Travel

Urban Hiking: Celebrate National Day With Historical Rambles Through Beijing’s Concrete Jungle

Urban Hiking: Celebrate National Day With Historical Rambles Through Beijing’s Concrete Jungle

Beijing is not known for being especially pedestrian-friendly, but that doesn’t mean there is a shortage of historical strolls on which to stretch your legs and broaden your knowledge of our fair city.

Still Want to See the Sights? Five Tips to Beat the Crowds in Beijing During Next Week's October Holiday

Still Want to See the Sights? Five Tips to Beat the Crowds in Beijing During Next Week's October Holiday

Over 700 million tourists are going to be on the move starting Sunday, and Beijing will be one of the most popular destinations, Caixin reported this week. So how can one enjoy the sites and avoid the crowds?

Lipton's Ceylon: The Legacy of a Tea Tycoon's Sri Lankan Empire

Lipton's Ceylon: The Legacy of a Tea Tycoon's Sri Lankan Empire

The tea fields of central Sri Lanka are a long way from Scotland, but both share a rugged beauty, sometimes obscured with mist, at once giving way to views which sweep down into deep, green valleys.

Little wonder then that a Glaswegian grocery magnate would choose this spot – central Sri Lanka’s Dambatenne – upon which to build his empire of tea.

Historic Courtyards and Residences That Could (or Should) Be Opened to the Public

Historic Courtyards and Residences That Could (or Should) Be Opened to the Public

Have you ever walked down a hutong past a grand gate and stopped to wonder just what was hidden behind those high brick walls?

Military Ghosts of Modern China

Military Ghosts of Modern China

The Republic of China Military Academy, better known as the Whampoa Military Academy, only spent six terms on Changzhou Island, but those six terms between 1924 and 1927 were a crucible from which some of China’s most influential 20th-century political and military leaders emerged.

Kowtow and get out: How I was almost ejected from the Forbidden City

Kowtow and get out: How I was almost ejected from the Forbidden City

Demonstrating an imperial ritual for your guests is a good way to get 86'd from The Forbidden City. It almost happened to me.

Some rules cannot be broken

Some rules cannot be broken

 

Traveling to North Korea is a risky way to spend a vacation. It's a country where things can happen beyond the reach of anyone's help. Neither governments nor guides can you save you if you get into trouble. So why do people travel there?

Not Just for Tourists: How to Make the Most of Beijing's Scenic Spots

Not Just for Tourists: How to Make the Most of Beijing's Scenic Spots

Beijing’s scenic spots are often dismissed as touristy by those of us who have called this city home for longer than, say, six months. This summer, however, you may want to pay them another visit bearing these alternative activities in mind.

24 hours on the booze trail in Siem Reap

24 hours on the booze trail in Siem Reap

It’s 3:00 in the morning. You are sitting on a stool next to a drinks cart somewhere near “Pub Street” in Siem Reap. Beyond the reptilian core of your brainstem – the part devoted to maintaining respiration and sphincter function – you have a dim recollection of an appointment in three hours with Angkor Wat.

Audio: What do people look for when they come to Beijing?

Audio: What do people look for when they come to Beijing?

The final installment of my conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774. What do people want to see when they come to Beijing? Do international visitors and domestic tourists expect different things when visiting the capital?

Legal History on Display at the China Court Museum in Beijing

Legal History on Display at the China Court Museum in Beijing

Notable sections feature documents implicating fallen officials Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai. There are also exhibits of famous legal cases from around the world including the Trial of Socrates, Nuremberg, the Trial of Nelson Mandela, and, of course, the OJ Simpson case. 

Audio: Telling the story of the waterways

Audio: Telling the story of the waterways

The final part of my conversation with Bruce Connolly of Radio Beijing AM774 on the renovation of the Jade River and the canal system of Beijing.