Fantastic way to find the less explored parts of Beijing. They organise hikes along the Great Wall away from the crowded tourist sections.

www.beijinghikers.com/

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Grand palace built for the emperor of China, fantastic site. To get the full experience I recommend the audio tour. Why? It guides you in English (or any other language) around the site explaining what went on. The best bit is the voice is none other than James Bond, Roger Moore.

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The guy running Chinafaces does an outstanding job enabling visitors to check out the mythical 'real China.'

I'm based in Beijing so I don't need his help here, but I've used his services to explore parts of Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Yunnan provinces which one wouldn't normally see if they used some cheezy government-run tour operator.

inveniocataya@gmail.com

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Travelling on the high plateaus of Qinghai with Tibetan and Mongolian tribes, along the source of many great rivers and cultures in the not-seen parts of West China can be a thrilling experience.

On to Xinjiang and the heavenly mountains of Tianshan and Kunlin with Central Asian peoples that have persisted here for centuries. Have a look at the photographs here:

picasaweb.google.com/inveniocataya/XiBeiNorthWestChinaTrip

www.chinafaces.net

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Sometimes, you want to see what is really going on in China. My experience was fantastic.

Travel by public transport, go to villages where you are the only outside visitor, meet the rural population and avoid tickets and people trying to sell their gear. I was thrilled seeing Beijing in a different light and had a wonderful experience with Chinafaces.

www.chinafaces.net
picasaweb.google.com/inveniocataya

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I have recently returned from Beijing after spending ten amazing days exploring some of what China has to offer the visitor.

I always make my own travel plans and on this occasion I was glad that I hired my own guide for my stay.

I felt a pity on the many groups of people who were following their tour guide, they seemed to be rushing through the attractions, no doubt to get to their coach and go to their next destination. Of course, group travel suits some people, but I believe more people would have a better experience exploring with their own guide.

By having your own guide you can take your time exploring the various sites, dining in local restaurants and you can plan how you spend your time.

I always try to see the real places wherever I visit, not the areas which seem to cater for the tourists.

Use your guide and get off the beaten track, explore, explore and explore.

Incidently, my guide saved me a lot of money on admission prices to many attractions and evening shows.

Search the web for details of how to contact the guide I used on my vacation.
A good Government-licensed guide should cost you £15-£25 per day.

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It’s worth buying a ticket with an audio tour included at the main entrance. That way you’ll have Roger Moore giving a cool, sophisticated commentary as you stroll around this incredible imperial palace. Also, there’s usually less of a queue here for tickets than the main ticket office.

Pick up an audio tour by the main entrance, coming from Tiananmen Square.

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