Flea markets are not popular in Beijing since market shopping can sometimes rival that of scoring a bargain at flea market prices. The closest thing to a flea market is Panjiayuan Antiques Market, whose 3,000 dealers sell real and reproduced antiques, Chinese paintings, Qing-style furniture, as well as knick knacks and other oddities brought in from outside provinces. There is an indoor portion as well as a vast, tented outdoor portion. West of Panjiayuan Qiao, Chaoyang District (6775 2405), daily 4:30am-4pm although vendors start packing up in the late afternoon. The best time to visit is early in the morning.
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Top Tips
| 01 | Stock up on prescription medicine before you relocate since pharmacies here cannot honor an overseas prescription. |
| 02 | An excellent phrasebook that many expats rely on is called “Mandarin Phrasebook” published by Immersion Guides in China. |
| 03 | Try and join the private Yahoo! group, BeijingCafe, which caters to expats. Membership requires invitation by a current member. |
| 04 | If you have a baby, it may be prudent to stock up on infant formulae from your home country before you arrive. |
| 05 | Prepare mentally for the pollution. Consider purchasing an air filter for your home when you arrive. |
Useful links
- http://www.thebeijinger.com
Website of one of the popular monthly expat magazines in the city. - http://www.schoolfu.com
Educational information as well as showcasing blogs focusing on expat family life, work and education. - http://www.nciku.com
An online dictionary with English and Chinese for language learners. - http://www.danwei.org
Danwei is a website about media, advertising and urban life in China.
Interesting fact
| On an average day, the air pollution levels in Beijing are nearly five times above World Health Organization standards for safety. |
