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Spring and fall are the best times to visit. Summer is unbearably hot, while winter is fiercely cold and gloomy. Planning your trip to coincide with one of the major festival periods (see Festivals and Events) can lead to a colorful trip, although tourist sights will be swamped.

You need at least four full days to take in the highlights (which would include the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, and Great Wall). This would make for an exhausting schedule and you’d still miss out on plenty. Six or seven days would allow you to experience the best of Beijing at a more comfortable pace.

November through March you need a warm jacket, gloves, sweater, thermal leggings, sturdy footwear, and lip balm. In summer, you need only loose-fitting shirts or T-shirts and thin trousers. Also bring a raincoat (it can pour down in July and August), sun hat, and reading material, as English-language books aren’t easy to come by.

A passport, valid for at least six months, and a visa are necessary to enter China. Its embassies and consulates issue a standard single-entry, 30-day visa, although longer-stay multiple-entry visas can also be obtained.

Ensure that all of your routine vaccinations, such as tetanus, polio, and diphtheria, are up to date. It is advisable also to get vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, meningococcal meningitis, and cholera. Visitors traveling from yellow fever hotspots must provide proof of vaccination against the disease.

Visitors to China are entitled to a duty-free allowance of 2 liters of wine or spirits and 400 cigarettes. Foreign currency exceeding US$5,000, or its equivalent, must be declared. It is not advisable to take in politically controversial literature, especially if it is written in Chinese.

The official language of China is Putonghua, known outside China as Mandarin. Putonghua is the native language of the north, but it is used across the country for communication between speakers of several other Chinese languages. English is not widely spoken outside of hotels.

Take out medical insurance before you travel. Beijing has private hospitals, but they are expensive. Pharmacies (yaodian), identified by green crosses, are plentiful. They stock both Western and Chinese medicine, and can treat you for minor ailments.

Beijing is generally safe, and foreign visitors are unlikely to be the victims of crime, apart from petty theft, and occasional scams. Friendly Chinese who suggest a chat over tea may be in cahoots with a bar or café and looking to land you with a pumped-up bill. Hotels are reliably secure, but managements don’t accept responsibility should anything vanish. Be discreet when taking out your wallet and take particular care of bags, purses, and wallets at crowded tourist sites.

China has yet to realize the value of professional tourist information centers. Those in Beijing are underfunded and poorly staffed. The state-approved China International Travel Service (CITS), originally set up to cater to the needs of foreign visitors, today functions as any other local operator, offering nothing more than tours, tickets, and rented cars.

There are many excellent sites offering information on Beijing, and China in general. The best starting point is www.beijingpage.com, which is a gateway to many other useful sites. The official Beijing Tourism Administration site (www.bjta.gov.cn) is good for what’s going on in the city.

Foreign press is hard to come by, with just a small selection available in some of the larger hotels. You can usually get Time, Newsweek, the International Herald Tribune, and Asian Wall Street Journal – providing none of them carry articles critical of China, in which case that particular edition will not be on the shelves.

The government’s English-language mouthpiece is the woeful China Daily. More worthwhile are the many English-language magazines aimed at expats and distributed free around the city’s bars and restaurants; these include Beijing Talk, City Weekend, and that’s Beijing, all of which are published monthly.

The state-run Chinese Central Television (CCTV) has CCTV9 as its flagship English-language station. Cable and satellite television with BBC and CNN is available in top-end hotels. The Chinese radio network, has only a few local English-language programs.

There are some very good maps available of Beijing but you won’t find them in China. Pick them up at home before you travel. Given the amount of changes taking place, it’s vital that you buy the most recent map you can find. Anything more than just two or three years old will be of little use.

The first place to start is the trade section of your own embassy in Beijing. Otherwise there are several trade promotion organizations including the American Chamber of Commerce, the British Chamber of Commerce, and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Visit www.beijing 2008.com for news and information concerning the upcoming games.

Mr China by Tim Clissold is a terrific account of how to lose millions of dollars doing business with Beijing. Mao is Jung Chang’s lacerating biography of the Great Leader, banned in China. Foreign Babes in Beijing by Rachel DeWoskin is the memoir of a sexually liberated American girl gatecrashing modern Chinese society.

On arrival visitors are given up to three forms to complete: health, immigration, and customs, all submitted to officials between the plane and the arrivals hall. Here there are ATMs, foreign exchange counters, public telephones, left-luggage services, over-priced restaurants, and a limited number of shops.

There are plans to extend the subway out to the airport but for the moment taking a taxi is the easiest option. Taxis wait for passengers at a marshaled rank outside the arrivals hall. If you have a hotel booked, check whether it offers a courtesy airport pick-up.

The subway is a swift way to get around and to avoid Beijing’s legendarily stationary traffic. The system is easy to use and fares are extremely cheap. Buy tickets at the booths near the station entrances.

The city bus network is extensive and cheap. Most trips within the city center require a flat flare, which is clearly posted on the side of the bus; typically ¥1 or ¥2. Air-conditioned services are usually a little more expensive. However, near- perpetual traffic jams mean journeys can often be unnecessarily lengthy. In addition, buses are almost always over-crowded and destinations are given in Chinese only.

Taxis are found in large numbers and can be hailed easily in the street. Make sure the driver uses the meter, which they usually only start once the journey is actually under way – so wait a moment, then say, “Dabiao” (meter), if necessary. Few taxi drivers speak English, so have your destination written down in Chinese by your hotel staff. Fares per kilometer (half mile) are clearly posted on the side of the car; these are usually ¥1.60 or ¥2.

Hiring a bicycle can be a great way to explore. Bike lanes are common and roadside repair stalls are every-where. Beijing is flat and very cyclable, but if you are not used to cycling in heavy traffic, it can be an intimidating experience. Handy bike stands are found all over and have an attendant to watch the bikes for a modest fee.

Bicycle rickshaws, once common in Beijing, are now relegated to the lakeside area of Hou Hai, north of the Forbidden City, where they offer tours of the old hutongs (alleys) to tourists. There are also rickshaws in the neighborhood of Ri Tan Park east of the center, which are used by locals to ferry them around after shopping at the area’s various markets.

Beijing is not a great city for walking. Most streets are inhumanely wide and traffic pollution can be choking. The few exceptions include the Hou Hai area and the embassy districts of Ri Tan Park and Sanlitun. Parks such as Bei Hai, Chaoyang, Di Tan, and the Temple of Heaven Park, are also excellent places for wandering.

Most hotels in Beijing organize tours around the major city sights, as well as out of town to the Ming Tombs and Great Wall. Even if you are not staying at the hotel in question, they are usually only too happy to sign you up for an excursion.

China’s currency is called yuan, also written as renminbi and referred to in spoken language as kuai. One yuan divides into 10 jiao. The most common coins include 1 yuan, and 5 and 1 jiao. Bills in circulation are 1, 2, and 5 jiao, and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 yuan.

You can exchange currency at major banks and international airports. Most decent hotels will change money, but for guests only. Exchange rates are decided centrally. Convert any left-over renminbi back before you leave, although usually only exchange counters at airports and ports will do this. You must present recent exchange or ATM receipts for double the amount you want to re-exchange.

The Automated Tellers (ATMs) that accept foreign cards are principally those belonging to the Bank of China. Occasionally (at Beijing Capital Airport for instance) other Chinese bank ATMs work too, but the presence of familiar logos on the screen does not guarantee that foreign cards will work. There are many usable ATMs in banks, shopping malls, and hotels around the city center.

Credit cards are widely accepted in upscale restaurants and top-end hotels, and in large tourist shops, but always check before attempting to make a purchase that your foreign card is accepted. The commonly accepted cards are MasterCard, Visa, JCB, Diners Club, and American Express.

Some hotel foreign exchange counters will no longer exchange checks, and will send you to the Bank of China. All popular foreign brands are accepted, but occasionally cashiers nervous of responsibility will reject those that look unfamiliar. Keep the proof of purchase slips and a record of the serial numbers in case of loss or theft.

It takes as little as four days to send airmail and postcards overseas. Visitors can send mail by standard or registered post, while EMS (Express Mail Service) is a reliable way to send packages and documents abroad and within the country. Most post offices are open seven days a week.

International and long-distance phone calls can be made from most hotels and card telephones. It is usually necessary to ask receptionists or operators to place the calls. In cheaper hotels you may be asked to first pay a deposit. Most public phones require an IC (integrated circuit) card, sold in shops and kiosks wherever the letters “IC” are seen.

To call China from abroad, dial your international access code, China’s country code 86, then 10 for Beijing, followed by the local number.

Visitors with mobile phones from almost anywhere except North America and Japan can use the Chinese system (Americans can only use the Chinese system if they have an unlocked tri- or quad-band phone). Just buy a local pre-paid SIM card from any phone shop. If you do not have a phone compatible with the Chinese system, the cheapest option is to buy one, not rent.

Shaking hands is commonplace and certainly considered the norm with foreign visitors. The usual Chinese greeting is “Ni hao,” which means “How are you?” or “Nimen hao” in its plural form, to which you reply “Ni hao” or “Nimen hao.”

Although unfailingly polite, Chinese people will not blanch at asking you how much you earn, how old you are, or whether you are married. Such questions are seen as nothing more than taking a friendly interest in a new acquaintance.

When proffering business cards, the Chinese do so using the fingertips of both hands, and receive cards in the same manner. For businessmen a good supply of cards is essential, preferably with English on one side and Chinese on the reverse.

Although reserved in manner and expression, the Chinese also harbor strong feelings of personal pride and respect. The maintenance of pride and avoidance of shame is a concept known as “face.” Loss of face creates great discomfort and major embarrassment for Chinese, so although you may occasionally become frustrated by delays or the incompetence of hotel staff, it is never a good idea to embarrass anybody in public.

Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian temples are relaxed about visitors wandering about, but you should be considerate toward worshipers and the resident monks, and refrain from sticking cameras in their faces. You need to dress more respectfully for mosques – avoid wearing shorts or short skirts, and cover your upper arms.

The Chinese habit of staring can be a little annoying. This sort of behavior is normally encountered in smaller towns and rural areas, but you also come across it in Beijing, since the city attracts a lot of migrant workers and peasant tourists. However, the intent is never hostile.

The Chinese do not tip. so neither should you, and that goes for guides, bell boys, taxi drivers, and anyone else. In China the price you agree for the service is the one you pay, although some restaurants in larger hotels now routinely add a service charge. Away from hotels and tourist areas waitresses will pursue you down the street to return the change they think you’ve forgotten.

China’s imbalanced economic progress and huge population of rural poor have resulted in large numbers of beggars, especially in Beijing and other big cities. Foreign visitors are associated with wealth and naturally attract lots of attention, and groups of children are often sent by their parents to extract money. The best strategy is to ignore them and walk away.

Avoid political discussion altogether. Most Chinese are very uncomfortable hearing criticism of their leadership or nation. At the same time, they are quite happy to have a go at other countries, often to the point where you might feel provoked enough to respond. Don’t. Far better to just change the subject.

People on the street will sometimes strike up conversation in order, so they will tell you, to practice their English. However, caution is necessary as increasingly these approaches are lead-ins to scams. These so-called “language students” will often suggest entering a nearby café or bar at which you will naturally offer to buy them a drink. The students take generous advantage of your offer and then depart leaving you with a wildly inflated bill for thousands of renminbi. Of course, the bar owner is in on the deal.

The Chinese don’t do queues. They prefer to push and shove. Anyone who politely waits their turn at the ticket office is likely to be stood there all day.

Although there is always a crack-down in the run-up to major international events, such as the 2008 Olympics, and despite the best attempts of public educators, spitting remains a fact of Chinese life on the streets, buses and trains. It is not just an old man thing either; it is not uncommon to observe a pretty young woman break off mid-conversation to loudly expel a gob of saliva.

Beijing’s traffic is horrendous and if you aren’t careful you could spend half your visit sat in a taxi, gridlocked in a sea of other vehicles. Rush hour seems to last nearly all day, but the roads are noticeably worse on week days before 10am and between around 5pm and 8pm. You should avoid traveling at these times if at all possible.

Around Wangfujing Dajie, Liulichang, Tian’an Men Square and the Forbidden City, be wary of “art students” who in the guise of fund-raising will pressure you to visit an exhibition where you can buy amateur and hugely overpriced art.

At many of Beijing’s sights, but particularly at the Forbidden Palace and Temple of Heaven, so-called guides wait around the ticket offices to offer their services. Decline. They usually know little more than the bare facts, which are often recited with a dubious propagandist slant.

The biggest tourists in China are the Chinese themselves. On public holidays out-of-towners swarm into Beijing for a spot of sightseeing. It becomes impossible to move in the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, or in any of the parks.

China’s is one of the world’s great cuisines. Chinese food is astonishing in its variety, and there is nowhere better to experience this than Beijing. The city boasts restaurants specializing in most, if not all, the country’s many regional cuisines. Ordering the few Cantonese-originating dishes that have come to represent Chinese cooking to the rest of the world would really be a wasted opportunity.

In general, public toilets are hole-in-the-ground types and are usually extremely malodorous. You will need to bring your own tissue paper as it is seldom available. Take advantage of the facilities in top-end hotels and restaurants.

Beijing boasts literally thousands, if not tens of thousands, of restaurants. The best areas to wander in order to see what’s on offer are around Hou Hai and along Ghost Streetfor Chinese cuisine. For the widest choice of international restaurants, try the streets on the south side of Ri Tan Park and those on the north and west sides of the Workers’ Stadium in the diplomatic and entertainment district of Sanlitun.

Should you so wish then, yes, you can find the likes of dog, snake, sea slug, scorpions, and penises from a variety of animals on the menus of Beijing restaurants. However, none of these are particularly common dishes and you are unlikely to find them on the table in front of you without specifically seeking them out.

Many restaurants have menus in Chinese only. In which case, it is perfectly acceptable to look around at what people on other tables are eating and just point to what you fancy.

Beijing is a modern, international city and many of its international restaurants are truly world class. If you should tire of Chinese cuisine then without too much trouble you can find restaurants here that will do a great burger or an authentic spaghetti bolognaise.

Chinese restaurants set their tables with chopsticks, not knives and forks. If you have never eaten with chopsticks before then it’s wise to get in a little practice before your visit to Beijing, otherwise you could find yourself on an unexpected crash diet.

Many Beijing restaurants appear very basic, even scruffy, with Formica tables, cheap furnishings, and plastic tableware. Chinese tend not to care about things like the aesthetics, the ambience, and the service. Instead what they care about is the quality of the food. Little else matters.

Chinese street food is plentiful, varied, and usually delicious (see Top 10 Beijing Street Foods). The best place to try it is at one of the two street-food markets off Wangfujing Dajie (see Wangfujing Night Market). There are also lots of street-food vendors in the Hou Hai area.

The Chinese tend to eat early. Lunch can be served as early as 11am and many restaurants will stop serving at 2pm. Dinner typically starts at around 5pm, with many restaurant kitchens closed by 9:30pm.

Many of the hotel restaurants stay open late, as do a cluster of places around the west gate of the Workers’ Stadium, notably the excellent Bellagio. A lot of bars serve decent food until the early hours, including The Tree, while most of the restaurants along Ghost Street remain open 24 hours daily.

Most shops and markets are open from around 9am daily and do not close until around 9pm, or later.

The Chinese haggle even in shops with fixed prices and it pays for you to do the same. Haggling at markets is essential as traders will start by quoting you a price that can be 10 times or more beyond what is fair. Your first offer must always be a fraction of what they ask. For example, a trader who starts by demanding ¥150 for a jacket at the Silk Market will probably be prepared to let it go for as little as ¥20; offer ¥10 and then walk away, and listen as the price plummets.

Credit cards are only accepted at branches of international stores and at luxury boutiques, and department stores. Always check just which cards are accepted and carry enough cash to cover in case your plastic is rejected.

Beijing is awash with fakes, from counterfeit Rolex watches to careful copies of North Face jackets. Some of these are extremely well done, with counterfeiters even going so far to replicate the internal workings of watches. Of course, itis all illegal. The piracy is likely to be stamped out, or at least sent underground, by the time the 2008 Olympic Games come around. Until then, a shopping session at the Silk Market remains high on most tourists’ list.

Counterfeit goods and fakes aside, there are few real bargains to be had in Beijing. No matter how good your haggling skills, no market trader ever sells at a loss, or even at anything like cost price (despite what they tell you). The antiques are anything but old and even the Mao memorabilia is made specifically for the tourist trade. The simple rule is, buy something because you like it, not because you have been told that it is worth a great deal.

As well as fake clothing, Beijing is awash with pirate DVDs and CDs, sold openly from specialist stores. Movies appear on disc even before they’ve been premiered. Some of the less recent releases are highly professional with all the added extras. However, some disks just won’t play at all. It’s a bit of a gamble and, again, the flow of product is likely to dry up in the run up to the 2008 Olympics.

If you have the time and the inclination, one of the most satisfying shopping experiences is to buy some cloth and have a local tailor make up clothes to your own design or specifications. Present them with an example and they can make exact copies of your favorite shirts or trousers. They can even work from pictures in a magazine. Yaxiu Market in Sanlitun has the greatest number of tailors, plus plenty of stalls selling cloth.

Make sure that you really want what you’re buying because there is no such thing as a refund in China.

Beijing’s main shopping street is Wangfujing Dajie. Other good places include the Dazhalan and Liulichang areas south of Tian’an Men Square, and on and off Sanlitun Bei Lu.

Distances in Beijing are vast and roads are perpetually choked with traffic, so if you don’t want to spend half your visit sat in the back of a succession of taxis, be careful when choosing your hotel. Unless business requires you to be elsewhere, then aim to stay as close to the Forbidden City as possible. In a choice of east side versus west, favor the former, for its better restaurants and shopping.

For international standards of comfort and service, stick to five-star hotels managed by familiar Western chains, or the Singapore- and Hong Kong-based luxury companies. Chinese-run operations do their best to emulate foreign hotels but typically the only way in which they come close is in the pricing.

The Chinese star system of grading hotels is meaningless, since no star is ever lost once it has been given, despite sometimes dramatic deterioration.

Other than a couple of pricey options (Red Capital Residence and the Commune at the Wall), the boutique hotel has yet to catch on in China. However, what Beijing does have is lots of courtyard hotels. These are conversions of traditional siheyuan (courtyard houses) in old hutong (alley) areas of the city. These vary in price and degree of comforts from budget to expensive luxury options.

For most foreign-run hotels the best price will be found on the hotel’s own website. However, websites for Chinese hotels will always quote a wildly inflated rack rate. In China, the real price of a hotel room is what the customer is willing to pay. Locals will always ask for a discount and you should too – you can do this by email if you are booking in advance from overseas.

Outside of the major international hotels you may find that only Chinese versions of well-known credit cards are accepted, so make a point of asking when you check in. Hotel foreign exchange facilities are becoming less reliable and holders of traveler’s checks in particular, may be sent to a bank. In more modest hotels always be prepared to settle your bill in renminbi. Also, be aware that it is normal for most Chinese-run hotels to ask for payment of your room in advance.

Service charges of between five and fifteen percent are frequently added to the final bill, so clarify this at the start. Minibar contents are as overpriced in China as they are anywhere else, but international telephone calls made from your room are subject to only a modest surcharge.

The busiest travel periods are during the week-long national holidays that occur around May 1 and October 1, and during the Chinese New Year. If you are planning to be in China at any of these times then you should make any hotel (and domestic travel) reservations well in advance.

Most hotels allow under-12s to stay with their parents free of charge. Most will also add an extra bed for an older child for a nominal (and negotiable) fee.