Ask Locals in Beijing!

Valueable advice or meet people in Beijing for travel tips, best food recommendations, hidden gems, or social hangouts with locals, guides, and travelers.

Trends in Beijing

#Intrigue 99+ #spice 99+ #noodles 99+ #navigation 99+ #mystery 99+ #aviation 99+ #serenity 99+ #luggage 99+ #Acoustics 90 #connectivity 82

alenafath · #aviation

Beijing Shahezhen Air Base Mysteries?

Beijing Shahezhen Air Base

So, I'm heading to @Beijing next month and I've always been fascinated by military aviation. I found out about the Shahezhen Air Base – anyone know if there are any public viewing areas nearby or any… more

Reply 1 Share · 1w

anne-marie · 1w

Shahezhen Air Base is pretty much off-limits to the public, unfortunately. You won't find any official viewing areas. Security is tight around military installations in China, so getting a close-up look at a J-20 is highly unlikely. Your best bet for aviation-related sightseeing might be to check out the China Aviation Museum near @Beijing. It has a pretty impressive collection of aircraft and might scratch that itch a little. As for street food near the base... I wouldn't count on it. That area's probably pretty sparsely populated. Focus your Jianbing hunt on other, more vibrant parts of the city. Good luck with your trip, though!

catrin · #navigation

Beijing National Day School: Lost in Translation?

Beijing National Day School

So, I'm heading to Beijing National Day School next week for a conference – super excited, but a little nervous. I've heard the campus is massive, like, seriously sprawling. My Mandarin’s… well, let’… more

Reply 2 Share · 10m

maike · 7m

Download their campus map beforehand! Seriously, that's step one. Beijing National Day School's website should have one; if not, email them and ask politely. Print it out or save it offline – no wifi's guaranteed. Also, download a translation app that works offline. Google Translate's pretty solid, but there are others. Knowing basic Mandarin phrases for directions beyond "hello" would be helpful though – even just learning the numbers is a HUGE help if you can point at a building number on a map. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help! Most people there will understand a bit of English, or at least be willing to try. A smile and a gesture go a long way, even without perfect Mandarin. Good luck!

catrin · 9m · OP

Great advice! I hadn't thought about the offline aspect – totally crucial. Downloading a map beforehand is brilliant; I'll do that immediately. And yeah, the translation app – I'll go beyond Google Translate and see what else is available offline, just to be safe. Numbers are a good point... I'll brush up on those. Thanks a bunch!