Life in Beijing

Historical evidence shows that Beijing has been in existence for over 3,000 years. However, the discovery of “Peking Man”, an ancestor of homosapiens who lived in the area 200,000 to 400,000 years ago, shows that the area has a history of human habitation that is very ancient indeed.

Day or night the streets of Beijing are generally safe

Despite its size, Beijing is a very safe city and people generally friendly and helpful. Violent crime is extremely rare, however, Beijing has its fair share of scams and touts, centered around the main tourist sites of Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall.

Beijing’s subway is clean, fast and efficient.

Beijing has excellent transport facilities. The Metro is cheap an convenient  and constantly expanding. An extensive public bus system operates, and both the subway and bus routes are incorporated into Google Maps, which provides an easy way to plan how to get from A to B. Traffic runs relatively smoothly except during peak traffic hours in the morning and evening.

The cheapest and quickest way to travel short and medium distances is by bicycle. Most roads in Beijing have a separate lane for bikes, allowing a cyclist to zoom past the traffic in peak hour.

Taxis are cheap and plentiful at most times of the day. They are also a great way to practice your newly acquired language skills!

Highrise apartment blocks are common in Beijing

Visitors to Beijing should have no problem finding accommodation as there is no shortage of hotels and hostels. Whether you’re an executive looking to stay in a star-rated luxury hotel such as the Hilton or Radisson, or  backpacker on a budget you can always find something suitable.

 Rent for a one or two bedroom apartment in Beijing typically range from RMB 1000 to RMB 3000 per month, depending on the location. Rent is usually paid three months in advance,  negotiable with the landlord.

Endless entertainment with Acrobatics.

Beijing is the cultural capital. There are nightly performances of traditional opera, Chinese acrobatics, and folk arts such as crosstalk and storytelling. Each year, Beijing hosts many international acts, including pop and rock stars, classical music, theater, opera and jazz.

Not far from Frontiers is Beijing’s premier night entertainment areas, Sanlitun or ”bar street”, the area within the north gate of the Workers Stadium, Chaoyang Gongyuan west gate, and Nuren Jie (Women’s Street) where revelers party to all hours of the night.

Mouth watering examples of Peking cuisine

Beijing is a gourmand’s delight every major style of Chinese cuisine represented by the capital’s restaurants: adventurous diners can tour the country without ever leaving the city! With restaurants representing every corner of mainland China, it would be possible to live in Beijing for years and never eat at the same place twice. On top of this, there are many excellent restaurants serving every kind of international food to suit all tastes and budgets.