beijing 北京
hostels
leo's hostel - my favorite hostel in beijing, great location and good social environment - http://www.leohostel.com/
airport
beijing capital - homepage - http://en.bcia.com.cn/; terminal list - webpage or image
tourism
1. great wall - the walls closer to city center are very crowded, i recommend going to the farther ones - i went to simatai but its closed for renovations
2. tiananmen square - get a picture in front of mao's famous portrait
3. forbidden city - must visit jingshan park (景山公园) right across
the street from the north exit to get an amazing view of the forbidden
city - only 2 rmb
4. summer palace - beautiful palace + lake + garden, you can rent paddle boats for the lake
5. 798 art district - best modern art area i've seen in china
6. olympic lane - the bird nest and water cube are cool. the water cube has a water park inside, not many slides - better for a family
7. pearl/hongqiao market - a decent place to buy cheap/fake things - you will get better deals at the less frequented building right beside (east of) the main building
8. houhai - a beautiful lake in central beijing
9. nanluogu xiang - a hutong with cute cafes, bars and small shops
10. cctv building - architecture is jaw dropping 中央电视台 东三环中路32号
11. sunlitun - beijing night scene - main bar street
12. tianyi wholesale market - shopping central, a crazy busy and cheap wholesale market - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/shopping/beijing-market/has/tianyi-market/
13. panjiayuan market - antique flee market - http://www.chinatouristmaps.com/shopping/beijing/panjiayuan.html
14. maliandao tea market - wholesale tea market - http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/beijing/shopping/tea/maliandao-tea-market
15. beijing glasses city - eyeglass market - regular pair of persciption glasses rmb~100, trifocals ~rmb300 - http://http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/shopping/malls-department-stores/has/glasses-city/
16. acrobatic show - beijing chaoyang theatre... wow - http://www.chaoyangtheatre.com/
restaurants
1. dadong - the chic and trendy best beijing duck, make reservations (jinbao branch) - http://www.thebeijinger.com/directory/Da-Dong-Roast-Duck
2. quanjude - the old school best beijing duck, make reservations (qianmen branch) - http://www.quanjude.com.cn/e_about.html
3. haidi lao - most popular hotpot in beijing, ask for the kungfu noodles - http://www.haidilao.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=lists&catid=401
4. bajiu daocai - yunnan food in the hutong - http://www.dianping.com/shop/2925757
5. traktirr pushkin - good value authentic russian food on guijie (dongzhimen nei branch) - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/dining/russian/has/traktirr-pushkin/
6. tori tei - japanese authentic, initimate setting - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/dining/japanese/has/taro-tei/
7. bridge cafe - western food, decent prices for sunday brunch - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/dining/cafes/has/bridge-cafe/
8. tairyo teppanyaki - japanese all u can eat rmb178 - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/dining/japanese/has/tairyo-teppanyaki/
9. first floor - best value burger in beijing, 2 for 1 on mondays - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/first-floor/
10. tube station pizza - great pizza, tuesdays have free beer from 6pm until tap finishes - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/dining/pizza/has/kros-nest1/
11. saizeriya - value pizza + clams!! - http://www.dianping.com/shop/2942740
12. vineyard cafe - good western food, decent prices for best sunday brunch in a hutong environment, make reservation http://www.vineyardcafe.cn/
bars and clubs
mainstream locations
1. punk - cool higher end dance bar in an upscale hotel - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/nightclub/has/punk/
2. first floor - happening mainstream bar in sunlintun - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/first-floor/
3. salud - fun hutong bar - http://www.thebeijinger.com/directory/salud
4. spark - mainstream meat market - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/nightclub/has/spark/
5. xiu 秀 - poshest club in beijing - thursday nite is ladies nite - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/xiu/
6. migas - awesome roof in the summer - http://www.thebeijinger.com/directory/Migas-Restaurant-and-Lounge
7. glen - high-end whiskey bar - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/glen/
live music
1. yugong yishan - live music venue - http://www.yugongyishan.com/
2. east shore live jazzcafe - live jazz venue,nice view of hou hai - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/east-shore-live-jazz-cafe/
3. jiang hu - live jazz music hutong venue - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/live_music/has/jiang-hu-jiu-ba/
4. yen - event based, in 798 art district, techno, white, and more cool parties - http://www.o2culture.com/
5. dos kolegas - event based in a parking lot, underground parties, live music - http://www.2kolegas.com/index.html
alternative locations
1. el nido - hutong bar great beer selection- http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/el-nido/
2. ball house - hutong bar - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/ball-house/
3. amilal - hidden small hutong bar/cafe, best to come in a small group - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/amilal/
4. chocolate - a surreal hardcore russian danceclub, more of an experience than anything else - http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/nightclub/has/chocolate/
5. haze - alternative club (same owner of white rabbit) - hhttp://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/nightclub/has/haze/
6. school bar- dive club - underground scene in hutong area http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/school/
7. doron- hidden japanese bar - good sake deal - same owners as angel's share in nyc http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/nightlife/bars/has/doron/
cafe
1. bookworm - best cafe in town, hosts a literary festival every feb-mar - http://www.beijingbookworm.com//
2. lush - the goto hangout place/cafe/bar in wudaokou area - http://www.lushbeijing.com/
other
1. strawberry picking - tuanrunyuan - winter time, north of the city - http://www.tianrunyuanps.com/
2. archery - sunny focus - fun to do - http://sunnyfocus.com/
3. hospital - united family healthcare - best hostpital in beijing (most expensive too) knock on wood - http://www.unitedfamilyhospitals.com/en/bj/
more information
1. http://www.thebeijinger.com - good website for recommendations - check out directory section
2. http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing - good website for recommendations - check out directory section
3. http://www.jing-dnb.com - the syndicate - drum'n'bass scene in beijing
to be continued...