1) Decide When To Go

Times to avoid
We recommend you avoid the Golden Weeks at the beginning of May and October, when the whole country is choked with traffic. You can check out our article on Chinese Festivals to help you decide.

Guilin Weather
In terms of climate, autumn is the best time to visit. The weather is dry all year round, with summer temperatures of near 40C and as low as -10C in winter. Check out the Guilin Weather section for more information.

2) Book your flight early

Book your flights as early as possible. From Western Europe, any indirect return flight below 450GBP (650 Euros) is quite reasonable. Tickets below 400GBP (570 Euros) are very rare. From East Coast USA, expect to pay around $1300 with some seasonal variation.

Follow this link for more information on Beijing flights or go straight to www.Expedia.com to check available flights and book a ticket.

3) Find somewhere to stay

There’s a huge range of accommodation options in Beijing suiting every budget. From five star havens of luxury to rustic courtyard hostels, Beijing has it all. Follow this link for more information on Beijing hotels for general hotel information, or see our favorite hotels and hostels.
And www.HotelClub.net both do great deals on hotel booking. Try Hostelbookers for speedy hostel booking online.

4) Get your Travel Insurance and Jabs

BME can recommend JS Insurance for travelers from the UK and AIG Travel Guard for travelers from the USA. Follow the link for more information on travel insurance from Beijing Made Easy.

You should consult your doctor about travel vaccinations and health in Beijing – you should do these three months before you plan to travel.

5) Visas

Start thinking about visas two months before you travel. Find your local Chinese Embassy and get the details of your embassy in Beijing.

6) Travel Guides and Interesting Reading

Beijing Made Easy recommended Travel Guides and other books on China can be seen here. Alternatively check out Amazon.com for other travel guides and loads more books.

7) What to visit & what you have to know

Beijing has a massive tourist industry, but you still shouldn’t turn up unprepared. Make sure you know how you’re going to get money and internet access and how you’re going to call home. Finally, read up on the few travel essentials that you must know before you go. If you have time to spare, it’ll make your trip more fun if you can pick up even a basic level of the Chinese language.

Next is the best part, work out where you want to visit, and have fun!