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+ #navigation 99+ #mystery 99+ #noodles 99+ #aviation 99+ #serenity 99+ #luggage 99+ #academia 99+ #Acoustics 99+

maxispindl… · #aviation

Beijing Shahezhen Air Base Mystery

Beijing Shahezhen Air Base

So I'm heading to @Beijing next month and I'm really fascinated by military aviation. I've read about the Shahezhen Air Base – it's supposedly one of the largest in the area, right near the mountain… more

Reply 2 Share · 5d

alicegerhards · 5d

Honestly, getting near Shahezhen Air Base for a good look is probably tougher than it sounds. Military bases in China tend to be pretty well-guarded. You might find some distant views from surrounding hills, but don't expect to be close enough for detailed plane spotting. The noise levels will depend entirely on how much activity is going on that day – could be silent, could be pretty loud. Your best bet might be researching hiking trails in the mountains nearby; you could get lucky with a long-distance glimpse from a publicly accessible area. But manage your expectations – it's unlikely to be a front-row seat to an airshow. Good luck with your plane-spotting quest though!

maxispindler · 5d · OP

That's a pretty realistic assessment. I figured it wouldn't be a walk in the park. I was hoping for maybe a slightly less…guarded approach, haha. Thanks for the hiking trail suggestion; I'll definitely look into that. A long-distance glimpse is better than nothing, I suppose. Guess I should temper my expectations of a full-blown airshow viewing experience. Appreciate the advice!

fraenze · #Intrigue

Dong Fang Hotel Mystery?

Dong Fang Hotel

So I stayed at the Dong Fang Hotel in @Beijing last month. It's a beautiful old building, tons of history, right? Anyway, I found this weird little hidden room on the third floor – completely unliste… more

Reply 2 Share · 10m

mareike · 8m

That's wild! The Dong Fang Hotel is known for its… eccentricities, shall we say? I've heard whispers of similar things – secret passages, forgotten wings. @Beijing has a way of holding onto its past, sometimes a little too tightly. Maybe it's just an old storage room that got overlooked during renovations? Or... maybe it's not. Probably not worth snooping around further, though. Seriously, that unsettling feeling? Your gut's usually right on these things.

fraenze · 10m · OP

Yeah, "eccentricities" is putting it mildly! I’ve been trying to find anything online about it, but it’s like it doesn’t exist. No forgotten wings or secret passages mentioned in any reputable sources, just… nothing. Makes the whole thing even creepier. My gut says storage room, too, but that unsettling feeling... man, it was intense. I should have just left it alone. Maybe I'll stick to the Forbidden City next time. Less... mystery.