Answer to One China Travel Question
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Q: How much does it cost to visit the great wall? How much does it cost to visit the summer palace? And how much does it cost for a regula china meal in u.s. dollors? What hotel would have the best quality at the lowest price? How much is a china dollor compared to a U.S. dollor?
| | A: The entrance fee to any of the various sections of the Great Wall (Badaling, Mutianyu, etc.) or sites such as the Summer Palace is about 50 yuan. That's about US$6.00 (one US dollar for about 8.1 Chinese yuan). Currently they're talking about raising the fares, which may go up to about US$10-15, still not a whole lot for someone has travelled so far to be there.
But of course you need also think about transportation. Summer Palace is not too far outside Beijing, there are buses, shuttles, etc., going there. The Great Wall is farther away, a couple of hours ride, depending on which section of the wall you're going to (Badaling is the busiest; a lot of visitors go there). You can significantly simply everything for yourself by arranging a tour with some agency. A join-in tour (you go with other tourists let by a guide) of Forbidden City and Great Wall costs about US$50. A private tour (you'll have your own vehicle and tour guide) costs about US$80. There are also tours that include other sites in/near Beijing - Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, Hutong (old lanes), which cost about the same to the one that include the Great Wall. Generally a tour to the Great Wall can include only one site in the city (such as Forbidden City), since you need the time to get the wall and come back on the same day. You can then do other sites on another day.
The meal - a combo meal at McDonald's costs about 40 Chinese dollars or about US$5. But McDonald's is actually somewhat expensive place to eat in China. A Chinese meal with two dishes and rice costs just about the same. But make sure you eat at a clean place.
There is a great variety of accomodation possibilities in Beijing, but you want to stay at one of those that serve Western guests. Take a look here. http://www.allchinatours.com/hotels/china_hotels_one_city.phtml?city=Beijing.
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