department stores and shopping malls, in some of the open markets such as the Xiushui Street and Panjiayuan Antique Market in Beijing. Unlike large department stores where the prices are fixed, these places are where you can and you must bargain. Your local tour guides or hosts are the best help when you go to these places. They will prove essential in finding the real stuff and bringing the prices down!

Transport in Beijing

Taxi: The most convenient way to get around Beijing is by taxi. There are tens of thousands of them running aruond the city at all times of the day. There are basically three different price categories: 1.20 yuan/km, 1.60 yuan/km and 2.00 yuan/km. The taxi fares all start at 10 yuan and start increasing after 4-5 km, so if you are going only a short distance, the price is the same no matter whih type of taxi you take. If you can't speak Chinese, it is better to bring along the address in Chinese of the place you want to go, as most drivers' English is limited to "hello" and "ok". There are also lots of drivers running around in private cars who accept money for rides. However , it is unadvisable to take these cars, because they are illegal and not always trustworthy.

Subway: Subwayis often the fastest way to get around in downtown area and even some suburban areas. There are four subway lines and urban railways in Beijing now: No. 1 Subway Line, No. 2 Subway Line, Batong Urban Railway and No. 13 Urban Railway. It costs from three to five yuan to take a subway or urban railway. No. 1 Subway Line and No. 2 Subway Line run underneath the Second Ring Road and the Chang'an Avenue. Transfers between the two lines are free of charge. If you take subway, you can avoid the traffic jams in peak hours in Beijing.

Bicycle: There are bicycles for rent in some hotels in Beijing and some other tourist cities. Riding old-fashioned pedicabs for a tour of Beijing's hutongs and back alleys proves a unique tourist experience.

Dining in Beijing
Being the capital of the country, Beijing has foods from all over China. There are quite a few types of foods which are unique to Beijing. The Hyatt Hotel Concierge will be happy to assist you with restaurant recommendations and reservations.

The main difference between Chinese and Western eating habits is that unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. If you are being treated by a Chinese host, be prepared for a ton of food. Chinese are very proud of their culture of food and will do their best to give you a taste of many different types of cuisine. Among friends, they will just order enough for the people there. If they are taking somebody out for dinner and the relationship is polite to semi-polite, then they will usually order one more dish than the number of guests (e.g. four people, five dishes). If it is a business dinner or a very formal occasion, there is likely to be a huge amount of food that will be impossible to finish.

About Tips
Normally tipping is not expected in Beijing. However it is the custom in most five star hotels and restaurants.