Cheap Flights from Gold coast to Beijing

What should I know before visiting Beijing?

Apply for an eVisa before your flights to Beijing

All New Zealanders require a visa to visit China. Once you have booked airfare to Beijing, start preparing the application for your Chinese visa. You can apply in person or by mail to any of the several consulates in various cities around New Zealand. Visas typically take 10 working days to process, so apply at least a few weeks before your return flights to Beijing. Visas cost $140 NZD and allow you to visit China for 30 days.

Book accommodation in a hutong for a local experience

Hutongs are the names given to the narrow streets and alleyways throughout central Beijing. They’re often lined by cafes and restaurants, as well as private residences. If you’re hoping to experience the city like a local, reserve accommodation located on a hutong when you book tickets to Beijing. Several hutong accommodations can be booked through Webjet.

Google and some social media is not available in China

Those planning on seeing more of China while on flights to Beijing should be aware there are country-wide bans on several popular Western websites, including Google, Facebook and Instagram. These sites are not accessible when connected to Chinese internet networks. While preparing for your cheap flights to Beijing, be sure to do all of your trip research before leaving New Zealand. Visitors needing to look up anything while they are in China may need to rely on Baidu.

What are the best things to do in Beijing?

Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is a palace complex in the heart of Beijing. It was built during the Ming Dynasty and served as the imperial palace for 24 emperors between 1420 and 1912. It covers 72 hectares and houses an impressive 980 buildings. Today, the Forbidden City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to the popular Palace Museum. Pay a visit to the museum while holidaying on flights to Beijing to learn about the history and culture of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Other things to see in the Forbidden City include the Gate of Heavenly Peace, Meridian Gate, and the Hall of Literary Brilliance.

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is an iconic landmark recognised across the world. It stretches for 573 kilometres (356 miles) through northern China, and was built as a defensive structure to protect China from nomadic groups. Construction began as early as the 7th century BC. When you book tickets to Beijing, plan a day trip out of the city to visit part of the Great Wall. Several sections of the Great Wall of China can be reached from Beijing, including Badaling, Jinshanling, Simatai and Jiankou. The wall has been restored in places, while some parts still appear wild and untouched. Plan a day exploring the Great Wall when you book airfare to Beijing for a truly unforgettable experience.

Tiananmen Square

This large square located in the centre of Beijing is perhaps most widely known in the Western role for being the setting of the 1989 protests. These protests saw more than a million people gather to call for democracy and freedom of speech. The square is one of the most culturally and historically important sites in the city. While holidaying on cheap flights to Beijing, visit Tiananmen Square to learn more about the political movements that happened there and see landmarks such as Tiananmen Rostrum and the National Museum of China.

What is the best way to get around Beijing?

Beijing is home to an extensive public transport network. If your flights to Beijing land at Capital International Airport (PEK), catch the Airport Express into the centre. The Airport Express is a line of the subway system that offers service to Sanyuanqiao and Dongzhimen where you can connect to other subway lines. If you arrive into Beijing Nanyuan Airport (NAY), a shuttle bus operates between the terminal and Xidan Crossing in the city centre.

Within Beijing and its suburbs, there are 21 subway lines that travel to almost 400 stations. The subway is the quickest and most reliable way to travel around the city while holidaying on return flights to Beijing. You can purchase individual subway tickets or purchase a Beijing Transportation Card for a refundable 20 yuan ($4.45 NZD). Subway fares are charged by how far you travel, and typically cost between 3 and 5 yuan (between 65 cents and $1.10 NZD) in the city. If you’re hoping to visit somewhere the subway doesn’t reach, Beijing also has a bus network across more than 1,200 routes.

Visitors with cheap flights to Beijing can also travel around the city by taxi and with various taxi apps. Uber doesn’t operate in China, but DiDi is a similar app that use can use while holidaying with return flights to Beijing.