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. |