Beijing travel is back, and so are the crowds. Here are a few tips for those looking to take advantage of the great weather as the city prepares for the May Day holiday crush.
1. Expect lots of people and the occasional long line. Seriously. Tour guides report that many sites are straining to manage the surge in tourism. Three years of Zero Covid policy created a lot of pent-up demand for visiting Beijing, and the city’s top attractions have been packed this spring with tourists from all over China who are finally getting the chance to see the capital. If you’ve only been in Beijing since Covid, prepare for the full China experience. Forbidden City. Summer Palace. Prince Gong’s Mansion. Badaling. It’s a sea of matching hats and flag-toting tour guides. However, it's not all bad. Since foreigners are still a bit scarce, it’s a great way to make friends as the out-of-town visitors from China’s provinces fulfill their “Selfie with the Foreigner” check-in. (Yep. That's back, too.)