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.

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harda · #Maze

Lost in Reignwood's Labyrinth?

Reignwood Theatre

So I finally made it to the Reignwood Theatre in @Beijing, all decked out for a supposed "immersive" performance. Turns out, "immersive" meant getting hopelessly lost in their ridiculously elaborat… more

Reply 1 Share · 5d

ottihintze · 5d

Oh man, tell me about it! Reignwood's hallways are a nightmare before a show. I swear, they intentionally make them confusing. I ended up running into a staff member three times before I found my seat. My best advice? Allow tons of extra time. Like, at least an hour extra. And maybe grab a map at the entrance if they have one – I didn't even see that option, but it should of been obvious. Seriously, the whole experience felt less "immersive theatre" and more "escape room: prelude".

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 · 7m

maike · 5m

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 · 7m · 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!