missing out – it's actually a really great way to spend an hour or so and build a better understanding of the local culture.

Undoubtedly, however, it is the BIG locations that pull the largest crowd and Tianamen Square does not disappoint.

Off the scale – Tianamen Square can hold around 600,000 people in one go

And while the local guides may be reluctant to discuss the famous 1989 student protests, the sheer scale of the city's centrepiece makes it worth a visit.

Flanked by huuuuge government buildings and the National Grand Theatre, Chairman Mao's mausoleum sits as the focal point for the 109 acre square – that's roughly 70 football pitches.

It can now hold around 600,000 people in one go and its other main feature is a 38-metre (125 ft) high Monument to the People's Heroes.

It is, quite frankly, an unmissable part of any visit to the city; breathtaking in scale and symbolic of so much about the Chinese state.

A short walk from the square is the Forbidden City, the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty from 1420 to 1912. Home to the emperors it is now approached past a huge portrait of Chairman Mao, fitting as this was the political centre of Chinese government for almost 500 years. It retains both staggering size and grandeur as one incredible gatehouse leads to another before reaching the historic throne rooms.

Hint of imperial – the Forbidden City

In short, this World Heritage Site is an absolute must-see, full of ornate wooden buildings, each with their own story to tell over hundreds of years of tightly-wound history.

As a bonus, film fans will recognise many of the buildings from the hit 1987 film The Last Emperor.

Back in the present and night-time activity is as lively as you would expect in a big international city.

Modern bars sit alongside more authentic street sellers and I'd recommend pulling up a plastic chair and trying to have a chat with the locals – if only for the fact that your drinks will be at least 10 times cheaper than in the flashier joints.

You'll also get a feel for the Chinese, who are very welcoming and pleased to see visitors in their city. Security never feels like an issue and public transport was super efficient meaning it's easy to get around at any time of day in safety. And anyway, there always seems to be people around.

Eating out is a very communal affair with dishes arriving one after another and diners taking their pick, but the food is significantly different from that served up by many Chinese restaurants in the UK so best to make sure you've ordered correctly. As for hotels, there is a myriad of choice to suit all pockets, with most comparing favourably to similar hotels in Britain.

We stayed at the modern and stylish Fairmont Beijing, which combines sleek architecture with some of the most impressive views in the city.

Sleep well – The Fairmont in Beijing

The rooms were beautifully presented, with every modern facility on offer, and the staff were both helpful and friendly.

If you are planning a trip to Beijing, I can't recommend this hotel highly enough – it really was exquisite.

Bargain hunters might want to squeeze in some shopping at the Yuanlong Silk Market where all sorts of big name products are on offer at 'too-good-to-be-true' prices.

The thing here is to treat the inevitable haggling as a game and don't expect too much from that 'Ralph Lauren' shirt you picked up for 50p (!).

  • Hainan Airlines flies direct to Beijing four times a week from Manchester Airport. It’s the only UK airport outside of London with a direct service to Mainland China. The flight takes 10.5 hours and is served by an Airbus A330-300; there are 32 business class seats and 260 in economy. Fares start from £460 see www.hainanairlines.com for more information.

  • The Fairmont in Beijing is a five-star hotel in the heart of the Chinese capital, and features 222 well-appointed rooms. It’s located in the central business district, with easy access to tourist attractions such as Wangfujing Street and entertainment centres, the Forbidden City and the Tiananmen Square. Rooms start from £160, visit www.fairmont.com/beijing for details.

  • Manchester Airport is the UK’s Global Gateway for the North with over 210 destinations. Why not start your journey off in style and book into one of the airport’s three Escape Lounge from just £21. See www.manchesterairport.co.uk for more information. [/breakout]

Finally, of course, no trip to this region would be complete without visiting the Great Wall of China.

Be wary of cheap deals and hawkers who pack tourists in like sardines at less-than-picturesque spots along the 5,000-mile long wall.

We headed about two hours out of the city centre (even though we were still in Beijing, of course) to the Gubei Water Town and the Simatai Great Wall.

Here the setting is perfect and the crowds are far and few between.

Be warned, however, although a cable car will take you some of the way up, the final climb to the top of the hill and the wall is steep.

But it's worth it to stand atop one of the wonders of the world and see this incredible structure snake along the tops of mountains as far as the eye can see.

It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that would make the trip worthwhile alone.

In short, it is a truly breathtaking city.

My advice is to plan at least a week to see everything Beijing has to offer – and then book a return visit for everything you missed.

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